Tour De Melbourne

We set off gingerly in the car at about 9.30am at snail pace to the station. We left plenty of time as last time we found no parking spaces. Same this time; not one and a sign saying clamping was in operation if not in a proper bay. We drove out of the station and across the road to a road area but they were all 2 hour bays so back to the station again. I ended up parking on the grass along with a couple of other cars. We just caught the train and bought a Melbourne day pass which entitles you to travel on the trains, trams, buses and ferries for the day. Ours was off peak and we thought a good price at $9.90. Claire had been reading the guide books and we got off at Flinders station where we caught a number 35 tram which just keeps going around the city centre all day. We didn’t need our day pass for this as it’s a free service which is great to get a feel for the city.

It’s basically an eight by eight grid again with Bourke the centre Street going east west (sort of) and Elizabeth Street going North South at the centre. There are lots of other things outside this grid like Queen Victoria market which is north of the grid where we headed to first stopping at the nearest tram stop. There are lots of clothes stales where I bought a cheap shirt at the first stall we saw and lots of cheap Ugg boots normally around $100 a pair but we found this one selling all for $39. They did have the Ugg label on but not sure if they are authentic but they were definitely sheepskin. Then you get to fruit stall areas, deli areas, food market areas, meat, fish etc etc. Back to the tram for our next stop at central pier and Melbourne docklands which was very pretty. Back to the tram again heading for the nearest station stopping at china town for a spot of lunch as we were starving by now. We made a good choice but it was quite slow but we were in no hurry and had a lovely meal at a reasonable price. From the stop at Bourke St and Spring St where we got off we spotted the restaurant called Gingerboy’s where I had booked lunch for this Monday just gone as we were in Adelaide. I did try to change the date but they didn’t email me back. I found this from England and it does look like a good one have a look www.gingerboy.com.au . Maybe when Ian and Jane came but we will have to use their name. The Michelin star rating hasn’t reached Australia yet and I guess they have a different system of excellence?

We didn’t have time to do the two or three things that I wanted to do and it looked like rain was imminent so let’s hope that Ian and Jane want to see Ned Kelly’s armour and the old Gaol where he was hung and the Contemporary Art at the ACCA. The ACCA is also off grid, the other side of the river on the south bank; I guess they are copying London having all the trendy arty things on the south bank.

We just got on the train before torrential rain; how come there are so many fires over here? We didn’t get a ticket and nor did the other cars parked out of marked spaces but the traffic was horrendous in Berwick to get home and I felt very uncomfortable following the police car all the way home; I hope they are not stalking me. Weather permitting we were going to drive to the Dandenong hills and Yarra valley tomorrow. I can’t say, “Dandenog’s”, I keep calling them the “Dongledangles”!