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Published: January 3rd 2009
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After the excitement of New Years Eve and the discovery that I can drink too much alcohol once more, I had to take a whole day off to contemplate the foolhardiness of my consumption.
Once that was over we decided to go and see a bit more of the area than the shopping magnets of South Yarra and Richmond. So we went to the shopping magnet of the CBD!!! Didn't actually buy anything other than a couple of overpriced drinks on the South Bank though.
Like many parts of the world that
aren't the UK, Melbourne has a wonderful public transport system. Does anyone know why it is that, almost uniquely, Britain manages to have a mass transport system that seems specifically designed to deter people from using it?
So having got our AU$6.80 all-day zone one Metcard we decided to go to the seaside. Off to Brighton Beach then.
It was one of those Melbourne days that had gone from freezing cold first thing in the morning to pouring rain just as we emerged from the Parliament train station to blazing sunshine as we nursed our pints by the Yarra. Melbourne people seem even more obsessed with their
Street furniture
The biggest man-bag I've seen! climate than the British. With good reason.
On the way to Brighton we went through a few familiar names, Richmond and Windsor to name two, before we got off the train and left it to finish it's journey to Sandringham. I wonder if Liz knew we were so close?
Brighton's one of those posh places by the sea that has done it's utmost to
not be a place full of riff-raff. Along the seafront there is absolutely no concession made to anyone who may want a cup of tea, some lunch, candy-floss, 'kiss-me-quick' hats or even a refreshing pint. Instead the streets are lined with houses that you just know are beyond the reach of people with ordinary incomes.
Actually, the 'refreshing pint' jibe isn't quite true. There is one bar and restaurant situated on the beach, a fairly upmarket establishment, with a restaurant menu that can only have been constructed by a screaming queen of a chef who got carried away with his own flowery prose. Naaah, I'm just bitter 'cos the prices were way out of our means 😉)
The beach is famously lined with brightly painted beach huts, once modest little bathing bungalows, but now, just
like the ones back home in Southwold, Suffolk, are very desirable and go for 6 figure sums.
Naturally, there's a Yacht Club.
The wind was blowing really hard as we walked the length of the beach, and even though the sun was in a cloudless blue sky it felt pretty cold. Yet again I rued the fact that I don't yet know the rules of Melbourne life.
ALWAYS CARRY FACTOR 30+ SUN CREAM......... ALL THE TIME. Not too much damage done, thankfully it was late afternoon and I wasn't out in it
that long. I wish I was a faster learner.
By walking around we discovered that if you get off the train at Middle Brighton instead of going to Brighton Beach station you are landed in the middle of a refined shopping area that has a good few restaurants (modestly priced), some bottle shops and a couple of supermarkets with deli counters that do pre-prepared salads and stuff. As it's only a few minutes walk from the beach as soon as the weather gets hot the riff-raff
will be going to the seaside!!!!!
Oh how did I know it was gonna happen?! Got the
South Bank
On the way to an overpriced pint train to go into the city 2 stops, first one Richmond, just knew that as the train pulled away it would end up going underground and it did......So annoyed my mind was calm, but my legs started to lose sensation and by the time the train stopped my hands were very shaky! Cannot believe the way my body reacted, then of course my mind caught up and I was just left feeling totally useless for a couple of hours. Couldn't make sense of any shops....!!! couldn't think straight on any level, just rubbish. Poor doctor will have to listen to this when I get home.....But have to agree with Jb on the transport - it is so inexpensive and very efficient and clean, there were certainly plenty of trams & trains. If you miss one you really don't have long to wait, and they are made good use of.
Just love being in the City centre and then a short ride to the beach how cool is that? Ah poor Jb - so busy crapping on about what I should be doing - have you done this that and the fucking other? - yeah, and I've remembered my sun
tan lotion.........how about
you?
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Dani
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Garden Sheds
Such lovely little "Garden Sheds " along the beach. I keep thinking it should be warmer down under ? The weather sounds like the "OZ" in which I live, Kansas ! All this healthy living ! Walking and eating less due to prices ! Johnny, we hardly know ye .