{"id":2266,"date":"2012-12-12T00:51:12","date_gmt":"2012-12-11T16:51:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/?page_id=2266"},"modified":"2017-08-17T21:49:14","modified_gmt":"2017-08-17T13:49:14","slug":"melbourne-pg-6","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/?page_id=2266","title":{"rendered":"Melbourne Pg 6"},"content":{"rendered":"

Wednesday 21st\u00a0 <\/sup>\u00a0Continued<\/strong><\/p>\n

We finished our visit and drove around a couple of corners out of sight and stopped the car for me to turn on the phone and ask its advice once more.\u00a0 We had 2 choices\u2026 take the car back now, or visit St Kilda as we\u2019d hoped to do.\u00a0 We had thought we had to get the car back for 6pm but apparently it didn\u2019t matter, and we could take it back any time before morning and put the keys down the chute.\u00a0 I hadn\u2019t realised this and it took all the pressure off!\u00a0 Fortunately, David did know this, because we never would have got it back by 6 anyway; it was now past 5pm already!<\/p>\n

I turned on the phone with my fingers tightly crossed and typed in St Kilda and then quickly wrote down the route, as I had before, turned the phone off, and we set off.\u00a0 We had absolutely *no idea* that we were still so far out from the city, and the *traffic!!!!*\u00a0 It took us 4 changes to get through 1 set of lights alone!\u00a0 We headed along one road for ages, turned right (this was the very long wait to do so), went for ages and ages down this road and then turned right again.\u00a0 Did we really do 3 sides of a square?\u00a0 Surely not!\u00a0 But I still don\u2019t know the answer to that \u2013 maybe I should look it up, but it would be far too disheartening if the answer is yes.<\/p>\n

And the most difficult part of all was that I\u2019d forgotten to write down the distances before each required turn.\u00a0 On one road we passed a major intersection with no street name so had no idea whether we should have turned down it or not.\u00a0 I was worrying and David was saying it didn\u2019t matter \u2013 both of us true to form LOL\u00a0 In the end, to David\u2019s embarrassment, as we were stuck in a queue \u2013 well we never got out of one! \u2013 I watched for a male driver.\u00a0 Do you know why?\u00a0 Not because I\u2019m sexist but because I discovered very quickly that women drive with their windows up and men don\u2019t.\u00a0 Once we were parked almost next to a guy I called out \u201cExcuse me Mate, can you tell me if we\u2019ve passed ??? Street yet please?\u201d\u00a0 He assured us that we had not\u2026 as both of us edged forward a bit in the traffic\u2026 and that there would be no mistaking it when we got there.\u00a0 Woo hoooo!\u00a0 Now I felt more at ease.<\/p>\n

The journey was long.\u00a0 Even if not for the traffic, it was a journey through suburbs on main roads, but they all had side streets and shops, businesses, parks, homes and all manner of things that needed total attention to the road and the quantity of vehicles on it.<\/p>\n

The third side of the square, if that is what it was, was back onto a big highway and I think it was another toll road.\u00a0 Oh how I hated those.\u00a0 Not knowing if we were doing the wrong thing was doing my head in!\u00a0 We were absolutely amazed to go down the on-ramp and be met with traffic lights at the bottom of it.\u00a0 In Perth, the point of an on-ramp is to get up to 100 kph so that you can blend into traffic without causing everyone to slam their brakes on.\u00a0 Ideally.\u00a0 I hope all you 60 kph morons read this tee hee!\u00a0 But we were allowed to join the flow of traffic on the motorway in drips and drabs and the lights seemed to be gauging the quantity of traffic already on the road and was only allowing us in when the traffic was fairly light.\u00a0 How incredible!<\/p>\n

This journey really was hard work on us both.\u00a0 Strange routes, strange traffic conditions, not knowing how far between roads that we were looking for, and such heavy traffic.\u00a0 By the time we got to St Kilda we both wanted nothing more than to collapse into a caf\u00e9 and have something reviving, but that was not to be.<\/p>\n

We got beeped quite thoroughly on the last roundabout \u2013 we have no idea why, because there was a tram bearing down on us, so there\u2019s no way David was going to drive forward for anyone \u2013 bad mood on their part or not!\u00a0 And then we saw the very famous Luna Park entrance and pulled up in a parking spot facing over a wall, a park land and then to the ocean.\u00a0 The wind was so fierce it just about lifted our small car and threw it across the road once we got out of it!<\/p>\n

We walked the few metres back down the road to take a photo of Luna Park \u2013 which was shut.\u00a0 I had thought this would be open every day of the year, but it said weekends and school holidays.\u00a0 Not that we\u2019d have done more than have a look around anyway \u2013 and not even that if you had to pay to go in.\u00a0 Maybe there are too many more people like us LOL<\/p>\n

\"Luna

Luna Park<\/p><\/div>\n

There were no cafes, no restaurants, no night-life (it was yet soon after 6pm I think), and as we approached the car once more, with the intention of passing it and walking along the beach-side to the jetty we noticed that you had to pay for parking.\u00a0 Even at this hour, with nothing to do other than get a thrill at the parking metre dishing out a piece of paper.\u00a0 It didn\u2019t take much of a decision to get back in the car and drive further along.<\/p>\n

Soon we did find the street full of shops and restaurants.\u00a0 But absolutely no parking.\u00a0 The street-side bays were all taken and we passed 2 signs that pointed to paid parking (bragging 26 bays or something on one of them), but both were to the right and there was no way to get across there.\u00a0 We had to travel the whole street, watching carefully not to get in the way of trams, and make a right turn, chuck a Uey, and then travel back down again hoping to take the correct turnoff for the parking.\u00a0 We managed it, and by the time we found a spot on the 3rd<\/sup> floor of the parking lot the light was starting to fail.\u00a0 The wind was not!<\/p>\n

It took a great deal of time to cross a road using the pedestrian lights.\u00a0 We got half way and the other side didn\u2019t seem to be registering so we made a run for it and headed to the dreaded brick public toilets.\u00a0 These were not a pretty sight, but when you\u2019ve got to, you\u2019ve got to, and the lock on the door didn\u2019t work so we made it a twosome, with one to hold the door shut.<\/p>\n

Then we walked towards the jetty but spent a long time (well, in that cold wind when you\u2019re not dressed for it) watching the wind surfers.\u00a0 There were so many of them!!!\u00a0 And how they did not get all tangled up together I will never know!\u00a0 Quite a few were jumping and turning and were very impressive to watch.\u00a0 We were happy that someone was benefiting from the \u2018stiff breeze\u2019!<\/p>\n

\"Wind

Wind Surfers at St Kilda<\/p><\/div>\n

I have to own up that I\u2019ve brightened these 3 shots \u2013 Luna Park, the wind-surfers and the pier.\u00a0 I just could not leave photos so dull, as they really were.<\/p>\n

I can\u2019t say \u2018we then walked to the jetty\u2019 because it was just a case of turning around really \ud83d\ude42\u00a0 David asked if I wanted to walk along it but with the amount of salt water being sprayed across it I did not want to get wet or cold, nor cover my camera and glasses in sticky, salty spray either, so I gently declined.<\/p>\n

You can see the waves in this shot and imagine the wind that was causing them!<\/p>\n

\"St

St Kilda Jetty<\/p><\/div>\n

We decided to go back to the street of shops and see what there was to see but the first thing we saw was a very welcoming looking restaurant with candles on the tables and a lovely warm d\u00e9cor.\u00a0 We looked at the menu and it appealed to us both so in we went!<\/p>\n

The guy that greeted us was really friendly and bubbly, and the girl that served us was really lovely and had a beautiful Irish accent.\u00a0 David couldn\u2019t drink alcohol of course because he was driving the rented car, so we shared a huge bottle of mineral water which was really nice.\u00a0 And we were very, very happy to be out of the cold and to take a break from the worries of navigating.<\/p>\n

\"'Elbow

‘Elbow Room’ Restaurant<\/p><\/div>\n

The restaurant was named the \u2018Elbow Room\u2019 and we both chose the vegetable soup.\u00a0 Then I had coriander lemongrass fishcakes, and David chose the grilled barramundi.<\/p>\n

\"'Elbow

‘Elbow Room’ Restaurant<\/p><\/div>\n

The meals and the d\u00e9cor were both very nice, and the time passed quickly until we decided that peak hour would be over and we should be safe to drive south-to-north through the city block to get the car back to where it belonged.<\/p>\n

The toilets at the restaurant made me laugh because there was a hand-drawn light switch on the wall, marked \u2018On\u2019 and \u2018Off\u2019.\u00a0 Well, it made me giggle anyway and I\u2019d only been drinking mineral water!<\/p>\n

Before we left the restaurant I turned my phone on once more, with a prayer to the battery god, and hastily wrote down the directions to Franklin Street.\u00a0 Too hastily \u2013 I forgot the distances again.\u00a0 We had travelled this way in the dark the night before on the tour coach as he dropped some people off and we did OK to get to the city, and then well enough to get onto Franklin Street, but it all looked totally wrong!\u00a0 And when the instructions said to take the 2nd<\/sup> exit at the roundabout\u2026 Firstly there was no roundabout, as we would know one, and why the bl**dy h*ll it couldn\u2019t have said \u2018turn right\u2019 I don\u2019t know!\u00a0 (There was no straight ahead.)<\/p>\n

We got lost.\u00a0 And we got lost well enough to be off the top of the city walking map that was the only map we had.\u00a0 If I was feeling fresh and energetic I\u2019d have had the sense to try my phone GPS once more but I was neither of these things, I was completely drained and exhausted and just slumped in the seat and begged David to ask for directions.\u00a0 It was now after 10pm but he did manage to find 2 guys that had just come out of a gym and asked their advice.\u00a0 Thank you David!!!<\/p>\n

We headed in the direction that they had advised.\u00a0 We were just metres away from the end of Franklin Street, which had changed its name or we\u2019d have realised we were still on it.\u00a0 And this time we saw the \u2018roundabout\u2019, which would be better named as a small section of wonky kerbing in the middle of the road, and continued straight through, which should have been our right turn some time before.<\/p>\n

The entry to the carpark was the most welcome sight we could have seen right about then until the sudden realisation that in our concern to find the place in the dark we had both completely forgotten about refuelling the car!\u00a0 After a discussion that lasted all of 30 seconds we decided that we didn\u2019t give a toss how much they charged us to refill the tank themselves, it would be worth it, and David drove in and parked the car back where we had got it from.<\/p>\n

I wrote a long note for the rental company telling them that they had our old address on the paperwork, giving them our new one and home and mobile phone numbers, and apologising for the lack of fuel and asked them to charge our credit card \u2013 which I believe they had swiped for just such an occasion.\u00a0 And I once more cursed the lack of information about the toll roads.<\/p>\n

Very tired, we began our walk back to the hotel and I was absolutely *dying* for a coffee.\u00a0 We had not seen any late night coffee shops or restaurants at all and this was quite a surprise.\u00a0 We\u2019d understood that Melbourne was a 24\/7 buzz of life but if it is, it was tucked away somewhere we hadn\u2019t looked!<\/p>\n

However, at one point we did find a tiny little place with 2 men sitting at a table and a girl behind the counter selling coffee and a very small range of cakes.\u00a0 We sidled in, hoping against hope that she would remain open long enough for us to sit and enjoy a coffee \u2013 and we were greatly relieved that this was so.\u00a0 Now everything felt alright again.\u00a0 The troubles of the day were all now behind us and we could sit and get our minds back onto the beautiful and amazing and joyful parts of the day \u2013 and that is what we did.\u00a0 The place was named Pie Face and it seemed to be one of a very large chain.<\/p>\n

The rest of the walk back to the hotel room was peaceful and relaxing, and when we got back into our room David asked if I wanted to pay the etag on the phone or computer.\u00a0 Is it just me, or am I alone in being surprised that he would ask such a stupid question LOL\u00a0 No, I did *not!!!*\u00a0 If it was going to go smoothly then I would love nothing better and I could go to sleep with peace in my heart.\u00a0 If it was going to be a hassle then I wanted no part of it!<\/p>\n

We went to bed with the curtains open, but neither of us stayed awake for even a few seconds to admire the view.<\/p>\n

Thursday 22nd<\/sup><\/strong><\/p>\n

We woke determined to get the etag thing paid and done, but several attempts on both the web and the phone did not resolve anything.\u00a0 The phone was only a robot (or a ‘plastic person’ as someone once said to me ROFL) \u2013 no friendly person to help tourists who had no idea what they were doing.\u00a0 The computer was asking questions that only seemed to relate to people who owned the car they had been driving.\u00a0 And, most scarey of all, it said that there were TWO toll companies and you should be sure to pay the correct company or risk being fined.\u00a0 I\u2019m Mrs Goody Two-Shoes and never do the wrong thing \u2013 this was killing me! \u00a0I suggested to David that we go to the Tourist Information Centre and beg their help!\u00a0 So we got dressed to go for a run down the river side to get to it, but as we passed reception David decided to ask there.\u00a0 The first guy knew nothing.\u00a0 Why are these toll roads such a mystery to everyone!?!?!?\u00a0 But he handed us over to a second man and after making a phone call that took him around in a circle 3 times, he finally managed to pay some money from our credit card on our behalf.\u00a0 Whether he paid the correct company, whether he paid them enough, we may never know, considering the hire company had the wrong address for us and we don\u2019t know if our letter was delivered from the car to the office.\u00a0 The key return tube was far too slim to have been able to put the letter down it.<\/p>\n

Somewhat free of the problem (for me), we went for our run and of course exercise is always the best thing to calm the mind and refresh the body.\u00a0 We ran over Queens Bridge, left in front of Southgate and the rowing clubs to Swan Street Bridge, left past Federation Square and back past Market Street to Kings Bridge, left in front of the Casino, and then left once more back over Queens Bridge.\u00a0 4.94 kms.\u00a0 It was a really wonderful run and we enjoyed it so much!<\/p>\n

Back to our room for a shower and dress with more decorum and then we went for a walk through the city.\u00a0 It was nearly David\u2019s last walk anywhere!\u00a0 We were walking innocently along the footpath when suddenly a ute reversed at speed out of narrow laneway and nearly hit David!\u00a0 If I hadn\u2019t pulled on his arm they most certainly would have collided.\u00a0 And how he missed other pedestrians I just do not know!\u00a0 The ute wasn\u2019t happy with just that, but then continued to try to reverse into 3 lanes of cars who were stationary in the road waiting for some traffic lights to change.\u00a0 Everyone was beeping him like crazy but he kept going until the absolute last second!\u00a0 David says there was a guy with the ute that was supposed to be directing him.\u00a0 I assure you the guy was not only a failure, but the ute driver could not possibly have been following the instructions or he\u2019d have seen there were none!<\/p>\n

Hearts back into their rightful places and beginning to slow to a normal rate, we continued on our way to just past Federation Square on our way to the Botanical Gardens but changed our minds, realising that we would have to bolt around the Gardens at break-neck speed to get back to Federation Square for 12:30 to meet with my friend for lunch.<\/p>\n

Instead of this, we stayed on the south side of the river and walked back to Southgate foodhall and decided to try a chai latte.\u00a0 We liked them!\u00a0 A little sweet, but definitely a very nice change from coffee.\u00a0 And we had all the time in the world to enjoy these in peace.\u00a0 It was actually now that we saw the little sparrow eating the Grill\u2019d bread rolls, but never mind.<\/p>\n

\"Flinders

Flinders St Station, Gothic ANZ etc from Southgate<\/p><\/div>\n

We still had heaps of spare time after we\u2019d enjoyed our drinks.\u00a0 Isn\u2019t it funny that we\u2019d have been too rushed for the gardens, but now found ourselves with still about 45 minutes to spare.\u00a0 We crossed the river once more into the city block and found some of the famous laneways to explore.\u00a0 Here were the quirky cafes, spilling out into the streets.\u00a0 They were certainly \u2018no car zones\u2019 but it was a great pity they weren\u2019t also \u2018no smoking zones\u2019.\u00a0 We could not begin to imagine eating in any of these places! \u00a0You pay for food, you taste and breathe smoke \u2013 no thank you.<\/p>\n

Well aren\u2019t I a bright ray of sunshine on this page?\u00a0 But don\u2019t despair, we\u2019re back to happy news now.<\/p>\n

Finally it was time that we could make our way to Federation Square.\u00a0 We were about 10 minutes early, so sat and watched the people seeing themselves on the massive screen and enjoying the sunshine, and quite soon after that I got a text message saying \u201cWe\u2019re here!\u201d\u00a0 I managed to stop myself sending a reply \u201cSo are we!\u201d LOL\u00a0 So we went down the few steps to the Time Out Caf\u00e9 and scanned the patrons for our friends.\u00a0 Not outside\u2026 but as soon as we went through the door, there they were!<\/p>\n

This was our first \u2018in person\u2019 meeting and it was so wonderful to meet up in real life and the 4 of us just hit it off instantly and talked and talked and talked.\u00a0 Just ask the waiter, who had to come back 3 times to see if we were ready to order!<\/p>\n

We discussed their recent very exciting holiday tour in China as well as what we\u2019d been up to so far, and still had planned.\u00a0 The food was really lovely and the company even better and the time absolutely flew by!\u00a0 Before any of us knew it we\u2019d been there almost 2 hours!\u00a0 I\u2019d had \u2018fried goats cheese w\/- jam\u2019 for my meal which was small (it was only an entr\u00e9e, I\u2019m not complaining) but delicious.\u00a0 The 2 men ordered \u2018chicken Caesar salad\u2019 and I can\u2019t for the life of me remember what my friend had.\u00a0 I suspect she\u2019ll remind me \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

Once we managed to tear ourselves away, because they needed to catch the train before peak hour hit, David and I resumed our plan to walk to the Botanical Gardens and set off at a good pace.\u00a0 The entrance to the gardens presented a fairly steep hill to work off our lunch and we wandered around and explored and took photos.\u00a0 And yes, I know it\u2019s well more than time that I shared some.<\/p>\n

\"Iris

Iris at the Botanical Gardens<\/p><\/div>\n

We also found the Flame of Remembrance and the Shrine of Remembrance as we explored.\u00a0 Looks rather Egyptian here doesn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n

\"Flame

Flame and Shrine of Remembrance<\/p><\/div>\n

The building was actually quite large and very impressive.\u00a0 The views from the roof were pretty spectacular too.<\/p>\n

\"View

View from Shrine of Remembrance<\/p><\/div>\n

You can clearly see the Eureka Tower on the left and of course when we were up there we had seen this Shrine of Remembrance.\u00a0 We also liked this memorial with its poppies.<\/p>\n

\"Memorial

Memorial to Widows and Children<\/p><\/div>\n

From here, and you can see the dome in the photo above, we went to look at the Old Observatory, but it was shut.\u00a0 And there was a bit of a caf\u00e9 but it was a \u2018high turnover\u2019 place and we didn\u2019t feel like being a number.\u00a0 We picked up a map here though of the botanical gardens and saw that there was an art show being held here so we made our way to the building where it was to be held, only to find that it had shut about 10 minutes before.\u00a0 But never mind \u2013 La Trobe\u2019s house was right next door!\u00a0 But it shut at 4 as well.\u00a0 We lost count of how many things we tried to view at about 4:10 or 4:30 that had shut at 4.\u00a0 We could only laugh!<\/p>\n

So we walked more around the beautiful gardens instead.\u00a0 Flowers, trees and grass can be trusted to be open for business, I find LOL\u00a0 I was so very excited to find rhododendrons in the garden.\u00a0 These are totally my very favourite flowers and they just don\u2019t grow well in Perth.\u00a0 In fact I\u2019ve only seen 2 in my 40 years here.<\/p>\n

\"Rhododendron

Rhododendron at Botanical Gardens<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Hibiscus

Hibiscus at Botanical Gardens<\/p><\/div>\n

By now though I was about ready to sit down and have a rest somewhere and we made our way back to Southgate and were going to choose one of the restaurants along the front of the buildings, overlooking the water.\u00a0 We\u2019d walked or jogged past them often enough by now, it was about time we stopped and used one.\u00a0 So we walked wearily along but just didn\u2019t fancy any of them now it had come to choice time.\u00a0 There seemed to be many more people walking along the wide footpath at this time of the day and far too many of them were smoking. \u00a0We were well aware that it was going all over the diners trying to enjoy their meals, and just decided that we did not want to be a part of it.<\/p>\n

Too tired to try walking any further in the hope of finding somewhere nice we ended up back at our hotel and decided on our way to eat in the restaurant there \u2013 if it was open.\u00a0 And it was!\u00a0 The waiter was the one that had served us in the bar (was it) 2(or 3) nights ago.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019d like a \u2018cherry bomb\u2019\u201d he said to me.\u00a0 Wow!\u00a0 I think David had a beer and then a red wine, but I can\u2019t remember now.\u00a0 But for our food, I ordered a barramundi with pesto potatoes and David chose a steak.\u00a0 Oh, and we started with some garlic bread \u2013 of course!<\/p>\n

We were in our room by 7pm, but you can\u2019t do that when you\u2019re on holidays, so we decided to walk around to the Crown to photograph and film the gas fireball show.\u00a0 Here is what the individual towers look like in the daylight\u2026<\/p>\n

\"Crown

Crown Casino Gas Tower<\/p><\/div>\n

And here\u2019s David acting the goon, as I\u2019d asked him to do, in front of one of them as we got there this evening.<\/p>\n

\"David

David in front of Crown Casino Gas Tower<\/p><\/div>\n

We walked around for a little while and found ourselves a spot on the foot bridge that we thought would offer the best vantage point, and were very happy with it. And we were right! Here’s David’s video of what goes on with these gas fireballs each night. If you can hear a ticking noise in the video it’s my camera shutter! I didn’t give it a thought to turn the noise off LOL<\/p>\n