It wasn't an auspicious start to my worldwide adventure when both my checked bag and my carry-on were over the weight limit. I had to do some scrambling to get the carry-on down or the nice lady at the Qantas desk wasn't going to check me in, so I ended up paying an extra £66 for my overweight checked bag. Will have to work some magic when I actually get to Melbourne as we are taking 2 internal flights within Australia - then another flight back home. This will not make Chris happy as he complains I pack way too much as it is... and now he's got the Qantas people on his side.
The flight from London lasted about 11 1/2 hours, and as it turned out wasn't as bad as I had anticipated. Watched the Iron Lady, ate a little something, attempted to sleep without a great deal of success. I was freezing and cramped but that's life back in economy. But it really didn't seem that much longer than our flights from London to Dulles, which is good. Made a good start on Angela's Ashes on my Kindle.
8-9 March - Hong Kong to Melbourne!
Second leg of the trip was uneventful. Arrived in Melbourne to overcast skies but mild conditions. Apparently, the Aussies are quite concerned about what might enter their country and mess with their flora & fauna, so they are very thorough about their screening of international arrivals. Once you get through customs and claim your luggage, before you can exit the airport, they line you up next to your bags and unleash the BSSD's on you (that's "bad stuff-sniffing dogs" and yes - I made that up.) The cutest little yellow lab came through our queue - fortunately I ate my last granola bar while still on the plane, because you even have to declare packaged foods like that.
The ride from the airport was about 45 minutes, but I arrived so early I was dropped at the hotel before 9 am and had the entire day ahead of me. I actually - surprisingly - didn't really feel tired and wondered if I could take my driver's advice and stay up for the entire day. After settling in and exploring the hotel, I decided to give the muscles a good stretch and went for a swim in the indoor pool and soaked for a bit in the spa. Felt so good. This was followed by a heavenly shower and a tete-a-tete with the concierge about what to do with my afternoon - by then the sun was shining and it was glorious outside. I decided to just walk, my destination being the area of "laneways & alleyways" that are popular in this part of the city. They were really charming and had a European feel, but felt pretty modern at the same time. I stopped for a pumpkin panini with feta cheese & rocket and a diet coke - yummy but expensive ($11 Aus) and people-watched, which is always fun. Then I walked some more and stopped for an iced coffee - yummy but expensive ($5 Aus.) Are you noticing a pattern?
It was getting late and Chris was due to arrive at the hotel so I headed back, but first stopped into the Tourism Office for some brochures. So far I'm completely impressed with the tourism folks; in Melbourne anyway they are extremely friendly, efficient, and most importantly helpful - in many languages! They even have tourism "Ambassadors" strolling the streets of the cities, coming to the rescue of wayward tourists. Really well done. I arrived back at the hotel just before Chris arrived. We made a plan for dinner, but decided first to walk down by the river and check out the free opening night concert of the "Moomba" - a multicultural festival going on all weekend in Melbourne. It was a lovely evening, and we had a nice walk by the river, but once we settled on the grass and listened to a couple of absolutely lovely opera arias, I suddenly felt the fatigue starting to kick in and suggested we go ahead and make the walk to the restaurant while I could still in fact walk. The concierge had suggested a popular restaurant not far from the hotel - the only seats available were at the bar in front of the open kitchen but watching the chefs & prep cooks busily preparing meals on a Friday night was pretty fascinating - imagine the pressure. No nose-picking going on in that kitchen, believe you me. And we were able to strike up conversations with the friendly people on either side of us which is always kind of fun. The food was yummy but expensive - I have become grateful that at least Chris's meals are being expensed, minus the wine of course which was - you guessed it - yummy but expensive. Then it was back to the hotel where I gave myself a pat on the back for managing to stay awake all day (even Chris was impressed) and sank into the comfy bed for a needed good night's rest.
Saturday:
Free city tram back to Tourist office to book Phillip Island excursion, then to Docklands (not too impressive; nothing going on) then to Flagstaff Gardens and Victoria Market. Lots of stalls of the same stuff (cheap boomarangs, keychains, "Ugg" ripoffs); nothing too great. Brats for lunch; tram back to central area to show Chris alleyways, etc. To the guidebook recommended bar, "Cookie" for a beer then walk back to hotel. Dinner at Grossi Florentino. Yummy but expensive. Stop for a beer at Trunk - bar next to hotel - before bed. Beer and high prices becoming a pattern.
Sunday:
Took time in the am. Picked up by Brian of "Tours with a Difference" for our excursion to Phillip Island, southwest of Melbourne. A family of 3 from Munich our only companions. First stop, Gurdies Winery. Beautiful scenery; OK wines. Next stop, Panny's Chocolate Factory. Kind of random but cute. Next stop, Woolamai Beach. Spectacular scenery and my camera battery dies. Ugh. Next stop, Wildlife Park. We see wallabys, koalas, kangaroos and other Australian creatures. Place reminded me of Storeybook Land from back in my youth - kind of kitschy & tired around the edges. Purchase an old fashioned disposable wind-up camera on my way in. Not sure how quality the photos will be. Next stop, seaside town of Cowes for a pretty decent dinner, then on to the "Penguin Parade". No photos allowed. Tourists gather en masse to witness the Little Penguins emerge from the surf just after sunset on the way to their nests. It is sort of remarkable as they have been swimming all day for food, then come back and waddle back to their own nest every time (so we are told.) There are only 2 locations in the world that this breed of penguins nest; one is this area and the other somewhere in New Zealand. Fall asleep on ride back to hotel. Nice day.Monday:
Chris has an interview in the morning so we get a late start in very nice weather and head to St. Kilda for the beach. Really beautiful. A bit cool & breezy but the sun is great. Stroll on the beach & boardwalk and out to the pier & breakwater, then lunch in a busy spot by the water (it's Labour Day in Victoria so lots of people.) Get back on tram toward town but get off to walk to Royal Botanic Gardens; stop at Shrine of Remembrance along the way - very impressive memorial. Botanic Gardens are huge & very pretty. Long walk back to the hotel. Press Club for dinner - award winning "Masterchef Australia" celeb chef George Calombaris owns. Very showy, nice wine, good service; called Press Club as it's housed in Rupert Murdoch's original news building.
Tuesday:
Wednesday 14 March, Melbourne to Canberra:
Another nice day with a bit more cloud cover. Decide to check out the 2 parts of the National Gallery of Victoria, first the Ian Potter Center for Aboriginal Art, then the International Gallery. Both are good - latter is very impressive (and both free.) Then walk to Southgate - area along the river - for lunch. Get a "worker's special" for $20 Aus. Includes a beer. Just sit and enjoy the breeze and hang around for an iced coffee. Need to walk back to hotel as getting picked up to go to airport; stop at a little shop on the way for a spontaneous purchase: an Australian alpaca wool coat. On sale. Back to hotel then to airport to catch flight to Canberra where I'll meet Chris. Get to hotel on the late side - the Crown Plaza in Canberra can't hold a candle to the Melbourne Marriott. But it's fine. Order crappy room service and to bed.
Thursday:
Chris needs to wake up for a 4 am Australia time conference call back in the US (where it's 15 hours earlier.) Then he showers and goes to work. I take my time, have breakfast and head out to see what Canberra has to offer. Not a whole lot. Walk down to Parliament House about 30 minutes away. Really nice day. Check out the Australian government at work. Then head to museum area and wander around the National Gallery of Australia for a bit - impressive collection and free to get in. (Monets, Piccasos, Pollacks.) Head back toward hotel for long walk around Lake Burley Griffen (man-made lake named after the man who made it); stop at Blundells Cottage, a former tenant farmer's cottage; very quaint. Stop for a salad at a cafe close to the hotel. Did a LOT of walking! Chris & I enjoy a really good dinner at "The Chairman & Yip" - nearby restaurant specializing in Cantonese food.
Friday 16 March, Canberra to Sydney:
Lovely morning. Chris goes to work, I am on the march again. Walk the Anzac Parade ("Anzac" is the abbreviation of "Australian & New Zealand Army Corps".) Many monuments. (This area of Canberra between Parliament House and the Australia War Memorial was apparently modeled after the Mall in Washington, DC.) Then in to the very impressive Australia War Memorial Museum. Hop in to a free guided tour that started 5 minutes ago. I find this interesting when I'm in the UK as well: getting another ally's perspective on the wars that both countries (theirs and the US) have participated can be quite intriguing. For example, the Australians had a whole different set of concerns when Japan, their back-yard neighbor, came into WWII. Anyhoo - this museum is world-renowned apparently and rightly so. And free! Really great short film made by Peter Jackson that re-creates an actual aerial dog fight from WWI. Sunshine turns to dark clouds turns to downpour before I leave and I need to hang out for a bit and wait for it to clear. Back to hotel to wait on car that will then pick up Chris and we'll head to airport. Take a pass on a $12 pint at the hotel bar where the minimum cc charge is $15! Jeez Louise Australia is expensive. Flight to Sydney non-eventful. Sydney Harbour Marriott is incredibly beautiful and view from our room of the Sydney Opera House in the Harbor is amazing! Go next door to Alfredo's for dinner. Live piano music and good food. Get in conversation with Alfredo himself at the end of the evening, after he mistakes me for Italian. Nice way to end the night.
Saturday - St. Patrick's Day!
Rainy morning. :( After breakfast we head out, dodging the raindrops. Down George St., Sydney's main drag, then through Sydney's take on Hyde Park - really pretty. Then for a brief pop into the New South Wales Art Gallery, and out to the Royal Botanic Gardens. Loud birds above our heads turn out to be HUGE BATS and I am FREAKED OUT so we move along. Sun is trying to come out. Next stop is artsy area called The Rocks and sausages from a street vendor until we can no longer resist the green clad lads & lasses and the Celtic music coming from The Oriental Pub (sounded Irish enough for us.) Have a wee bit of rollicking before Andrew picks us up to take us back to his flat in Balmain, his neighborhood just across the Harbour. Head out with he & Jane for a few more beers then back to the flat for dinner. Too much drinking but lots of fun and Andrew has an amazing view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Sunday 18 March, Sydney to Singapore to London
Last day in Oz. Went by so fast. Decide to go back to the Rocks to purchase some art we saw the day before. Then to the really wonderful market at the Rocks - really nice stuff. Finally walk to the Sydney Opera House - just beautiful. Earlier raindrops make way for sunshine. Meet Andrew & Jane back at hotel and we head to lunch at the wharf. Weather is lovely and it's a wonderful way to spend the last few hours. Not enough time in Sydney. Car picks us up from hotel and we are on our way. Nice man at the Qantas check-in lets me get away with my 2 kilo overage. Those Aussies are so friendly!
Trip back is truly uneventful - watch My Week with Marilyn, Midnight in Paris, Annie Hall, and Tootsie between the 2 flights. Literally minutes after the pilot tells us we are starting our descent into Heathrow, I finish Angela's Ashes. What timing! And boy oh boy, what a trip.
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