Last stop Melbourne

15th April 2017 - finally sun again

Our first visit in Melbourne was spent in St. Kilda. Since our AirBnB hostel is in the same district, we didn't have to go far to reach the beach and pier. We were lucky enough to spot a penguin among the rocks at the end of the pier. The locals recommended that we come back in the evening, as we would have a better chance of seeing more penguins.

So we continued to explore St. Kilda. We enjoyed the sun and spent some time at Luna Park. A small amusement park that can also be found in Sydney.

The highlight of our day was the Cheesy Noodles. We found a promising video on Facebook about a restaurant that offers super Cheesy Noodles. This restaurant can be found not only at markets, but also has a small distribution in the industrial area. So we took the train to Thomastown, a 1-hour journey in one direction. Once we arrived, we asked for the famous Cheesy Noodles. And as it turned out, the chef couldn't offer us any. Apparently, they didn't have any available, but he could offer us Spaghetti Bolognese with a little cheese. We didn't understand the point, as we were standing between several counters with various types of cheese... Well, 1-hour journey for nothing.

We went back to the city center and bought a ticket for the Eureka Tower including 'The Edge'. From here, we had an incredible view of Melbourne. And we timed it perfectly. We could see Melbourne in daylight, at dusk, and at night. Only 'the Edge' was a little disappointing. It's a small box that extends from the tower. You share the space with about 10 people, a few sound effects are supposed to create tension, and when you start moving, you can't see the glass floor yet. After a loud thud, all the windows - which were milky just a moment ago - became clear glass. So there were several hundred meters between you and the glass floor to the cold asphalt below. Sounds scarier than it actually was :D

Back in St. Kilda, we went to a nearby restaurant called 'Schnitz'. We had schnitzel with fries (why not?), incredibly delicious. As I think about it now, I would like to have another one :)

With our bellies full, we went back to the pier mentioned above. And we can't even talk about luck. While in the morning we only saw one penguin, now there were dozens. I swear! So many cute little penguins were simply wandering around, sitting on the rocks, or taking care of their loved ones. And quite literally the latter ;) So we got to witness the full experience of two penguins in love! It was probably not so loving for the female, but it was very amusing for us :D

After about 1.5 hours of penguin-watching, we made our way back to our AirBnB accommodation. In the park on the way to the car, we were also lucky enough to spot a few wild possums.

16th April 2017

Today we went to Brighton Beach. Here, at the beach, there are small wooden houses that are beautifully painted in vibrant colors. We took some photos and then continued to St. Kilda Market. It takes place every Sunday near the beach. Many small tents were set up, each selling something different. From food to jewelry, to dog accessories and other souvenirs. Really pretty and diverse.

From here, we went to the botanical garden, where we initially parked. Next stop: Hosier Lane. A street known for being adorned with a lot of graffiti. We didn't have to go far, about a 10-minute walk, and we could discover the colorful street. Many pictures, many colors. That's what I call art. It was really well done here, not like those unnecessary gang names or whatever you see at every corner in Germany.

We didn't have much time left today, as we had to make our way to the airport soon. So we went back to the botanical garden and sat in the sun at a little pavilion. Not even 5 minutes later, a few Chinese people came around the corner, sat down with us, and started taking photos. Yes, you read that right. Photos. Within a few seconds, the rest of the tour group came around the corner and spotted us. Our peaceful moment turned into a photoshoot. Group photos with everyone, group photos with just women, then just with men, and finally individual photos. My face still hurts from all the laughing when I think about it. Only one of the Chinese people could speak a little English, and he thanked us a thousand times for letting them take the photos and translated what the women were saying. Everyone was very happy and we were now their children and warmly welcome in China. Alrighty then :D I still regret a little bit not thinking of giving one of the photographers my phone, so that I would at least have the group photos :D

After the photoshoot, we had to go. Anna and I took Selina to her hostel and then we drove the car (with a few Google Maps difficulties) to our drop-off point.

Bye, bye Melbourne - Welcome back Gold Coast!