Four seasons in one day

The differences between Adelaide and Melbourne are huge. Adelaide has a more stable climate whilst Melbourne has more a climate like the Crowded House song "Four Seasons in One Day". Also is Melbourne are more vibrant metropole, but that doesn't mean Adelaide is boring. Actually I liked it more in Adelaide than I do like it in Melbourne. It might have to do with the amount of people walking around all day of which the majority is tourist. It doesn't do good to the Australian atmosphere I am used to. People tend to be less friendly and open than the other places I've visited. But it's a thing I can't do much about.

After I got up early (before 7:00am) from the Cannon Street Backpackers in Adelaide and realising my Polish friend hadn't returned from her house visit, I left for the airport for my 9:10 flight to Melbourne. One and a half hour and a time zone later (half hour time difference) I landed in Melbourne where I received a text from Karolina arrived back at the hostel. Picking up the bag from baggage claim and then of to the city by Skylink, the bus connection between Tullamarine Airport and Southern Cross Station.

Arriving at the trainstation I found out Melbourne has an easy to use ticketing system for public transport. You just buy a 2 hour or full day ticket for the zone you are traveling in and you can use every means of transport. I took the train towards Collingwood as my Melbourne Backpackers was situated in the Fitzroy/Collingwood area of the city. Just 15 minutes by tram outside the CBD.

Collingwood Backpackers itself is a bit of different hostel than I expected. When I arrived I had the feeling I returned to my students years living in a shared house. Atmosphere here is excellent, you get to know loads of people as every gets a long pretty well and most of them just seem not wanting to leave. The landlord itself is also a dedicated person though being one with a specific manual you really need to study for a longer period of time to understand him. Nevertheless a great hostel where I stayed longer than expected.

Why? My original plan was to stay in Melbourne for about 5 days and then heading back to Adelaide via the Great Ocean Road, the Grampians National Park and any place on the way which would looked interesting. After posting an ad on Gumtree as well replying to ads for travel partners, found 2 people being interested in sharing the costs for car rental. Unfortunately after having booked a car the one with the credit card pulled out of the road trip as it didn't feel right for him. So I had a problem to solve. Finding a travel partner with a credit card or cancel the car. I decided to do the last and after Jule (the other being left behind) found a ride I started looking again. After another meet in town this time with Delphine I finally found a ride to Adelaide via the Great Ocean Road as we both got offered a lift by an Ozzie called Peter. Funny fact is that he is born in Tumut!!! How big are those odds?? It's a town with about 6200 citizens in the middle of nowhere and crazy enough the same town my nephew Tom is born and therefore my brother and his family lived for about 3 years. So I'll be heading back to Adelaide tomorrow arriving at Sunday and beside the named person we are going to be joined by another French girl, Noemie. Oh, I suprised Delphine with saying I know her favorite band Oceansize, although I have to say knew as she suprised me by telling the split up a few days ago.

And what about Melbourne itself? Of course I spend some time in the city. Most interesting places for me were the Shrine of Remembrance, Victoria's war memorial for all fallen ANZAC soldiers during any war or conflict since the Great War ( 14-18 ), the Royal Botanical Gardens and ACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Image). At the memorial I found out a fact I haven't realized. The poppies that symbolizes remembrance and therefore you can find at many war memorials (WWI and WWII) turning out to be the first flowers that grew at the devastated fields in Northern France after the Great War. I haven't seen them at the Botanical Gardens, but have seen enough nice flowers and gardens. And after the visit to these two places I returned to the city alongside the Yarra river where at the other bank loads of sport facilities are situated including the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground, cricket's Wembley), Olympic Park and Rod Laver Arena (Australian Open Centre Court).

At the ACMI I visited two exhibitions, the one "Dreams come true" where you can explore the artistry behind Disney's timeless animated films such as Snow White, Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella. The other exhibition "Screen Worlds" is about the development and usage of the moving image throughout the years, they even have a Commodore 64 in display.

Besides these visits I also played some football in the park with the housemates and on Sunday night I had the best night in years. Actually it had nothing to do with Melbourne itself. Sunday night (or better said Monday morning) at 3:00 am League Cup Final kick-off between Arsenal and Birmingham City. Arsenal fans: about 100, Bluenoses: 7. Match result Arsenal 1 Birmingham City 2... so go imagine who had the best morning in their life. We Bluenoses :-).

Anyway that's it for now, tomorrow of to Adelaide and then I'll see when I'm able to post a new story again.

https://picasaweb.google.com/paulvanderwielen/FourSeasonsInOneDay#

Ps. In the photo album you find a photo of the memorial for all Melbourne police officers that have died or been murdered in the line of duty.