Can we escape the Twlight Zone? I was just waiting for someone to stop us on our way out and say we could check in but could never check out. Even the bus driver cracked that when locals leave they put GPS devices on them to drag them back.
At the check in desk the agent made me put my little flowered duffel in the carry on checker, what? I have already been on 4 flights in the last week? It fit of course. Silly woman, but she did give us an exit row on one of our flights.
After we went through security at this huge airport (ha ha) we waited at the only gate they had. Melbourne people were very friendly with advice on what to do and see when there. All we wanted was a hotel room with a heater and technology that worked.
On way out, it was very strange going all the way down the runway, turning around and then taking off - Our last views of the Ayers Rock Outback. Yes, they gave us free food then too -- cheese (like the town our camel jockey was from), crackers and cookies.
In Alice Springs, when we got off the plane flies were everywhere. Bigger airport and packed with people traveling for the holidays -- it was going to be a 5 day weekend for Aussies. Man and his wife from Adelaide told us places to go in Melbourne and Philip Island. It’s always surprising when you don’t meet any rude people anywhere you go. So unlike the U.S., where there is always someone having a bad day.
The restroom there was different -- it had a shower available for patrons and a weird flush system on the toilet.
On airplane, the flight attendant gave us a personal lecture on the operating of the Exit Row -- What? First time that has ever happened. It was a hatch not a door.
On way into Melbourne, lots of turbulence -- storms there. Had issues with the car rental but in the end got to the proper location. Europcar car rental employees (sorry hire car employees) were very helpful with directions. I was in terror with driving on the left side/ unfamiliar side, even though I had done it before -- rush hour in one of the largest cities in the world -- bring it on. (Left side driving is a whole different story/adventure.)
We got turned around on our way into Melbourne but finally found our hotel. Had to watch out for the trams and the weird ways they get people to turn. Yeah, a room with a heater. We were excited.
The staff was helpful but didn’t really have a clue about the area. So we wandered out along the footbridge over the river and hit the Flinders Street area. There was a walkway under the station for people, quite like a London one. It started pouring down rain as soon as we got out of the hotel area. We found a little alleyway with cafes and shops. The Quarter seemed appropriate for us as we are from the south and love the French Quarter. The food was good.
At the restaurant, we visited with our table neighbors, who were Malaysian students in the city. They also gave us tips on the city.
Stopped at the Langham Hotel, a very posh hotel across from ours (Travelodge), and hung out in the lounge. Very fancy and the waiter took photos for us. He was a Kiwi from the Bay of Islands and was in training to be a photographer. His pictures of us were not flattering at all. I had to tell him that there was a way to take a better picture. But his pics of kangaroos and koalas were good.
We were wiped out and ready to go to sleep. First we washed clothes as we had a laundry near our room. Clean clothes :) for at least another week.
Melbourne seemed like a quaint little city, a definitely different character than Sydney.
Hopefully this would be our only day of rain.
Good stories. I can tell which bed is yours:)
ReplyDeleteSo I guess you needed me there to drive on the left side and you to navigate!!
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