The Land of Oz- Memorable Melbs, Yarra Valley and the Great Ocean Road

Janine and me on the Southgate of Melbourne

I left Sydney, saying farewell to Matt, Bridget, Holly and Nicola, and meeting up with Hanh who I had last seen in Chiang Mai much earlier on my trip. We went to a 'couch surfing' meeting/picnic in the Botanical Gardens and it was a chance for us to catch up and meet fellow travellers/ couch surfers. For those of you who aren't familiar with this term, couch surfing is a concept that unites likeminded people who are willing to host travellers in their homes or even just show them around their city/area.

I got the overnight train to Melbourne, Victoria, Australia's second largest city. Victorian architecture, grid planned streets and a European vibe make this Australia's capital of cool. It is known as the arts, culinary, sporting and shopping capital of Australia. It is a very cosmopolitan city where waves of immigration have created a lively ethnic mix. Italian, Greek (the biggest community in the world after Greece itself) French, Indonesian, Thai and Japanese communities are well established here and there is evidence of this all around the city.

On arriving I had my first taste of the tram, taking a ride to St. Kilda (where my friend Natalie lives). A great spot right on the waterfront with views of the city beyond, St. Kilda is one of Melbourne's most lively and cosmopolitan areas. In the past it was a popular seaside resort for the fashionable to escape the city. During the goldrush of the mid-19th century many built mansions here and Fitzroy Street (the main artery through St. kilda) became one of the most stylish boulevards. It later became a less desirable area and in the 1960s and 1970s it had a seedy reputation. Today it has regained its fashionable status and it is full of continental cake shops, delicatessens, cafes and restaurants. It is also home to one of Melbourne's most famous restaurants, Circa.

The pier at St. Kilda

Once I had settled in to Nat's ground floor apartment just over the road from the pier and beach, I went for a walk to explore. I walked along the restored Pier and took in the views (see picture). I then headed into the city to meet another old friend, Janine. I met Janine in the Gili Islands where we had the best time. Meeting up in Melbourne was great and we spent a few hours catching up. Federation square is in the centre of the city and a great meeting point. We walked over to the other side of the Yarra river and chilled in the sun on the Southgate riverfront area over lunch with great views of the city (see picture). We had plenty to chat about, catching up on each others' travels.

The beautiful facade of Flinders Street station, the oldest in Melbourne

Seeing Nat again (who I had met in Mexico last year) was wonderful. She had arranged a night out with a group of her friends and we ended up spending a very pleasant evening in her neighbourhood. She also looked after me over the weekend, with a trip into the city (always good with a local)  and a drive into the Yarra Valley where I got to see the beautiful Victorian countryside and do some wine tasting at one of the many wineries in the area.

My wonderful friend Nat in the Yarra Valley

A highlight of coming to Melbourne was always going to be the Great Ocean Road, one of the most scenic  coastal drives in the world. The road runs from Torquay to Port Campbell and on our trip which lasted the whole day, we made a total of 10 stops. I was lucky to be joined by my friend Janush (who I met in Bali) who happened to arrive in Melbourne the previous day. The first stop was in Torquay at Bells Beach (where the Australian leg of the world surfing championships are held each year at Easter). It was a beautiful spot and there was even an early morning competition for us to watch. This is the area where Ripcurl started (one of Australia's most famous and iconic brands) and is one of the homes of surfing in Australia. From there we made our way along the Bass straight, stopping for a photo at the official start of the Great Ocean Road (see picture). We took a tea break in Lorne, where Janush and I walked along the beach. We lunched in Apollo Bay and from there the drive changed quite dramatically with towering limestone cliffs all along the coast. another stop in Port Campbell was followed by some of the highlights of the day at London Bridge, Lockard Gorge and the famous Twelve Apostles. These amazing rock formations have changed and been eroded over thousands of years. London Bridge even famously collapsed a few years ago!

Janush at the sign that begins the Great Ocean Road

Janush and I looking a bit windswept!

The beach to myself at Lockard Gorge

London Bridge post collapse!

Some of the remaining 'Twelve Apostles'

Yarra Valley wines

My final day in Melbourne gave me the opportunity to visit the city once again and this time I chose to take the free tourist shuttle bus which takes you to 13 points of interest around the city. It helped me to appreciate the scale and variety that this wonderful city has to offer and whilst there are places I didn't get to see or explore, I know I will be back again before too long. Bye, bye, Nat and Melbs!

Next stop: Adelaide (briefly) then Perth to see my other favourite Aussies!!