Rediscovering Melbourne

I'm so pleased that I came back here. I visited Melbourne in January but left feeling slightly cheated. Whilst I'd really enjoyed exploring St Kilda with its beaches, cafes, funky shops and arty creations, I gave the city short shrift. I spent less than a day in the city and so I only scratched the surface of this cracking place.

This time, I felt that I got to know it so much better. So much of Melbourne life happens behind the scenes. You have to look beyond the main streets and enter the lanes and passageways which weave between the glittering shopping malls and office blocks. With the narrow streets and pavement cafes buzzing with people sipping cappucinos, it felt more like Italy than Australia. I loved pottering around the hidden gems of the city and deciding whether to tuck into European, Asian or typically Aussie tucker.

There was lots happening whilst I was there too. I managed to catch a catwalk show which was part of the L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Week. It seemed weird seeing models showing off winter clothes whilst the sun was beating down on them. It was also the Melbourne Food and Wine festival (I suspect the fash pack didn't make it to this one though). I missed out on Jamie Oliver's event (slightly out of my backpacker budget) but I did sample some tasty delicacies, learn more about local food and admire the edible garden.

In true Pip fashion, I managed to fit in a winery tour. My day in the Yarra Valley was just great. I learnt more about the cool climate grape varieties that do best in that region and I found some new varieties that I hadn't tried before too. It was a lovely day - glorious sunshine, great scenery, tasty food and lots of good wine. The day ended at Domaine Chandon with a glass of bubbly. Now that's my kind of tour!

Melbourne to Adelaide

I waved a reluctant goodbye to Sydney last week. I've grown rather attached to that fantastic city. I love the lifestyle, the people, the opportunities, the positivity. It rather suits me. However, like the Littlest Hobo, I must keep moving on. Don't worry Sydders, it's only farewell. I'll be back soon.

Melbourne
I stepped off the plane in Melbourne and was engulfed by a wave of heat. It was 6pm but still over 40 degrees. I manged to arrive in Melbourne on its hottest night in 100 years! Luckily, I was staying with friends and had a great night's sleep. Others weren't so lucky and spent the night on the beach, cooling off in the sea.

The next day was hot and humid too, so Alice and I decided to cycle along the coastline and stop for a dip in the sea along the way. I was thoroughly enjoying it and encouraging Alice to venture on to the next bay and the next. It was then that my bike broke! I know next to nothing about bikes and Alice knows no more, so two blonde Essex girls fiddled around aimlessly with the chain getting rather grubby. That's when two dripping wet men in Speedos came to our rescue! Clearly it was a simple problem with the gear mechanism. I don't know why we didn't work that out ourselves! We set off again only for it to reoccur five minutes later. This time, no knights appeared. Eventually we flagged down an aged cyclist who declared the gears 'buggered'. It was a long walk home that hot, humid Tuesday.

The day progressed with more misadventures, one of which involved us calling an ambulance to the Botanic Gardens, but that's another story...

I really enjoyed Melbourne. It's got real character to it. There are quirky shops to browse, coffee shops with delectable cakes to enjoy and loads of arty touches everywhere. Turn a corner and you'll come across an unusual mosaic or interesting sculpture. It's really cosmopolitan, buzzing and quite European really (possibly because there are so many Brits, Irish and French backpackers there!)

The weather's unusual too. You really do experience four seasons in one day as Crowded House said. It went from a humid 43 to a grey 23 in a couple of days. Layers are definitely key to Melbourne dressing.

Great Ocean Road
Next came a three day tour from Melbourne to Adelaide. Wow! The Great Ocean Road is stunning. Luckily, the sun came out at all the right spots. The sight of the Twelve Apostles against a clear blue sky was breathtaking. Loch Ard Gorge was another marvel, as were the many other bays and rock formations along the way. I was also quite excited to visit Bells Beach as it features in Point Break. My fellow tourists didn't share my enthusiasm - only the bus driver and I were old enough to remember the iconic surf movie!!

Having had our fill of beaches and curious rocks, we moved inland to The Grampians. We hiked up mounts and admired huge expanses of rural landscapes (oh, and more rock formations). Sights like that remind me just how vast this country is. You see nothing but nature for miles and miles - no towns to blot the landscape. Talking of nature, I was chuffed to see koalas, kangaroos (white and grey), echidnas, possums, wallabies and emus (evil bastards according to my tour guide - poor Rod Hull RIP).

Adelaide
Now I'm in Adelaide. I'm not sure what to expect of this place as I've heard nothing positive about it at all. There are no must-see landmarks. It's the driest state in the driest continent. That said, it was raining when we arrived.

Fortunately, it's near enough the Barossa Valley for us not to stay dry for long. Bring on another winery tour.

As luck would have it, I've also coincided my visit with the Tour Down Under. I'm off to find Lance Armstrong and his lycra-clad mates!

More soon...