Everyone we've known who's been to Melbourne has raved about it, and now we'll get to see for ourselves. A bit of background . . . in 2008 we spent a month in Australia, most of it up and down the East Coast with a 4-day trip to Uluru, the iconic aboriginal site in Central Australia. (Our original plan was to go to India for that month but changed our minds after the terrorist attacks in Mumbai just two weeks before our scheduled departure!) It was obvious that we had just scratched the surface of this fascinating and diverse country. We loved it and promised ourselves a return trip.
Originally we thought we'd spend up to a month 'doing' Southern and Western Australia on this trip. But we kept adding countries in SE Asia and then threw in Christmas/New Year's in Fiji and a stop in NZ to see friends, and our trip was already into month four. So we opted for a quick visit to one mutually-agreed upon spot and then another, 'bloody good' stay on our next trip. Picking one spot was easy - Melbourne!
I began researching places to stay for a week or so. With several candidate accommodations in neighborhoods which meant nothing to me, I was kind of stymied. Then I remembered we had new pals there - Sally and Richard - a delightful couple we'd met in Varanas, India less than a year ago. We'd been in touch via email, and I emailed Sally, asking if she could recommend one of the neighborhoods I was considering. Amazingly, she invited us to stay with them!! They live in the North Carlton neighborhood, a quick and easy transit ride to all the attractions of Melbourne. And they were disappointed that we could only stay 9 days!! How very blest we are!!
They happily met us when our flight from Bali arrived at 9 a.m. -
On the way into town from the airport, they apologize that they've booked a 2 day/3 night stay (starting tomorrow) at a friend's place on Philip Island and hoped that was all right with us!! Oh I guess so :)) We get settled in their marvelous home and get a quick tour of the 'hood which is absolutely delightful - lots of local restaurants, shops. broad boulevards flanked with gorgeous old trees shading beautiful, wide sidewalks. Melbourne has already enchanted us!
Philip Island - a favorite getaway for so many locals, is an easy 1-1.5 hour drive and it's another world. We're staying at a family getaway, built by the papa back in the '60's and about 50 paces from the shore - beautiful!
Relaxing on the porch and catching up on the local news.
Tim and Richard and Pepi on the beach.
Sally and Pepi trying out the surf!
And one of the biggest treats of being here (THE biggest treat was yet to come!) was the abundance of wildlife - wallabies that came right up to the porch to drink from the ever-present water bucket provided for them.
Here's one intrepid fellow on his way to the bucket.
Yes, he was this close to us!!
And tonight we're off for the super, special treat on Philip Island - the Parade of the Penguins!
Originally we thought we'd spend up to a month 'doing' Southern and Western Australia on this trip. But we kept adding countries in SE Asia and then threw in Christmas/New Year's in Fiji and a stop in NZ to see friends, and our trip was already into month four. So we opted for a quick visit to one mutually-agreed upon spot and then another, 'bloody good' stay on our next trip. Picking one spot was easy - Melbourne!
I began researching places to stay for a week or so. With several candidate accommodations in neighborhoods which meant nothing to me, I was kind of stymied. Then I remembered we had new pals there - Sally and Richard - a delightful couple we'd met in Varanas, India less than a year ago. We'd been in touch via email, and I emailed Sally, asking if she could recommend one of the neighborhoods I was considering. Amazingly, she invited us to stay with them!! They live in the North Carlton neighborhood, a quick and easy transit ride to all the attractions of Melbourne. And they were disappointed that we could only stay 9 days!! How very blest we are!!
They happily met us when our flight from Bali arrived at 9 a.m. -
On the way into town from the airport, they apologize that they've booked a 2 day/3 night stay (starting tomorrow) at a friend's place on Philip Island and hoped that was all right with us!! Oh I guess so :)) We get settled in their marvelous home and get a quick tour of the 'hood which is absolutely delightful - lots of local restaurants, shops. broad boulevards flanked with gorgeous old trees shading beautiful, wide sidewalks. Melbourne has already enchanted us!
Philip Island - a favorite getaway for so many locals, is an easy 1-1.5 hour drive and it's another world. We're staying at a family getaway, built by the papa back in the '60's and about 50 paces from the shore - beautiful!
Tim and Richard and Pepi on the beach.
Sally and Pepi trying out the surf!
And one of the biggest treats of being here (THE biggest treat was yet to come!) was the abundance of wildlife - wallabies that came right up to the porch to drink from the ever-present water bucket provided for them.
Here's one intrepid fellow on his way to the bucket.
Yes, he was this close to us!!
And tonight we're off for the super, special treat on Philip Island - the Parade of the Penguins!
