Inbetween our travels around Victoria and Tasmania, we spent a few enjoyable days in Melbourne with Meg's family. While staying with Meg's aunt Judy & uncle Ross in South Yarra we found time to sample the bars and restaurants of Chapel Street, and to dust off our running shoes for 'The Tan' four kilometre running track which loops around the botanic gardens and along the River Yarra.
We had arranged to go hot air ballooning (a present from Mark's father in honour of the big 3-0) on the Friday before we left Melbourne but it was unfortunately postponed due to storms - we'll try again in a month or so when the weather should be better. In a fitting end to a day that began with an unfortunate natural event, that evening Meg's cousin Lucy took us to an exhibition of recovered artefacts from the Titanic which included reconstructions of the cabins and the grand staircase. Seeing passengers' possessions from the 1910s and pieces of wreckage which hadn't seen the light of day for nearly 100 years was very compelling.
On Saturday night we went to the Etihad Stadium to watch a 'proper' football game. The local newspaper billed the game as "The biggest rivalry in football" - a claim that a few European and South American football sides might refute. The final result was 3-0 to Melbourne whose hardcore fans behind one goal kept us entertained with 45 minutes of non-stop bouncing throughout the second half.
We spent our last few days staying with Meg's cousin Anna and her husband Jamie, who took us on a day trip to the Dandenongs to see a few of the sights and have Australian pies and Devonshire tea for lunch. After a cosy family dinner on Sunday night, we made an early start on Monday morning to fly to New Zealand. It was great to have such hospitable hosts which allowed us to recharge our batteries before our next bout of noisy hostels, smelly backpackers and budget dinners!
No comments:
Post a Comment