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Published: April 22nd 2006
Well I'm not being slack and updating this for your entertainment. I'm back in Sydeny after my few days in Melbourne, but soon i'll be off up the coast to take in the wonders of Oz's East coast.
Melbourne was an ok place. The city was nice, but the hostel I was in was a bit rubbish. The hostel was to big so it was awkward to meet people and I was a little lazy as I was only there for 4 days and have enough friends anyway so why do I need more? The first day I was there (tues) I didn't do too much, just checked out the city centre (the CBD) which was where my hostel was.
The next day I was up bright and early(ish), earlyer then I had been which was around 12/1pm, in my defence I had been going to bed quite late so it was justifyable. My first stop of the day was Old Melbourne Gaol. It is the Old Jail and it's been turned into a museum, giving info about the convicts that have been held there, including Ned Kelly. The Aussie's have an unhealthy obsession with criminals. People who can trace their family roots back to the original convicts are seen as kind of aristocracy here, it's very strange, but then Oz is weird in genral.
Anyhow, back to my day out. The Gaol was intresting, you got a good feel of what it would have been like there from walking around the place and in each of the cells there were stories of people who's been held there and executed. It gave a good insight into what the place was like and it was interesting to read the stories of the prisoners. They also had stories of the various hangmen. Most were petty criminals who had been at the Gaol and did it for extra cash, but at firat most weren't very good so it led to people have slow a very painful deaths, or pretty much having there heads ripped off as the hangman hadn't got the rope length correct for their weight. Not very nice.
As I said before the Gaol was were Ned kelly had been held when captured and executed so there was a lot of info about what had happened in the build up to being captured and his execution after. They also had his armour there and you were allowed to put it on and get your pic taken, sadly as I was there on my own I wasn't able too.
The rest of the day wasn't to eventful, I chilled at the hostel until the eve when I went out with a girl from my China trip, Paula and one o her friends. Melbourne is a pretty cool place for good bars, the problem is most are hidden away down dark alleys. When we tried to find a bar that had been recommended to Paula we were walking down this back alley between these factory/warehouse buildings and i was worried i'd be murdered, but luckily we weren't. We didn't find the bar we were looking for, but we did find another that was pretty cool. After that we went to Fed (Federation Square), it's a bit like Millenium Square at home, but bigger and better and spent most of the night at a bar there.
Next day was a slightly later start, due to the alcohol the eve before. When I eventually got up I had a wander round the city checking out some of the sights (they're not that great so I won't mention too much) and in the eve I met up with Paula again for Chinese in Chinatown and then an Aussie rules game. Also went for a drink at a really cool bar, it was in the style of a science lab, it had conical flasks and bunsen burners and Boddies ( I realise that this isn't anything to do with science, but it's important as I got a nice beer not this Aussie shite). The Aussie rules game was good. I was a little reluctant when I found the game last 2hrs, 4x30mins quarters, but once I'd had the rules explained I enjoyed it. It was funny comparing it to a footy match at home. People were chanting, but not like a footy game and the home and away fans are mixed in, I couldn't imagine that back in the UK.
The Friday was a glorious day, really nice and warm and my plan was to check out St Kilda, the beach area. It was a toss-up between there or the Neighbours tour, as the tour cost $30 and I'd not really organised it St Kilda won. St Kilda is a nice place, lots of cafes and bars, but the beach was a little poor. In the afternoon I just checked out the centre of Melbourne, which was really nice due to the weather and it was Good Friday so there were lots of people about and stuff going on. The eve was uneventful again, just watched films at the hostel.
Sat was also pretty uneventful, well in the day. Just flew back, but I did go out that eve again in Sydeny. Checked back into the hostel I was in before and there were a fair few people I knew from before so we went out. I'll give Sydney credit where it's due in that it's a good night out. I had bought a ticket for an evebt at Fox Studio's, but decided as no-one else was going and it would be cheaper to go somewher else, that i'd sell my ticket. This became a bit of a mission as I had to wlak up there and likie a tout ask people if they wanted a ticket, whilst also no upsetting the real touts (who weren't scouse sursprisingly). I did sell it and ended up going to a night called Kink. The clubs and bars I've been to here have all been really good.
Sunday consisted or more fun and frolics, mainly involving people jumping in the Harbour and insulting various folk in the park, not me by the way. Since then I've been recovering and chilling at the beach and various parks (where Aussie women have no shame and will happily go topless, not that I'm complaing). It is now Sat night again and I'm about to prepare to go out for a friends b'day and then the event that will be St George's day as it's actaully celerbrated over here.
Well I'll shall report back soon, probably not from Sydeny as I'm off to the Blue Mountains and then Cairns to dive the Barrier reef and work my way back down. Hope your all good, miss you all (surprisingly).
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Kirsty
non-member comment
I'm glad you weren't murdered... try to aviod it, I've heard it's not all it's cracked up to be.