Landing in Melbourne
In true backpacker form, where the price of a nights accomodation is valued at how many beers it could buy, or weighed carefully against the prospect of a really good fry-up breakfast or steak dinner, i sacrificed a night on the top bunk for a slightly less homely environment, Christchurch airport. With no buses leaving early enough in time for my 5am check in, i was not the only one who engaged in terminal luxury. When i arrived at 11pm i wandered around completely confused and disoriented until i realised that, yes, an international departures area did exist, but was cosed off behind the partition wall until ´opening´ in the morning. Domestic arrivals it was to be then, and i chose my spot, curled up on the cushioned seats and dozed off intermittently.
you could spot the more seasoned airport snoozer by the complete nonchalant attitude with which they seemed to have collapsed wherever the fancy took them, sometimes in the middle of the lounge, with a fortress type wall around them made up of trolley and luggage, legs akimbo and mouth wide open, or cuddled up in the ultimate of airport comfort, sleeping bag et al. once the lights were dimmed in the arrivals lounge, there were only barely perceptible black outlines and shadows of sleeping bodies strewn under chairs, on top of benches, and dotted along the carpet, all mixed with an eery silence…
morning arrived soon enough, although it did seem to be one of the longest i have experienced in a while, not being used to those 4am starts. i treated myself to a booster smoothie type concoction which was oddly luminescent green in colour for something meant to be full of all ´natural´ goodness, but thought it might add to my fruit intake for the day (as my fresh fruit had already been confiscated at customs). I was pleased not to be sprayed again with the mysterious disinfecting mist on landing in melbourne, as i had been on my long-haul flight into australia, and before i knew it i had was walking out into the main hall with sandra´s friendly face to greet me. she has very kindly put me up in her place for some time while im in melbourne, and even gave me a ´door to door´ service from the airport to her abode in west richmond. my first impressions of melbourne, a llittle strangely perhaps, is the strong sweet smell of blossom. Richmond seems to be full of pink blossom trees, and even a week in, i still wander along gulping in the pungent air.
the weekend i arrived in melbourne turned out to be the tail end of fashion week. just because neither of us had ever been to a fashion show, sandra and i went along to an even called ´raw´ which featured designs from a whole host of melbournes shops and boutiques. it was a small room which a very informal atmosphere, and in all honesty the ongoing commentary from the people behind us was fairly distracting, (but also hilariously entertaining) from the models parading the catwalk.
melbourne has a much more relaxed feel about it than i remember sydney having, yet with much more bustle with its constant flow of businessmen, students and tourists going about their daily business. the trams somehow add to this informal feel to the place, as well as its character. i find it hard to compare the two rival cities, mainly because i dont think you can, (or should), as they are both so very different. i get the feeling that in melbourne you have to get a little deeper under its skin to begin to really appreciate it, whereas sydney is much more immediate in its striking modernity.
the free city circle tram is a treat, and takes you around many of the main museums and attractions of melbournes CBD. i will be much more likely to keep hopping on and off it as i spend more time here, if anything to hear the highly amusing city tram jingle complete with ozzie accent and rhyming lyrics stating the obvious ´its FREE, melbourne city circle tram..´ if i catch any more of the words ill let you know ; )
