18 & 19th Dec Melbourne
We have a really early flight from Cairns to Melbourne, leaving the humid heat, for a far drier but equally powerful heat down South.
Melbourne is a bit different to how I imagined it. It’s a big city and lots of homeless or ‘down & out’ people fighting and slurring in the streets. I had a mental image of a funky bohemian place, and it’s far more like The mid/rough areas of London. We get to our hotel ‘the great Southern hotel’ that is no word of a lie, exactly like an Irish gaol or jail we toured in Belfast!
We found a nice local pub called the Bank, and shared a bottle of local prosseco which certainly helped. After a lovely meal, we hop on the FREE TRAM system they have in Melbourne central! Ace! You don’t get much for free these days.
In the morning, we sort ourselves into a different hotel called Rydges. During the day, we went to a genuine bagel and coffee shop, and it was so delicious. Traditionally boiled bagels, and I chose a garlic salted with lok filling (cream cheese & salmon). The coffee was divine. Five & Dime was its name.
We then went to the sea life as there is a massive heat wave ahead of a storm, and we are keen to spot the sea life we had seen while snorkelling! It was a really good example of a sea life and we did spot some of the fish we had seen while snorkelling too & also a salt croc, which I had never seen in an aquarium before. They are COLOSSAL!! Heads the size of a 4X4 wheel.when he looks at me, it is just spine chilling.
Once we have made our way to the new hotel, it’s really amazing! Sooo glad we decided to switch, especially as it’s over my birthday. It’s right in the heart of the theatre district, so we are going to head out & see what’s on! Aladdin the musical is opposite the hotel.
