End of the Grand Adventure

Well I'm back in WA after a week in lovely (but cold) Victoria. And I had a great time so I thought I'd share with you a day-by-day account of my movements in the Big V.

Monday - I arrived in Melbourne at 7pm. Sarah's dad picked us up and drove us back to Warragul. Melbourne looks beautiful at night with all the lights and I got to see the Telstra Dome, the MCG and some funny-looking convention centre which looks like a cow shed (Perth's convention centre looks much better).

Tuesday - Sarah and I went into town and met up with one of Sarah's friends from high school, Rowena. We had lunch and looked around Warragul and then went to the movies to see Superman Returns (wait until it comes out on video).

Wednesday - This was a chill out day. We walked the dogs, Molly and Lola around the neighbourhood and I had my first experience picking up a dog turd with a plastic bag. We spent the rest of the day watching videos and then went for a drive out to Morwell and Moe so I got to see a bit more of the state.

Thursday - My first adventure in the big city. We drove to Melbourne, arriving about lunchtime and dropped our stuff off at the Victoria Hotel where we would be staying for one night. After buying a throw-away camera and grabbing lots of free maps, brochures and tram timetables we were off.

Botanical Gardens
These are huge so I didn't get to see much of them but I saw the war memorial and Government House. I would so LOVE to have a picnic there and just lie on the grass.

Then we headed to Ascot Vale on the tram to see Andrew and Heather (the former CCC pastor and his wife who now live in Melbourne). Then it was out to dinner and then to Hard Rock Cafe for icecream. I felt sooo sick after that.

Friday -
Queen Victoria Markets
These are so much bigger than the Freo markets and there are a million ugg boot stalls!

Bridge Rd, Richmond
I'd been looking forward to this - shopping at direct factory outlets! Unfortunately a lot of it is a rip off and you have to hunt around to find good bargains. I got a dress for $30 so I was happy :)

Picasso exhibition
This is not my kind of art but it was still quite interesting. I much prefer nice beach scenes while Picasso draws people's noses on their cheeks and their eyes on their chins. I don't think we would have got along.

St Kilda
I ventured down to St Kilda on the tram - and all by myself! It was disappointing as I couldn't find a renovated cottage to photograph for the novel I plan to write next (the characters live in one). There are lots of mansions and tall skinny terrace housing. But I took some pics of the bay and the beach and of Fitzroy Street and then walked past a gym that was down on the beach and saw lots of old rich people working out (it was a posh gym).

MCG
Definitely one of the highlights of my trip (of course) ;) Yep, on Friday night we all went to the Melbourne vs Richmond game at the G. Now Sarah's family are all Dees' supporters so of course I went along as a fake Dees' fan for the night. I'm not a traitor - really I'm not! It was ironic that I had brought a red scarf and a blue scarf with me. I nearly didn't get in because I had a bottle of wine in my bag that I'd bought as a thank you present for Sarah's parents but I ended up leaving it in the cloakroom (although the man at the gate told me I should drink it). There wasn't any biff though but I was told I need to go to an Essendon vs Collingwood game to see some psychos getting stuck into it.

After the game we headed back to Warragul.

Saturday - In the morning we cleaned up the house in preparation for the big family reunion that Sarah's parents were going to be hosting the next day. In the arvo, Sarah and I went to Yarragon (a little farming, toursity place right near Warragul). We visited craft shops, a second-hand bookshop, lolly shop and the cafe. I bought heaps of lollies for myself and to take home for my family but my favourite buy would have to be my new golly. I guess it's considered racist to call them golliwogs now so I just call him Golly. I've always wanted one since I was little and read Enid Blyton books.
On Saturday night, we went out to dinner at one of the local pubs with Sarah's friend, Matt, and his girlfriend, Lisa. The pub soon got pretty boring after we finished eating an talking amongst ourselves. There was only one pool table and there was so much cigarette smoke that we ended up leaving and heading to the nightclub. So I got to experience Warragul's nightlife with all the teeny-boppers and bogans and the like. I don't usually like going out to places like pubs and clubs unless I have a big group of friends with me and I go cos I love dancing NOT to be hit on by creeps and drunk people so at times I felt a bit uncomfortable.

Sunday - After getting home at 3am, we slept in and then all the family started arriving around lunchtime. I have quite a small extended family in comparison so it was kinda tiring but they were all very nice. Then came the cleanup.

Monday - It was time for me to leave. Sarah's sister, Emily took me to Melbourne but before she dropped me at the airport, we headed to the Direct Factory Outlets in Essendon to do some last minute shopping. I FINALLY got a new pair of boots after looking all over Perth and not being able to find any I liked. So I got on the plane happy.

My opinions of Melbourne

• It is so BIG. Well, obviously being 3.5 times the size of Perth. I got blisters just by walking around.
• A lot of people live centrally in terrace housing where there is about a metre between the front door and the fence. You have to go to the outer suburbs to get a decent backyard.
• It's so old. In the CBD you can really feel the history of the place which I don't feel in the Perth CBD. I have to go to Freo to feel it.
• The public transport system is heaps better. Although tram fares are more expensive and there are not many seats, it's much more regular and convenient.
• The atmosphere is much more rushed and busy and party-like. When Sarah and I went to Hard Rock Cafe at 10pm, there were people getting meals there and then just going out. Obviously sleep is not a high priority on weeknights. People walk much quicker too.
• At times I found myself getting stressed and irritable and I had to keep reminding myself that I was on HOLIDAY. There was just so much to do in so little time and I am one of those people who try to cram too much into unrealistic periods of time.
• There were many lovely strangers who helped us out with directions when we were lost, even before we asked. Praise God!
• St Kilda Beach is nowhere near as good as Perth beaches.

Overall, I liked Melbourne and just two weeks before my trip when I was really low and confused about where my life was going and what God had planned, I just wanted to move to Melbourne and start afresh. How ironic that just two weeks later, God allowed me to visit there. I still don't know if I could live there. I don't like being really busy and stressed all the time and I guess I'd have to have a reason for moving there. I don't know but God does.

It was a wonderful trip and just what I needed. God was faithful and took care of me even when I tried to do things on my own strength. Thanks God!