Australia: Melbourne 20-23 Feb 12

I had originally planned to take the eleven hour train trip to Melbourne from Sydney during the day so I could see a bit of the countryside, but I wanted one more day to wander around in Sydney so I changed it to an overnight train instead. It made more sense, sleep on the train and wake up in Melbourne, and also save on a night’s accommodation. The train left from Central Station in Sydney, and it pulled away on time at 8.40pm. It wasn't full so I had two seats to myself, and even though now and again it would stop at a station and pick more people up no one sat next to me. Possibly because of the puddle of drool that was forming on that spare seat from my flopping about head. Man, I was totally out! I had some sandwiches I had made for dinner, wrote for about 30mins and then took a sleeping pill to make sure I conked out, and boy did I. I woke up about 45mins outside Melbourne as the sun was coming up, just in time to see some kangaroos scuttling away from a fence as the train swooshed past them. And then, into the big old depot station that is Melbourne.

I had high expectations of Melbourne as I heard from so many people how great it is, which isn’t so good as then it’s always a tough act to follow. The train station was big and busy, I got there in the morning rush hour all blinky and confused while office workers streamed past me like salmon. I found a map and saw that my hostel was on the same road as the station... no sweat. So I set off in what I thought was the right direction and walked about 50 miles up the road to find that the numbers weren’t chronological in any way whatsoever, just a bit of fun for the tourists. Eventually after walking up and down for an hour I called the hostel and found that I had passed it twenty times already, it just wasn’t numbered or signposted. Sigh. I was staying in Nomads All Nations on Spencer Street, and in case you ever go to Melbourne and are looking for a hostel, this is one to avoid. It’s big, dirty, and impersonal and it has really annoying sarcastic signs everywhere making you feel like an unwanted guest. In the kitchen ‘Basically, your mom doesn’t live here, so wash your dishes.’ In the communal area ‘Smile, you’re on camera. We are watching you and will evict naughty backpackers’.

I had a shower and set off to find the free tourist bus that takes tourists around the city, I think that’s a really nice touch for them to offer that. This was the first time that I’d actually seen the scale of an Australian city... I didn’t find that in Sydney at all as it’s really compact and walkable and quite European like that, but in Melbourne the streets stretched for miles and are set out on more of a grid so it didn’t make as interesting walking. I found the bus at Flinders Station and as far as I can tell that is the focal point of the city. Although rather than having one main focal point there seemed to be a few notable buildings or landmarks dotted all around miles apart but no one heart of the city. The bus did a big loop round to some of the museums, markets and then to the waterfront or docklands where they had just built some new flat’s and shops and it was pretty ugly and grey. Why on earth would a tourist want to stop there? But a few people got off anyway. I came to the conclusion that Melbourne unfortunately is not the prettiest place, but maybe I was marred by Sydney.

I swiftly booked a room on the other side of town in a different hostel for the next night called The Mansion near Brunswick Street, which was loads better than the CBD downtown. (I made a mental note to always research hostels even if it’s just a tiny bit, it’s so worth it as they’re so different and it could make or break or stay in a place.) Then I set off on a tram (don’t you just love trams?) to St Kilda which was the cute beach-y part. There’s a mad old amusement park there called Luna Park but unfortunately it wasn’t open. 

I had a wander down Acland street which had some great quirky coffee places, bakeries and shops and alternative bars. I went in one which had tons of posters on the walls of events going on in Melbourne and there were quite a few. I've heard it been called the cultural capital of the South and is the place to be if you are interested in music, arts, theatre etc. There were things like open air cinemas, lots of gigs and shows, exhibitions on the beach etc. Even though I didn't have enough time to go see anything it was good to see what was happening.

After that I took a tram all the way up to the other side of town, Sydney Road in Brunswick. A friend of Bex who I met at the wedding in NZ, Amy, lived in Melbourne and gave me some tips on what to see which is why I knew where to look, so darn invaluable to a stranger in a city. This was another happening suburb, kind of like Hackney in a London – a beat up area attracting hipsters. 

I was hoping to find somewhere to eat but could only find an Irish Pub and KFC, and by this time it was 8pm and I was feeling pretty knackered so I just went on back to the hostel and helped myself to some of their free dry pasta (the only nice thing that the hostel did) which I made up with some pesto and parmesan. To get a pot to cook with you had to hand in your passport at the reception and they didn’t give it back until you brought the pot back washed. ?!?. Obviously all travellers should be treated as delinquent thieves according to this Nomad hostel.

The next morning I was out of there like a shot to Home @ The Mansion Hostel which I booked the day before. The difference was so complete I felt like laughing when I got there. (Exactly the same price I should add). A big beautiful old building that had been converted recently to a hostel near Victoria Market and Brunswick Street. As soon as I walked in a felt cooled down and relaxed, as the really friendly person on reception showed me around with a big smile. Our room had huge windows with stained glass, lockers and fans and a big bathroom right next door, bliss. There was a TV room and an outside shaded area with tables and barbecues and that night they were offering free cheese and wine to all guests, who were all happy as Larry and super friendly. Definitely recommend this place!

Home @ The Mansion - Google pic

I sat down in the garden and thought to myself, this is a really excellent time to get the tattoo that I’ve wanted to get for ages. So I texted Amy and she gave me a list of good tattoo parlours, which I researched and found that one of the best in Melbourne was only around the corner from where I was sitting. So I took my design, found the place and asked if they had any time that day and guess what, they did! I go with my gut feelings about places and the one I had for Tattoo Magic was good, so in I went and I was out only 30 minutes later. The artist who did it was Sean Jackson. One of the easiest breeziest things I’ve ever done and I’m pretty happy with it, I’ll put a pic up once they’re healed.

I went back to the hostel and played my ukulele a bit in the garden and chatted with some backpackers, and then set off to meet Amy and her boyfriend Steve at the Queen Victoria Night Market just down the road. It was seriously bustling with loads of stalls and food and music, and it felt like I could have been in London or Berlin. People even dressed London style, really this was like being in Europe in summer and I had to keep reminding myself that I was in Australia, very far away. We had some very yum Sangria and found a stall making South American barbecue. It was thick cuts of steak on a skewer with salad and grilled pineapple and tangy lemon dressing and was seriously one of the most delicious things I’ve eaten on this trip. Then we bought some fudge, I got tiramisu flavour and spent some time chatting to some of their friends that they had bumped into until it was time to go. 

Victoria night market - Google pic

I really loved the atmosphere of the night market and I could see why people loved Melbourne for its culture.

The next morning I woke up early and got a shuttle that the hostel organised to the airport which was miles away but only cost £11, although I was the only one in it. It was an extremely fast and hair-raising drive though; the driver rode up to within an inch of every bumper until they moved over.

Very happy to be going to Perth to visit family, some I haven’t seen in 18 years!


Here are all the photos of Melbourne and Perth.