The most livable city in the world

Tuesday 10th September was the day the car had to be returned and meant the end of our awesome road trip - we checked out of our hostel (as it was a bit out of town and expensive to boot) and relocated to one right at the edge of the CBD, unloading our bags and leaving Cherina and Melanie to deliver the car to the airport. I took a stroll along to Flagstaff Gardens and the Harbour, and we all reunited at the huge Queen Victoria Market. After we had made the most of closing time bargains we decided to take a loop of the free tram then walk around for a while to get a feel for the city. We visited the Yarra River until we got too hungry and cold and returned to the hostel.

View over the Harbour

I strolled down the Yarra to the Botanic Gardens the following day before taking a tour of the Parliament and visiting St Patrick's Cathedral and the Melbourne Museum. After yesterday's experience cooking in a rather cramped kitchen, we took a trip down to Chinatown for dinner, enjoying the novelty of using an iPad as a menu.

Witnessing Melbourne's 'Four Seasons in a Day'

A trip down to the State Library came the day after; I probably would not have come in here had a 'chugger' not recommended I visit to see Ned Kelly's armour on display, but was glad to witness the huge reading room (and also to access free to use computers and wifi!) and generally get lost in the vastness within... Following this I opted for a free walking tour, one of many free events the hostel appeared to host. The tour took us round the centre of Melbourne, incorporating stints on the free tram and free bus and showing some cheap ways to enjoy Melbourne. Among other things this included Harbour Town (a dirt cheap shopping area rejected by locals), fancy looking Crown Casino, ACMI (for a bit of old school gaming) and some alleys which had been heavily graffitied. As the free tour had taken most of the afternoon somehow the hostel decided it was only fair that we were given free food and drinks for the evening :)

Victoria State Library Reading Room

City behind lit up Flinders Station

I spent a bit more time at the library the following morning, still feeling deprived of internet. I had seen signs to a chess collection but not had time to locate it yesterday, and as I headed there, overhearing a school tour, I discovered it was in fact the largest in the Southern hemisphere and people await challengers there! Once I had defeated Boris at chess it was time to visit highly regarded Chocolait for a rather filling hot chocolate before heading off for a walk along Brunswick Street, and a second short visit to the museum. I walked around the North end of the centre of town, visiting the gaol and baths (sadly neither offered much to see...) before collecting my bags and heading to Federation Square to meet Ross, who had visited us in London and whose parents I had seen in Brisbane. After taking me out for dinner and taking me on a quick guided tour by the river we returned to his flat in Flemington where we watched the end of the AFL 'finals' game that was being played at the MCG.

Melbourne Fire Show

On Saturday I walked along to Kensington station (there is also a South Kensington but I did not make it there) to experience Melbourne train catching. I could not believe that on  weekends you can travel as much as you like on public transport for $3.50 (just over £2) and made the most of it, visiting Harbourtown again and taking a Sea Shepherd tour on the temporarily nearby Bob Barker anti-whaling vessel. This was followed by a tram trip down to the Shrine of Remembrance followed by a walk along St Kilda waterfront and the nearby area. On the return to the centre of town I met up with Ross for dinner and returned for an early night - I was not feeling 100% :(

Melbourne skyline viewed from the Shrine of Remembrance

St Kilda waterfront

We made a late start in the morning and Ross kindly drove me down to Phillip Island. We started off at the information centre then straight to the beach for a stroll in the warmest weather I had seen since arriving in Melbourne (I was not even cold without a jacket). Our next stop was the surprisingly large town of Cowes, (it has Woolworths, Coles and IGA supermarkets) where we walked along the pier and fought seagulls for our fish and chips. As darkness approached we got our front row seats at Penguin Parade; little penguins come ashore shortly after sunset and waddle up to their living quarters. After checking under the car for penguins trying to smuggle themselves off the island we started the long return journey...

Ross at the beach

Penguin going home