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xenithI'll add a note here, that many of these photos have been taken inside without a flash so they're not as sharp as I'd like, but then it's that or nothing :)
That's a plane :)
Taken from the departure lounge at Launceston airport, which might be surprising for anyone familiar with the airport who hasn't been there recently. It's been Upgraded.
Once, the public part of the airport was a large open area with a check-in for (pick two out of) Ansett/Kendall/Virgin Blue/TAA/Australian/Qantas/Jetstar at each end. Not that long ago, in the 1990s IIRC, the big open area was glassed into to form two waiting areas with a security bit in between them, and the all-purpose cafe/giftshop just outside that entrance. This put the queue of passengers waiting to go through security into the same narrow walkway as everyone trying to get from one bit of the building to another.
Now the revamp, and all the check-in bits are at one end and you walk in (but smaller). From there you go through the security check point which is off the main passage and then DOWN the stairs to the new departure lounges, which are right at the front of the building. It all looks like a Real Airport, right down to the signs and the Hudsons Coffee place. (And, says mother, they've put in actual carousels to pick up your luggage from. What, no more waiting outside for the baggage cart to drive up so you can pick your luggage off the trailers???)
Still have to walk out to the plane.
Despite being overcast, there was a good view from the plane. This is the north coast, right out to Cape Portland.
Clear sky or not, Bass Strait is still dull to look at, but finally the coast of Victoria comes into view! Although it's soon hidden by clouds again. It was a bit weird, coming down. There's cloud, cloud, cloud and suddenly, Melbourne! How many times have I flown into Melbourne (every time I've left the state, except once) and I've never seen that before.
The flight and arrival were all unenventually, which is good :) I didn't even had to wait for the SkyBus at the airport. That's the express service from the airport to the city. It's very convenient, especially as it drops you atSpencer St Southern Cross station, from where you can catch either country or city trains, or walk out the door to a tram stop.
First view of the City coming in on the freeway. I remember the forecast for this coming week was "Few Showers" and "Possible Showers" every day.
Melbourne City is shiny, tall modern and older, often very ornate, buildings, mixed with tree-lined streets and trams.
However, now that I've arrived in Melbourne, I shall leave again.
OK, not quite. First I have a couple of hours to fill-in, and this starts with a text to my brother. "Is there anywhere in the city I can store my bags for a couple of hours?" The station has lockers, but you pay by the day. Bah.
He suggests the library.
This turns out to be a good suggestion because I've never got around to checking out their galleries.
At the back of the library, is the reading room with the dome over the top.
Due to the height, it is not easy to show the whole thing, but this whole area is encircled by three galleries. I think the top one is just a viewing area.
The bottom gallery has a semi-permanent exhibition of books Mirror of the World: Books & Ideas, which "features over 200 of the Library's most precious books from the Middle Ages to the present day".
The middle gallery has The Changing Face of Victoria. I think I walked in from the wrong end, because it started with some very dramatic photos of the bushfires. Not just of fires, but of people involved.
There are some interesting displays and some interesting items.
"The returned party from Carpentaria consisting ofBurke myself Wills and King (Gray dead) arrived here last night and found that the deport party had only started on the same day."
Robert O'Hara Burke
"We have been unable to leave the creek. Both camels are dead and our provisions are done."
William John Wills
If you're not familiar with this pair and their expedition, you might to have a quick read because we will encounter one of them again, later.
Mr Kelly's armour. I'll repeat the same comment about having a quick read because we'll encounter him again. With all the sites on the web, Wikipedia probably isn't the best to link to but I can't be fussed looking for a better one. I should confess I don't get this national obsession with the guy. For the most part, I've deliberately avoided the whole subject which is why, until recently, he was just some guy in armour who had a shootout with police and was there a fire?
Peter Lalor's pistol. He doesn't appear again.
After leaving the library, I head for Chinatown
In particular to this bit.
They only allow photos on the entrance level :( The bottom level displays cover coming to Australia during the gold rush, with reproductions of shipboard life, a temple, a shop, a lottery office and some others I've forgotten. Upstairs, the displays are about life in Australia.
Leaving that exhibition, there is...
Apparently the longest Chinese dragon in the world.
Now it's back toSpencer St Southern Cross station and onto the train for our northbound trip.
Unfortunately, the windows are dirty so it's a bit hard to take photos.
Not that is that much to see outside.
The train stops at Seymour, where it's obviously been raining. Here, we transfer to a coach for the rest of the trip.
The windows are a bit better for taking photos, as well as a coach going along a highway can be.
I guess this is Avenel.
Then it is onto the Hume Hwy, the main highway between Melbourne and Sydney. For most of this, there are trees along the side of the road so still not good for photos (they blur).
The coach does pull off at Euroa to drop off or pick up passengers, so I get some photos then.
Back on the highway, the sun is setting.
By the time the coach pulls off for Benalla, the camera has decided it is too dark for taking photos of moving things (how often do you describe buildings described as moving things?) which is a bit disappointing. I assume the coach on the homeward trip will come through here though, so I can get some photos then.
The train station, where the coach stops.
From there, I manage to get one non-blurry photo.
Back onto the highway again, but at least the next stop will be mine. It's dark by the time I arrive so no photos :( Also by the time I've check into the motel, it's almost 6 pm so everything is shutting up. I do corner one poor women to see if she has any stamps for sale so I can send a postcard. She doesn't and the post office is shut, but, if it's the postmark I want, she does offer to put my postcard in an bag and post it for me tomorrow. No, I can do that myself, I want to post it *today* though. She can't do much about that, oh yes she can, she had go to the post office earlier and to make up enough to use EFTPOS she picked up some stamps for herself. She sells me them, and a postcard, and then gives me a pen so I can write on the postcard. Can't complain about the service :)
For tea, I find a takeaway place that sells souvlakis. Back at the motel, I turn on the TV. Time Team is on. Last time I say Tony Robinson on TV he was running around, um, just outside there. This is too weird so I change channels, looking for something watchable. Finally, I manage to watch a DVD (the Mummy Returns) even though I have to rewind it every few minutes because I missed everything that is happening. My concentration span is shot to pieces and I'm quite ready for bed.
That's a plane :)
Taken from the departure lounge at Launceston airport, which might be surprising for anyone familiar with the airport who hasn't been there recently. It's been Upgraded.
Once, the public part of the airport was a large open area with a check-in for (pick two out of) Ansett/Kendall/Virgin Blue/TAA/Australian/Qantas/Jetstar at each end. Not that long ago, in the 1990s IIRC, the big open area was glassed into to form two waiting areas with a security bit in between them, and the all-purpose cafe/giftshop just outside that entrance. This put the queue of passengers waiting to go through security into the same narrow walkway as everyone trying to get from one bit of the building to another.
Now the revamp, and all the check-in bits are at one end and you walk in (but smaller). From there you go through the security check point which is off the main passage and then DOWN the stairs to the new departure lounges, which are right at the front of the building. It all looks like a Real Airport, right down to the signs and the Hudsons Coffee place. (And, says mother, they've put in actual carousels to pick up your luggage from. What, no more waiting outside for the baggage cart to drive up so you can pick your luggage off the trailers???)
Still have to walk out to the plane.
Despite being overcast, there was a good view from the plane. This is the north coast, right out to Cape Portland.
Clear sky or not, Bass Strait is still dull to look at, but finally the coast of Victoria comes into view! Although it's soon hidden by clouds again. It was a bit weird, coming down. There's cloud, cloud, cloud and suddenly, Melbourne! How many times have I flown into Melbourne (every time I've left the state, except once) and I've never seen that before.
The flight and arrival were all unenventually, which is good :) I didn't even had to wait for the SkyBus at the airport. That's the express service from the airport to the city. It's very convenient, especially as it drops you at
First view of the City coming in on the freeway. I remember the forecast for this coming week was "Few Showers" and "Possible Showers" every day.
Melbourne City is shiny, tall modern and older, often very ornate, buildings, mixed with tree-lined streets and trams.
However, now that I've arrived in Melbourne, I shall leave again.
OK, not quite. First I have a couple of hours to fill-in, and this starts with a text to my brother. "Is there anywhere in the city I can store my bags for a couple of hours?" The station has lockers, but you pay by the day. Bah.
He suggests the library.
This turns out to be a good suggestion because I've never got around to checking out their galleries.
At the back of the library, is the reading room with the dome over the top.
Due to the height, it is not easy to show the whole thing, but this whole area is encircled by three galleries. I think the top one is just a viewing area.
The bottom gallery has a semi-permanent exhibition of books Mirror of the World: Books & Ideas, which "features over 200 of the Library's most precious books from the Middle Ages to the present day".
The middle gallery has The Changing Face of Victoria. I think I walked in from the wrong end, because it started with some very dramatic photos of the bushfires. Not just of fires, but of people involved.
There are some interesting displays and some interesting items.
"The returned party from Carpentaria consisting of
Robert O'Hara Burke
"We have been unable to leave the creek. Both camels are dead and our provisions are done."
William John Wills
If you're not familiar with this pair and their expedition, you might to have a quick read because we will encounter one of them again, later.
Mr Kelly's armour. I'll repeat the same comment about having a quick read because we'll encounter him again. With all the sites on the web, Wikipedia probably isn't the best to link to but I can't be fussed looking for a better one. I should confess I don't get this national obsession with the guy. For the most part, I've deliberately avoided the whole subject which is why, until recently, he was just some guy in armour who had a shootout with police and was there a fire?
Peter Lalor's pistol. He doesn't appear again.
After leaving the library, I head for Chinatown
In particular to this bit.
They only allow photos on the entrance level :( The bottom level displays cover coming to Australia during the gold rush, with reproductions of shipboard life, a temple, a shop, a lottery office and some others I've forgotten. Upstairs, the displays are about life in Australia.
Leaving that exhibition, there is...
Apparently the longest Chinese dragon in the world.
Now it's back to
Unfortunately, the windows are dirty so it's a bit hard to take photos.
Not that is that much to see outside.
The train stops at Seymour, where it's obviously been raining. Here, we transfer to a coach for the rest of the trip.
The windows are a bit better for taking photos, as well as a coach going along a highway can be.
I guess this is Avenel.
Then it is onto the Hume Hwy, the main highway between Melbourne and Sydney. For most of this, there are trees along the side of the road so still not good for photos (they blur).
The coach does pull off at Euroa to drop off or pick up passengers, so I get some photos then.
Back on the highway, the sun is setting.
By the time the coach pulls off for Benalla, the camera has decided it is too dark for taking photos of moving things (how often do you describe buildings described as moving things?) which is a bit disappointing. I assume the coach on the homeward trip will come through here though, so I can get some photos then.
The train station, where the coach stops.
From there, I manage to get one non-blurry photo.
Back onto the highway again, but at least the next stop will be mine. It's dark by the time I arrive so no photos :( Also by the time I've check into the motel, it's almost 6 pm so everything is shutting up. I do corner one poor women to see if she has any stamps for sale so I can send a postcard. She doesn't and the post office is shut, but, if it's the postmark I want, she does offer to put my postcard in an bag and post it for me tomorrow. No, I can do that myself, I want to post it *today* though. She can't do much about that, oh yes she can, she had go to the post office earlier and to make up enough to use EFTPOS she picked up some stamps for herself. She sells me them, and a postcard, and then gives me a pen so I can write on the postcard. Can't complain about the service :)
For tea, I find a takeaway place that sells souvlakis. Back at the motel, I turn on the TV. Time Team is on. Last time I say Tony Robinson on TV he was running around, um, just outside there. This is too weird so I change channels, looking for something watchable. Finally, I manage to watch a DVD (the Mummy Returns) even though I have to rewind it every few minutes because I missed everything that is happening. My concentration span is shot to pieces and I'm quite ready for bed.
