Day 1 in Sydney

Yesterday was my first full day here in Sydney. I started off the day by boarding the Hop on Hop off bus tour that departed from Bondi and took me around the city and gave me a better lay of the land. One of my first stops was the Chinese Garden of Friendship in Darling Harbor. This garden transports you to another location, harboring beautiful Chinese architecture and plants. At the garden I enjoyed a lovely lunch of Jasmine Tea and Dim Sim. From there I did some more walking around Darling Harbor before getting back on the bus.

My next stop was Circular Quay which harbours the famous Sydney Opera House. I didn`t go inside today, but just walked past on my way to the Botanical Gardens. I had a nice wander around the botanical gardens, which have the most fabulous views of the harbour.

Then it was back on the bus to see some other cool sights, before heading back to Bondi.

Last night I met up with a friend and we had dinner on the harbour overlooking the bridge. And that just about completed day 1.

An Ode to Melbourne

Leaving Melbourne is one of the hardest things I’ve had to do in my life. I`ve cried more leaving here then I did leaving home and I think that`s in part because I don`t know when I`ll be back. To say I love this city is an understatement. It is absolutely freakin fantastic awesome! People have asked me recently why I love it so much and it`s almost to hard to put into words, so let me just say this. If you ever get a chance to go, give me a call, because I`d love to show you the city that has touched my heart so much. 

My final view of the city on the way to the airport. 

My last 24 Hours in Melbourne

My last 24 hours in Melbourne pretty much put the whip cream and cherry on top of my time here. On Wednesday after finishing up work and having my bags shipped off Andrew and I headed to the Rye Peninsula Hot Springs, which is a spa/relaxation centre where I`ve been 2 times before. We had a lovely afternoon relaxing and enjoying the time together.

 Thursday morning, we headed out for breakfast at one of my favorite places in Melbourne, Brighton Baths. I think it was very fitting to be having breakfast with a one of a kind view of the city.

After breakfast we took one last walk along Brighton Beach, to take in the beach boxes for a final time.

After some last minute packing it was time to head to the airport. Well you know how they say travel light… apparently I can`t do that. Going up to the counter the first time and being 10 kilos (that’s nearly 20 pounds) over the baggage allowance, it was time to strip down to the bare essentials. With a lot of help from Andrew and his aunt we managed to do it! Thank goodness. Don`t blame it on me! My grandma says I take after her.

After some very tearful goodbyes it was time to board the plane and say goodbye to Melbourne. 

My Nanny Reign Comes to an End

Well here I am on my last day of work with the kids. My room is empty. My bags are packed and sitting outside waiting to be picked up.

Knowing that I leave tomorrow actually makes me sick to my stomach. Melbourne has been my home for the past 11 months and thinking that it won`t be so after tomorrow is horrifying. I know once all my travels start the feeling will pass, but the initial anxiety of having to leave is heart wrenching.

I`m going to miss you Melbourne...

A Very Aussie Christmas

As I`m sure your aware Aussie Christmas is very different to Canadian ones in the pure fact that it`s hot out. But as you`ll see everything else is pretty much the same as home!

Christmas Eve is a big night out for all the 'youngins' here in Aus. So after a few drinks at the Seascape terris, we headed to a local pub called 'Marine'. 

Waking up on Christmas morning it was a balmy 30 degrees outside. Christmas day started off heading over to Andrew`s brothers house for breakfast and some present opening. It was cute seeing Andrew`s nieces going at all the presents, it brought back a lot of memories and joys of when I was a child. 

After enjoying some time in the sunshine we went over to a house of a family friend from Christmas lunch. This is probably another tradition that sounds a bit different from those back home. The Christmas feast isn`t dinner, it`s lunch. We enjoyed a delicious meal of all sorts of foods from turkey, ham and chicken to plum pudding, the famous Perry lemon meringue pie and Christmas cookies. It was delicious!! The rest of Christmas day was rather chill to deal with the hangover and a belly full of food. 

Boxing Day we braved the crowds and headed to Southland for some shopping. Sales, as usual, were disappointing for the big boxing day crowds, but Andrew managed to pick up a few new items. 

Today has been another rather chill day trying to tie up all the lose ends that are left before I leave. :( :( Only 1 more full day left in Melbourne 

The stockings were hung

2 days before Christmas... 31 degrees... And I finally have an Aussie stocking. 

My Final Week in Melbourne

My final week in Melbourne has been very jam packed (to say the least).

Wednesday night I got to enjoy a belated birthday gift. Andrew and I headed to the movies to see New Years Eve... Gold Class style.

Gold Class is a private theatre with aprx. 30 people. You get to enjoy the movie in reclining loungers and have a full food and drink menu to choose from, brought to you by a waiter.

It was such a fun experience! I wish I could go Gold Class every time I went to the movies.

Last night, with the nice weather in full effect, Andrew and I headed into St Kilda. The streets were packed with people all enjoying the early stages of summer.

First we checked out the St Kilda Twilight Market, featuring a bunch of market stalls and some entertaining street performances.

Then we headed to Luna Park, the local theme park here in Melbourne.

It was one of my funnest nights here in Melbourne, getting to act like I was a kid again. We went on several different rides including the Dodgem cars (otherwise known to Canadians as bumper cars), the Ferris wheel, the haunted house and my favourite (and probably most famous at Luna Park) the scenic railway.
The scenic railway was built in 1911, and is the oldest continually-operating roller coaster in the world, and one of only 2 in existence requiring a brakesman to stand in the middle of the train. It may just look like a wooden roller coaster but my goodness is this thing scary! 

And on top of all this, I`m trying to pack... Wish me luck!

A Future Cricket Star

The one Aussie sport I had yet to tackle in my time here was cricket. I`d seen a few games on television, and to be honest it looked extremely boring, but I decided to give it a chance. On Saturday a few of us headed down to the MCG to watch the Melbourne Stars take on Sydney in a 20/20 cricket match. 

Boy was I completely wrong about cricket being boring! The atmosphere was so much, and the game keeps you on your toes the whole time with runs (I think thats what there called) always being scored.

We got to see the famous Aussie, Shane Warne, bowling.

 

Not only was the game fun, but the crowd was even more entertaining. 

Beach balls being tossed around. 

A beer cup stacking competition between the sections.

There is a history at the cricket that when the wave goes around people throw stuff as it comes past there section. I heard stories of beer, pies and chips being thrown. So this explains the slogan they post every time the wave goes around.  

After the night at the cricket, we headed into St Kilda to enjoy some beers at one of my old stomping ground, Big Mouth.

Sunday it was time to get into some more Christmas spirit, attending a friends christmas party in the park. It was at this point in the weekend that I actually took part and played some cricket. You may have a future star in your midst!

Ps. It was 30 degrees all weekend! 

Wacky Wednesday (These should happen more often!)

Wednesday Andrew joined me, as we headed into the city to the Carlton United Brewery. We took a tour of the brewery, getting to see where to beer was made and packaged. One of the coolest facts I learned: the remnants of yeast from making the beer are sold to Kraft to make vegemite! Who knew?!?

Afterwards we got to enjoy samples of some of the locally made beers including VB (the most popular beer in Australia), Carlton Draft (the most popular draft beer in Australia), Fosters, Stella Artois and Bulmers Cider.

The evening continued as we headed to the Crown Entertainment Complex to showoff our prime bowling skills. I do have to say Andrew kicked my butt.

 We capped the evening off watching the Crown Christmas choir and taking a stroll along Southbank.

It was definetley a wacky Wednesday, but a great one at that!

23 Years Ago

Well this past weekend marked Steph turning another year older... the big 2-3. I was lucky enough to have a legitimate 40 hours of birthday, taking into account my current location and the time difference to my birth place.

Saturday morning Andrew and I drove along the coast to a popular sea side town, Lorne.

Lorne is located along the famous Great Ocean Road, so we stopped along the way to take some touristy shots. 

We continued on a scenic drive past Lorne, to Apollo Bay, before driving into Lorne and checking into our hotel. 

The hotel offered a great view of the main Lorne surf beach, but unfortunately the weather was its usually wishy-washy self, so it wasn`t really beach weather. 

We enjoyed Saturday walking along the main street in Lorne, before getting dolled up and ready for dinner. We headed to the 'infamous' Lorne Hotel for dinner and drinks. 

Sunday the weather didn`t improve all that much, so after a stroll around Lorne and a local breakfast we started the drive back to Melbourne.

Some Lorne locals. 

Lookout over Lorne. 

Heading back into wonderful Melbourne. 

It was great to get out of the city for the weekend and enjoy some time in the lovely town of Lorne. It`s funny how small towns all over the world are so similar. Just walking along the main street there were so many things that reminded me of being back in the small town of Coboconk in cottage country back home.

It seems like just yesterday that I was celebrating my birthday with fashion parties, loot-bags and asking for presents from toys-r-us. Boy has the time flown by. This birthday was certainly different being away from home, but definetley one for the books, seeing as I was in Australia! Special thanks to everyone back home for all there well wishes and cards. Love you all!

Another Fabulous Night in the City of Melbourne

There is nothing like walking through the centre of Melbourne on a nice warm summer Friday evening. Today after work I headed into the city to do some final Christmas shopping (and maybe a little birthday splurging on myself). It was so nice walking along Southbank with the sun shining and seeing every single outdoor patio packed with people.

After spending several hours wandering the malls, I finished my evening watching the Christmas light show in Melbourne city square.

Walking back to the train station it was phenomenal taking in the street atmosphere. Performers on every corner; every type of person from every walk of life strolling the street; Christmas spirit in the air.
It`s nights like these, where I know deep in my heart I`m going to really miss Melbourne.

The Most Exciting Weekend Ever

Well I had to draw you in somehow... So maybe it wasn`t the most exciting weekend, but it was another good one to take in more Melbourne.

Friday night Amy and I headed into the city for a few drinks. It started out with a bottle of wine in the Alexandra gardens and then slowly we moved to the European Beer Cafe to enjoy the live band that goes off on a Friday night.

Saturday I enjoyed a much needed sleep in and then headed into the city to the Melbourne Museum. There I saw a very good iMax movie called Born To Be Wild about orphan elephants and orangutans.

Following the film I did some walking around the nearby Carlton Gardens and the Parliament of Victoria.

Then I headed into city square to take in the newly hung Christmas decorations.

Hope I didn`t bore you to much! Next weekend will be more eventful... promise!

Crown Casino Christmas Spectacular

Last night Amy and I kicked off December by going to see the Crown Casino Christmas Spectacular, which is suppose to be a must see here in Melbourne during the Christmas season.

When we arrived we got a very big surprise that they had a live choir singing Christmas carols. It was just the thing we both needed to make it feel a little more like Christmas. As Amy said "I feel like it should be snowing outside right now".
Here`s a little sample of the Christmas cheer:

The Christmas Spectacular (separate from the choir) is a short show in the atrium of the Casino filled with lights, characters and of course a very cute story line.

After the Christmas spirit, Amy and I wandered around the casino looking at some other Christmas decorations, including this Aussie Christmas display made out of different dessert materials. 

Only 23 more days until Christmas!