Melbourne Trip: Part 1 We arrive!
Sep. 18th, 2011 09:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
xenithThis is a combination travel journal for the benefit of those who went, trip account for friends & family who wonder where we went and collection of Melbourne photos for those who like such things.
So it's long :)
Day 1, Morning
Waiting at Launceston airport, but camera thought it was too early to take photos. Sensible camera. That is actually looking through the glass entryway to outside, but it's reflecting the departure lounge. That means I couldn't take a photo of our plane.
Fortunately, I have one I prepared later. (At Melbourne airport, not the actual plane we went on though.) The Flying Wallaby? Nineteen rows, two on each side of the aisle (no middle seat!) Handy when you're travelling into a group of four. No problems with the wings blocking the view, and they served us breakfast.
Out of the airport, straight onto the Skybus that was about to leave. About to leave meaning "I'll get your ticket later. Just get on NOW." Skybuses run between airport and city every 10 mins. Handy, especially as it drops you at Southern Cross station where the city trains, country trains and country buses leave from. Also they have provide a free hotel transfer bus.
We passed 202 yellow taxis on the way in...
And there is the city, in grey on grey.
Our first stop was to the hotel at 8.30 am. Our plan was to store the luggage and then come back later that evening to check-in. But our room was all ready for us! (Gold star to Victoria Hotel staff. Rather a nice hotel actually, especially for the price, and very conveniently located.) We even had a view! Well, it beats looking at a brick wall.
Once we'd sorted out what and where in the room, we headed out.
Flinders Streeet station. There are five train station in the city centre, but (thinking) only two are above ground. This one was built between 1900 and 1910. It's a wonderful in-your-face building that dominates that area. The Yarra River runs immediately behind it and there's a clock tower at the far end, so it's visible for quite a distance.
If you've never been to Melbourne... they have trams. A network of them that run out to the suburbs. In the city centre, they stop on every block.
We're waiting for a City Circle tram. These are free trams that do a loop around the edge of the CBD, complete with a running commentary on points of interest and attractions at each stop.
We caught one going clockwise, which heads into the Docklands
and eventually out again.
Once we get off, we walk up two blocks to get to Victoria Market. Most of the stalls are aimed at tourists.
I think cheap is the best way to describe most of the merchandise. And repetitive. It's easy to get confused because you walk past the same stalls but in different places.
Of course, I took photos of the more interesting stalls so you don't get the full monotonous effect.
Someone must be buying this stuff, or they wouldn't stay in business.
Now this is why it's worth walking up to the place: the fruit and vegetables.
Cheap fruit and vegetables: I bought a bag of mandarins for $1.50 a kilo (back home, $3 a kilo is a good price). Avocadoes for 50c each. Others I won't mention because it's depressing.
There's a good range too. I don't even know what the things on the left are.
Not just fruit and vegetables either. There are all sorts of spices
and tea. Sister knew I wanted to buy some tea while I was in Melbourne, but not here.
Then because I'm evil, I led them through the fish & meat section. It STINKS. Even that photo stinks.
There are some small shops in the permanent buildings around the edge.
We leave here fairly quickly because we plan to spend the afternoon at the museum andI want to sneak in somewhere else on the way we're hungry, so we head back into the city to see what we can find.
We did find this shop, but I overheard the sales assistant telling someone the owners don't like photos being taken so I won't name the place or tell you about it. (g)
We headed for Melbourne Central to find lunch. The food courts there are relatively cheap and have a good range, so it was the best range to suit everyone.
Going up or down?
Random wall decoration in the dining area.
So I had some overly mild Thai. Douglas had chicken nuggets from McDonalds. The other two had something a bit too spicy from a burger place.
And that's a good place for a break.
So it's long :)
Waiting at Launceston airport, but camera thought it was too early to take photos. Sensible camera. That is actually looking through the glass entryway to outside, but it's reflecting the departure lounge. That means I couldn't take a photo of our plane.
Fortunately, I have one I prepared later. (At Melbourne airport, not the actual plane we went on though.) The Flying Wallaby? Nineteen rows, two on each side of the aisle (no middle seat!) Handy when you're travelling into a group of four. No problems with the wings blocking the view, and they served us breakfast.
Out of the airport, straight onto the Skybus that was about to leave. About to leave meaning "I'll get your ticket later. Just get on NOW." Skybuses run between airport and city every 10 mins. Handy, especially as it drops you at Southern Cross station where the city trains, country trains and country buses leave from. Also they have provide a free hotel transfer bus.
We passed 202 yellow taxis on the way in...
And there is the city, in grey on grey.
Our first stop was to the hotel at 8.30 am. Our plan was to store the luggage and then come back later that evening to check-in. But our room was all ready for us! (Gold star to Victoria Hotel staff. Rather a nice hotel actually, especially for the price, and very conveniently located.) We even had a view! Well, it beats looking at a brick wall.
Once we'd sorted out what and where in the room, we headed out.
Flinders Streeet station. There are five train station in the city centre, but (thinking) only two are above ground. This one was built between 1900 and 1910. It's a wonderful in-your-face building that dominates that area. The Yarra River runs immediately behind it and there's a clock tower at the far end, so it's visible for quite a distance.
If you've never been to Melbourne... they have trams. A network of them that run out to the suburbs. In the city centre, they stop on every block.
We're waiting for a City Circle tram. These are free trams that do a loop around the edge of the CBD, complete with a running commentary on points of interest and attractions at each stop.
We caught one going clockwise, which heads into the Docklands
and eventually out again.
Once we get off, we walk up two blocks to get to Victoria Market. Most of the stalls are aimed at tourists.
I think cheap is the best way to describe most of the merchandise. And repetitive. It's easy to get confused because you walk past the same stalls but in different places.
Of course, I took photos of the more interesting stalls so you don't get the full monotonous effect.
Someone must be buying this stuff, or they wouldn't stay in business.
Now this is why it's worth walking up to the place: the fruit and vegetables.
Cheap fruit and vegetables: I bought a bag of mandarins for $1.50 a kilo (back home, $3 a kilo is a good price). Avocadoes for 50c each. Others I won't mention because it's depressing.
There's a good range too. I don't even know what the things on the left are.
Not just fruit and vegetables either. There are all sorts of spices
and tea. Sister knew I wanted to buy some tea while I was in Melbourne, but not here.
Then because I'm evil, I led them through the fish & meat section. It STINKS. Even that photo stinks.
There are some small shops in the permanent buildings around the edge.
We leave here fairly quickly because we plan to spend the afternoon at the museum and
We did find this shop, but I overheard the sales assistant telling someone the owners don't like photos being taken so I won't name the place or tell you about it. (g)
We headed for Melbourne Central to find lunch. The food courts there are relatively cheap and have a good range, so it was the best range to suit everyone.
Going up or down?
Random wall decoration in the dining area.
So I had some overly mild Thai. Douglas had chicken nuggets from McDonalds. The other two had something a bit too spicy from a burger place.
And that's a good place for a break.
no subject
Date: 2011-09-18 10:34 pm (UTC)I'd do my fruit and vegie shopping at the Vic Market if I could get it all home. But no delivery, alas, and I live in the suburbs. Oh, well. I have bought a few things there, such as orange blossom water for a Moroccan dish I wanted to try out.
no subject
Date: 2011-09-18 10:53 pm (UTC)Last week! Our school holidays & my sister took her kids over for two nights. More an invigorating holiday than relaxing :)