Well I made it to Melbourne Australia 3 days ago. It was a nice short 4 hour flight from Auckland on Emirates Airlines. It was my first time flying with them and I have to say they are probably the best airline I have ever flown on. Great service, very friendly people, comfy spacious seats, and great entertainement. It flew by...hahaha...Ok lame joke, but it was there, so I went for it. ;)
Once we landed it didn't take me very long to get my bag and head out to the shuttle bus. Unlike NZ, customs were very lax, which was kind of nice for a change. Once on the bus I made my way into the city center to the hostel I would be staying at for a few days. On the way I into the city we passed a Costco, which got me very excited. Some of you may know that I have a small obsession with Costco and love to visit them whenever I go through various States. They always have something different in them depending on the State, so I can only imagine what a Costco in a different country would be like!!! Anyways, after a short bus ride and walk in the city I arrived at my hostel.
The next two days I spent wandering around the city. Melbourne is known for its laidback and cool atmosphere, with loads of shopping, cafes, bars, and restaurants. Basically you could spend your entire time here eating. Melbourne also has the largest tram system in the world, which makes getting around the city very easy and somewhat fast. After spending the first day riding the trams it made the second day much easier as I adjusted to the way the system worked.
I visited two different Markets, Victoria and St.Kildas, over the weekend. The Queen Victoria mrket was by far the best and also slightly overwhelming. The market is basically an entire city block of fruit, veges, all kinds of meat stands, food stands, candy stands, any kind of souvenir that you could possibly want, and TONS of people. I think i was at the market just wandering around (and eating) for a few hours. I had the best Brawtwurst in my life and fresh hot doughnuts at the market..
I visited St Kilda's market the next day, which consisted mostly of arts and crafts. The real reason I wanted to go out to St. Kilda is because it is the nicest beach in Melbourne. The day was beautiful and breezy , which was perfect for a long walk along the beach and out to the pier. This area was bustling with families, dogs, bicyclist, joggers, and people playing in the water. I spent the majority of the day walking and relaxing on the beach. St. Kilda is definitely my favorite spot in Melbourne.
Tomorrow is when all the excitement starts! I have rented a car for the next 6 days and will be driving the Great Ocean Road then going through the Grampians and finally back to the city. The Greay Ocean Road is world famous and boasts magnificent coastal views, cliffs,rock formations, lots of Kangaroo and Koalas all stretched along 256km. This time of year the Southern Right Whales are are in for calving, so hopefully I will get to spot one or two. The Grampians is a national park well known for be the climbing mecca. Several different mountain ranges, volcanic plains, and desert land.
Check back in 7-10 days for a blog on this trip and of course loads of pictures!
Also, wish me luck, I'll be driving on the left side of the road!!
Cheers,
Jenna
City Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8k4g6g1ru6bxtgb/AACP1tx5xfdT73hk1WghzHAsa
