St Kilda

Last time I was in Melbourne, I didn't even get out to Luna Park, so I decided this time that I would...

It was a weekday so it was closed, but that didn't bother me.

I strolled along the main drag for a while and boy do they have a lot of bakeries there!!! Some of the cakes looked absolutely yummy!!!

I went for a walk out on the St Kilda Pier, but only made it half way when it started to rain. By the time I got back to catch my tram, I was soaked through.

It was dark by the time I got back to my hotel & had a nice long, hot shower!!

Melbourne Zoo

Jumped on a tram and headed off to the Melbourne Zoo for a couple of hours today.

I was lucky when it came to the Red Panda's... they were just about to be fed before I left their enclosure. They are so adorable!!

The Baboon enclosure depressed me though. It had cement floors and no trees - reminded me of the old style zoo instead of the new habitat zoo.

The Meerkats are so cute, they came right up to the glass petition and just watched you. I've seen them on tv before but never realised how small they actually are... they are tiny!! I could have watched them all day.

I couldn't find the butterfly house though. *sigh*

Harbourtown

Headed to Harbourtown down near Docklands. Can't say I was impressed though, not much was there. I did get to see snow though, artificial, but still snow.

Across the road from Harbourtown there were some statues of various Australian celebrities... Graham Kennedy, John Farnham, Dame Edna & Kylie Minogue.

I was going to wander through the Queen Victoria markets on the way back to my room, but they were closing (it was 2pm!!!) I still had a wander around while the stalls were closing up as some storm clouds were coming in and I just knew that if I left then, I would get wet. Sure enough, not 5 minutes later there was a huge deluge which lasted 30 minutes!!

Getting Around

While getting around the Melbourne CBD, I bumped into Mick Molloy (from the movie Crackerjack). He is just as scruffy in person as you see on television.

I also found the best hot chocolate in Melbourne.... Walkers on the corner of Flinders St & Elizabeth street, near The Lord Of The Fries and opposite the train station. It was to die for!!!

I went to Federation Square (last time I didn't go because there was some music festival on and was way too crowded)

I wanted to go to Eureka Skydeck but it was closed for maintenance while I was there.

I found a Babushka Doll store in one of the arcades. There were thousands of them!! Some of them were beautiful, but very expensive!!

Touchdown In Melbourne

My flight from Adelaide got in just after 3 this afternoon but I didn't get to my hotel until almost 5!!

I caught the shuttle to Southern Cross Station and then had to wait 45 minutes for a shuttle bus to take me to my hotel. I literally tossed my suitcases in the door then headed out again - I was meeting my friend Cheryl at the Crown Casino which is on the other side of the CBD.

I managed to find the City Circle Tram (in the dark without a map!) just by chance and was standing in the pouring rain for 10 minutes before it came.

We went for dinner at the restaurant they have for Crown Casino members - she was using her mother's card as it had more points which gave us access.

We had a few quick games on the pokies before heading off home - I had to find my way again in the dark & pouring rain, but luckily Cheryl gave me good advice with regards to the trams.