No Campsites, Seeing Santa And Touring The City

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6th December 2008 - ENGLISH GRUB IN ST KILDA
We decided to try and avoid the city on our first day. Not good to take the van in either so we headed to the outskirts to a little beach town called St Kilda. We managed to find a free parking spot (Australia is sooo good for free parking) near the beach despite being on a pretty mainish road. We were both hungry and neither of us fancied yet another van sandwich so we headed off to find some pub grub. We found an English sytle pub called 'The Elephant and Wheelbarrow'. Perfect!! I am not sure if the owner was English though. Nat ordered Steak and Ale Pie. You would expect pastry surely?!! No...it came topped with mash potato!! I would call that Shepherd's Pie!! Either way, the food did the trick and we were both full to burst! We headed back to the van...only 5pm but both of us were tired and fancied a night in. Settled and spent the night writing christmas cards and reading!!! Oh how the young live on the edge!!!

7th December 2008 - EXPENSIVE CAMPSITE & A MEAL OUT
We woke up late this morning and had a proper sunday lie in!! Good job too as the road where we had parked had been shut off for a triathlon until 11am. Once we had surfaced and had breakfast it was after that time so we were ok to move...today was campsite day!!! Yey...I could finally get all the sand out of my hair!!! BREAKING NEWS.......no campsites in or around Melbourne!! You have go to be kidding!! There was no way......not for all the tea in China....that I could have gone another day without a shower. We decided to pay into the 'Sea Baths' (a swimming pool at a health spa) to get a shower. $12 each! Coupled with the $9 for the 24 hours overnight parking spot, that totalled our most expensive campsite to date!! Not good as there was no kitchen, no facilites and no TV room!!! I did make the most out of the shower though and spent a good half hour washing myself and some of my clothes. Felt nice to be clean again!

We then had a look around a local arts and crafts fair......saw lots of nice stuff for myself but I was good and didn't spend a penny....not on me anyway!!!! That is what you call willpower!! Following the market we had a lie on the grass in the sun......boiling hot sun and cold wind both at the same time. Weird!! Very relaxing though as a girl kept playing her guitar and singing near us...she was really good! We then wrote a few more christmas cards and got ready to go out for an evening meal......a treat I had been looking forward to for days!!!

I really fancied pasta and so we chose a nice Italian. We ordered some garlic bread for starters (looked more like a cake) and I ordered Spinach and Ricotta Canelloni for my main. I didn't get the pasta I expected though......it came wrapped in a pancake with sauce on the top. Weird and not the pasta I longed for but tasty all the same!!! I love eating out!!!

From there I phoned home to check in with the folks, checked my emails and then we had a steady walk back to the van as we were both too full to be able to stomach a drink. There were lots of birds in the air and they looked like they were lit up like faries...so cool!! As we got closer to the van we could hear some Salsa music and what sounded like a big crowd. The Health Club had put on a Salsa evening!! We went to have a look...so cool!! Everyone was dancing and doing proper moves too! I so wish I had been able to join in.....I probably would have done anyway if I'd had a few drinks or had a partner!! That is one thing on the list for when I get home.....learn how to Salsa properly!!!

8th December 2008 - GETTING IN THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT!!!
I loved today!! We had decided to spend it in the city and so after a good wash in the public toilets (luxury ones though...they had hot water) we found a new free spot to park the van and then caught the tram into the city. Neither of us had change and there wasn't a conductor on board, just a ticket mahine that didn't accept notes. We didn't have a clue what type of ticket to get either...oh dear!! We skipped the fair...I felt so guilty!!! It wasn't like we wanted to but we literally had no means of paying!! Slap on the wrists for me!!

We got off the 'free' tram in the centre to the sound of christmas carols being played by two guys with trumpets! Made me excited!!! We then went on the hunt for the information centre (another thing Oz is spot on for....you are never more than 5 minutes away from information) armed with a list of questions. The lady confirmed our fears about there not being any campsites in or close to Melbourne and gave us some other advice about attractions, a free 'hop on hop off tram' and pointed us in the right direction for shopping.

I managed to have a good shop and got something for each of my family for christmas. Was nice to be christmas shopping...I felt festive!!! We also saw a giant christmas tree and queued up with the kids to see Santa. Not sure some of the kids in the queue were too happy about 'adults being in the queue' but the kid had bad hair anyway!! You don't have to pay to see Santa out here either!! He was a good santa...the beard and everything looked real!! From there we shopped some more and then went to the post office...cost me an arm and a leg to post everything home and I only had a couple of parcels and some cards!!! I now walk with a stick and can only eat with a fork.....!!! We then had a gander to see 'How Santa Really Works' which was a cool display window showing all the different stages.

As the afternoon drew to a close we headed to find a pub for some food. Found another English Pub...'Charles Dickens Tavern' for a hearty meal (proper Shepherd's Pie this time) and then headed to Melbourne's famous 'Pancake Parlour' for a dessert (I had a two for one voucher on the pancake stack). Very tasty though I have had better cooked for me!!!! They also had a giant chess board and I learnt Nat how to play for a while....not that i'm an expert...I never quite made it to Chess Club at school!!!

At around 8.30pm we made our way to Federation Square to watch the opening of the giant advent calender. Quite a few gathered to watch and the show started at 9pm with 2 ladies harnessed over the calender doing acrobatics. They told a story through movement and lights projected onto the calender. It ended with square number 8 being opened to reveal a toy soldier!! A good way to end a christmassy day!!!

We were both knackered as been out all day and so after passing by St Paul's Cathedral and Flinders Street Station (looked nice at night) we caught a tram back to St Kilda and headed to the van for some much needed kip!!

9th December 2008 - SIGHT SEEING IN THE RAIN
This morning was not my finest hour!! Still no campsite and it was now 2 days since the swimming pool shower!! We had decided to spend a couple more days in the city and we knew our hair wouldn't last that long without some shampoo!! We had no other choice...we carted our stuff on a ten minute walk to the luxury public toilets with hot water. We went the whole hog....full body wash, hair wash and teeth clean all over the sink!! Thankfully no one came in. We reminded me of a song we used to sing at little school......
"Have you seen the old girl who walked the streets of london, dirt in her hair and her clothes in rags...she's no time for talking, she just keeps on walking...carrying her home in 2 carrier bags!!!" Now I can relate to her!!

Once clean and back at the van we drove into the city and managed to find a cheapish parking spot for the day in a really nice spot by the river. Not clear whether you could park overnight so we would have to be back for 6.30pm....looked like another early night then!!! All around us and I mean everywhere you looked there was exercise going on. It really was exercise central!!! Mainly joggers but there were also bikers, rowers, footy......everything.....and it was around 1pm!! When do people work in Australia?!!! Not that I think it's a bad thing!!! Very miserable day weather wise.....I tried to hold out some hope and wore a skirt but I packed my trousers for back up should the weather fail me!!!

We spent the day using the 'hop on hop off' free tram to get to different attractions. The first stop was St Paul's Cathedral. Beautiful church...the kind i'd like to get married in but I am guessing it would be a little too big for the budget....what do you reckon dad?!!! Second stop was the Aquarium but too expensive for us.....we had to chose our attractions carefully!! We then got back on the tram and passed a place called Batman's Park. I didn't see him though....or his trusty sidekick Robin!!! We got off the tram at 'The Golden Eagle' Apparently it watched over the Docklands. I expected an amazing golden statue with wings aspan. It was poor...not even worthy of a photo!!! Looked more like a penguin!!!

Next stop...Webb Bridge. Once again it was poor. Tt was supposed to look like you were walking through a web. It just looked like you were walking under semi circles!! Not sure what kind of webs spiders weave in Melbourne bit that one was shocking!!! It wouldn't have trapped anything!!! The weather had got worse too and I admitted defeat and put my trousers on!! At least I tried!!

Next stop - The Docklands. We had a walk around in the rain and had a look at the Waterfront City. You could tell it was a very up and coming place. Lots of impressive buildings, lots of statues though many of them phallic looking, and a Melbourne Eye was being built too. Not the best on a rainy soggy day but sure it is a nice place to see when its a little warmer.

It was then back on the tram, past the Telstra Dome to the Koorie Heritage Centre to learn all about Aboriginal Culture through the ages. Really interesting and I enjoyed looking around....and it kept us out of the rain for a while!! When we came out it was around 4pm and we were hungry. We didn't have time for the library, museum or jail now so we walked through town to The Charles Dickens Tavern for something warm to eat. The trek through the rain was horrendus and flip flops were not the best footwear...we were slipping all over I was surprised we didn't hit the deck!!! The pub was packed!! I am not sure when Aussies work but one thing is for sure......they have the work life balance spot on!!!

At around 6ish we headed back to the van to make sure we wouldn't get clamped. We passed a giant dog (thats what I recognised it to be anyway) that decorated teh river front. There were still loads of cars around when we got back so we decided to risk it and stay the night. We were in a really nice spot by the river...it was just a shame it was raining!! Nice to be all wrapped up in the van when wet and cold outside!!! Gees...I sound like a grandma!!!! Where are the worthers?!!!

10 December 2008 - PHOTO NIGHTMARES, A FALL & MORE MELBOURNE SIGHTS!!!
We were up early this morning as we had a load of things to see and do on our last day in the City!! We left the van in the same spot parked near Yarra river and headed into town at around 9am. Our first stop was going to be the Melbourne Museum....apparently there was a Neighbours set there that you could walk on and have photos. So excited!!! On our way there we passed a camera shop and thought we may as well have our photos put on CD to back them up......what a mistake to make!!!

The CD's took an hour to do. Once done we went and tested them in an internet cafe......they didn't work. We went back to the shop and they double checked the photos were on there and sent us to a more credible internet place to try them. They didn't work in there either...so frustrating!!! We ended up running back and forth all morning (wasting good time) between the camera shop and internet cafes. I ended up getting so stressed out over something so small which is very unlike me!! Then...as I went to cross the road in my stressed state.....BOOM!!! I fell.....my legs went in the air and I fell flat on the floor with a bang. A few people rushed to help me and I was so embarassed!!! Thankfully my hands saved my face but I did manage to get a good bruise or two!!! That'll teach me to get stressed out about such a minor thing!!! As far as the CDs went it turned out they had put them on the CD as a hidden file!!! Useless people!!!

It was now around 1pm and we had done nothing so far!!! So much for getting up early!!! We eventually made it to the Melbourne Museum. Gutted though...no Neighbours set!!! Apparently they had removed it with no plans to bring it back becuase the only people who ever asked about it were English!! Figures!!! We still had a good look around though. Saw some scary looking spiders and sharks in the Marine Life and Bugs Alive sections. We then looked in the Mind and Body sections. Some really cool stuff.....interactive stuff to test the mind!! It was actually a 'fun museum'!! Some may call that an oxymoron but in this case it was true!!!

Our next stop was the 'Old Melbourne Goal' or jail to you and me. 3 floors and you got to have a look in all the cells and learn about some of the prisoners who had been sent there including the famous Ned Kelly and his family. We also learnt about how prisoners were sentanced to death and the torments of the hangmen. The cells were very basic and very small...how prison should be!! No playstations or gyms in this prison!!! We even got to try on a replica of Ned Kelly's armour...the type he was wearing when he was shot in the leg and captured! I wouldn't have liked to have been sent there anyway....it certainly didn't look fun!!!

By the time we had finished at the jail it was after 5pm so we headed back to the van. The walk back was nice in the sun and the river looked lovely. It was a shame we had to go as we didn't get time to do a river cruise or see Cook's Cottage (a cottage sent over from England brick by brick and put back together like a jigsaw). Never mind...we still saw a lot of Melbourne and we needed to move on and find a campsite for the night. Yes an actual campsite!! Goodbye Melbourne!!

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Photos

Roadside Sleeping Spot!!!
Good view of the sunset from the van though!!!

Meal Out!!!
Sure my hair is getting bigger everyday....it will need its own seat on the areoplane soon!!!!