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Hello again people!!
Melbourne has been a lovely little 'holiday' for us! Although the City didnt greet us as we had hoped. We drove through a couple of electronic tolls... without paying, and with no way around them!! And driving in the city with 'Hook turns' (where you have to get in the left hand lane and wait and wait, just to turn right.) and Green lights for us to turn left, onto a pedestrian crossing with a green man!! Mind boggling!!!... It was a treat to give back the car the following day!!
The hotel is a great end of our short adventure, and in true 'flashpacking' form, we had a lovely delux room in the new wing of the hotel with a grand 42" flat screen TV... it has been heaven!!
So Melbourne, It is lovely and clean, and is just an exciting vibrant city to be in!! I love it here! There seems to be lots of interesting architecture, and statues all over the place, and it is suprising to know that the city is only 175 years old!! I know this because Monday 30th August 2010 has been Melbourne day, and the city has had celebrations throughout the day, I had my eye on some free cake!!
The first couple of days here were a little bit of a waste, we both were bed-bound, we had picked up a nasty cold somewhere along the great ocean road, and it had tagged along on our trip uninvited!! But soon after we were back on top form, and went to discover the city. Naturally we ended up at the casino... I would say, the most impressive place in Melbourne, it was part pleasure, but mainly torture.. due to the designer shops, and glamourous restaurants, but it was fun. And the flame show was awesome!! the 8th wonder of the world!!! There is about 8 chinmeys on the side of the Yarra River, outside of the casino, and on the hour every hour in the evenings the chimenys are lit and in a sequence the flames will dance around.
We also went to Federation Square, Im not exactly sure what it is, there is a tourist information office there, a few bars and a Tim Burton exhibition, the walls of the building look like a climbing wall in different colours, but I dont know if it has any other purpose than a meeting place.... We walked up to the Queen Victoria Market also, I love markets!! So dragged Luke around the stalls!! It wasnt brilliant, all the stalls sold the same things too, so I didnt find anything exciting, and found the place to be slightly disappointing!!
Also during our holiday time we managed to meet up with two girls we met in Vietnam, Chau & Fiona. We arranged to meet in Siglo Bar, which is a roof top bar with dramatic views of the Parliament building, We struggled to find it, because the entrance was just a big wooden door... without a sign! but we managed it! And had a few drinks before driving to the Casino for dinner, we all had a lovely Roast dinner! Yummy!!!! Then went to the Atruim area for a couple of drinks, it was lovely and relaxed and the lights kept changing colour and pattern so was like watching a film...... sort of!
The next day, came and it was Neighbours day!! A day I have been looking forward to for 20 years of my life!! The day that I got to set foot on Ramsey Street!! We went to the Neighbours Centre on Flinders Street and waited for our tour bus to pick us up, the earlier tour had finished so come in to pick up their free postcards' and the girl behind the desk whispered that they had ran out and kindly offered them a Neighbours pen, (I think she was speaking quietly so we didnt hear, so she didnt have to give away even more pens!!) But I did hear, and I wanted my free pen! So went and got one and got one for Luke too... the lucky boy!! What would he do without me??
We met our tour guide and he pointed out our 'Neighbours star' who was having a coffee in the shop next door... It was only NELL FEENEY... yes Nell Feeney!! Everyone on the tour must have been star struck because we didnt instantly know who she was...... Her Character was Janelle Timmins on the show - Once she said who she was, I did recognise her!! But she wasnt Harold Bishop or Paul Robinson, who I was hoping to meet!! The bus took us past Erinsborough High school, we couldnt stop off and take pictures, because it is actually school, and there was some event going on as we were going past. Then we rocked up to the Studios where Lassiters, Charlies Bar, the Mechanics etc is. It was TINY! It looked like Replicas of the places, and im shocked how they manage to trick us viewers into thinking theyre huge places... and Lassiters Lake....... well, it is just a tiny little bird bath!! Also for example, You are stood in the Uni Courtyard, you take 3 steps forward, and then its Lassiters Hotel, and then you turn round and its the police station. I actually got quite upset with how disappointing it was!!! There were plastic Gallahs on trees for gods sake!!!!
Next Stop: Ramsey Street....AKA Pin Oak Court! This was also minature!! But this made the whole trip worthwhile!! We took photos, gossiped about the show - I didnt play much part in this, as stopped watching it a couple of years ago.... I wish Neighbours was still like it was in the 90's!! On the street were quite a few Lemon Trees, Luke put an idea in my head to 'steal' a lemon! It would have been an impressive story to tell and a real treat to use a lemon "from Ramsey Street" but there is always security there and because we were a small group they always had their eyes on us... and I didnt want the embarrassment of 'stealing' from Neighbours!!!!!
On the tour were a 5 Aussies, and a Mum & Daughter from England.. The reason I bring this up, is that the Mum had an old fasioned camera!! It was funny!! She had to take millions of pictures, 'incase' it didnt take properly, and then finished a film so had to refilm... I cannot remember how long ago it was when I last saw a manual camera!! But thank God for technology...........
The compromise for dragging Luke on the Neighbours tour, was that I would go with him to watch UFC on the Sunday, We found a bar in the docklands who were playing the match live, So we strolled on over to thay side of the city and spent a few hours watching a blood bath!! During one of the fights, I had a break and went to browse the waterfront market! It was a tiny little market, and lots of nice things, but nothing that would go in my bag, and nothing that would cope during the journey home... so I couldnt buy any lovely treasures!!!!
Then Today.... Melbourne Day!!!!! I went to St Kilda, Luke stayed in Melbourne today and started doing his packing, and I ventured out of the city on my own.... on a tram.... It is the first time I have seen Blue skies over Melbourne, and its a prettier sight! I got off the tram on the esplanade and walked down to Luna Park.. True to form.. It was closed!!! So I walked down to the beach.. and sunbathed a little bit... making the most of the sun!! I walked to the end of the pier, and back then had some lunch on Ackland Street before heading back into Melbourne on the tram again. The conductor wasnt very pleasant to me on the way out to St Kilda, I had bought my tram ticket, and got on... Thinking that was all that was necessary for a trip!! But Noooooo... You have to swipe your travel card.. and activate it whenever you get on the tram, so he dragged me to the swipe machine on the tram to show me how to do it.... Luckily, I didnt lose my seat.. Or there will have been trouble!!
Back in Melbourne Luke & I went for a coffee, and packed. Tomorrow is our last day in Melbourne, and leaving at 8pm heading to Sydney!!! Before we arrived in Melbourne I consulted my guidebook for things to do and places to go and see, and it meltoned about Captain Cooks cottage which was in the middle of a city Gardens, I thought that would maybe be interesting to go and see... Until i read...."... Cook's Cottage is the perfect destination to include as part of Melbournes winter experience. IMAGINE HOE THE COOK FAMILY SURVIVED THE BITTER WINTERS OF NORTH ENGLAND....." Luckily we both know what it is like to 'survive the bitter winters of North England' so didnt bother going!! England isnt much colder than Melbourne to be honest!!! Last week it was very chilly, we felt a really cold wind which just reminded me of home!!
We both have high hopes for Sydney..... and have learned some valuble lessons from Perth, we will NOT live with weird homeowners like Julie & Hugo (who we lived with in Perth).
So I will write an update from Sydney when we are all settled in, and as usual...... have something to write about. Hope im not boring you all too much, and hope your all well... Love to you all & speak soon..
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx J&L xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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