When I last left you, we were preparing to discover the city of Melbourne. Unfortunately, our plans were slightly thwarted as the sky unleashed a torrential downpour on the drought-ridden city. While the heavens wept, we decided to visit the famous Queen Victoria market, an enormous covered market selling everything from aboriginal didgeridoos and kangaroo key chains to toasters and sweatsuits. After nearly an hour of looking at the Australian knick knacks, (Most of which appeared to be made in China and Malaysia!), we grew bored and were eager to set out to the city. But alas, the weather was still not cooperating. And I in my pre-trip cockiness, paid no heed to the weather predictions of rain and failed to pack a rain poncho. As luck would have it, the market carried a variety of windbreakers and rain slickers, all in various hideous shades of orange or fluorescent green. Upon my brother's recommendation, I chose the latter. He said it complemented my skin tone and brought out the green flecks in my eyes. :) To my horror, after the purchase, I caught a glimpse of myself in a mirror and realized I could have easily passed for a radioactive glo-stick! Thus I learned an important lesson.... NEVER trust your little brother for fashion sense advice.
After leaving the market and blinding passers-by with my fully conspicuous slicker, Murphy's Law came into effect, and the sun peeked out from behind the clouds, bathing the city in light.
I found that I thoroughly enjoyed Melbourne, perhaps even more than Sydney. It is a large cosmopolitan city, but very manageable on foot. And its extensive tram system gave our weary legs an afternoon rest and carried us to the bohemian beach suburb of St. Kilda. Our evening stroll led us to the heart of the city where the Melbourne International Comedy Festival was in full swing. We decided to have our funny bones tickled and chose a local act. It was a horrible show and made me question whether the "comedian" had actually missed his calling in life.
As the evening wore on, I turned into a bit of a grouch and deemed it best to succumb to the jet lag I had managed to keep at bay for the last 3 days.
Yesterday saw us on a 14-hour bus tour of the Great Ocean Road. For those of you who have been to California, picture a drive along the Pacific Coast Highway. Now picture this drive only now a thousand times better, with beaches so pristine and unspoilt, with rolling green hills and beautiful white sand. Next, picture enormous rock formations - Sedona's rocks pale in size and splendor to those rocks which majestically jutted out of the ocean floor, their heads reaching for the heavens.
And interspersed between these beaches were stops at a local golf course where kangaroos ran (or jumped) wild, a walk through a cold tropical rainforest, and a stroll through a eucalyptus drive full of koalas in the wild. It was everything I imagined Australia to be....
Tomorrow we are off to begin our Outback adventure, so you may not receive any updates for a few days as we will be camping in the middle of nowhere...
Until next time,
Mel