I'm going to try to pull back from politics as that was not my intention with this blog in the first place... I need to step back form the current political issues if for nothing more than for my own peace of mind to clear my thoughts of all the negativity that has been bombarding everyone at every level for the last month or 8 years depending on how you look at it... take a quick read because this pushed me over the edge Musk/Trump Endgame... so let me share these thoughts before we move on to our next destination...
Lessons don’t always come wrapped in wisdom. Sometimes, the most profound teachings come from witnessing what not to do—how not to treat people, how not to live in fear, how not to sacrifice integrity for convenience.
The world is full of cautionary tales: industries that exploit, leaders who deceive, institutions that manipulate. But if we allow them to teach us rather than consume us, they serve a purpose. Every toxic food system, every broken healthcare model, every corrupt political decision—it’s all a blueprint for the world we don’t want.
The question is: Do we keep participating in what we know is broken, or do we build something better? And if so, where do we start? I wish I had the definitive answer... but we have to start with ourselves and not become part of the problem by becoming one of those people... someone a long time ago said to me... don't let the words or actions of people or the way the world works sometimes make you mean... I had a brief meeting with a doctor for an over all wellness check a few days ago and he asked if I was suffering from anxiety and/or depression... I simply said "From a clinical standpoint no I am not, but I'm reacting appropriately to the way the world is right now"
I'm speaking from personal experience when I say sometimes you have to get away from it all and look at the world from a different perspective and study a new landscape... or a fancy way of saying take a holiday from your fears, concerns and get in touch with your thoughts and make a plan...For me nothing tops the feeling of waiting at the airport in anticipation of leaving all of your worries behind you for a few days and making new memories that will last a lifetime. When I first started writing here I composed something new every week and then every two weeks...now once a month... I noticed the quality of the content and my thoughts improved as I had more time to formulate something more thoughtful and concise. I hope you agree... I went back and read everything from the beginning and there are some things I would like to revisit and rewrite in more depth in the coming months.
I've written before about my experiences in Australia (which were numerous in the 70's and 80's... thanks to Pan Am) This week I'm going to pare it down and focus on one region...
Those trips that were usually off the beaten path got a little sweaty and dusty and dirty and scary a few times... but they remain some of my happiest travel memories.
I spent a great deal of time with my friends at Kerferd Road Beach in the 70's & 80's... drinking, laughing, smoking and enjoying the sun before I ever considered the importance of sun screen...and moderation.
I'll keep the rest of my memories and experiences focused on the here and now...
To start with... Melbourne is...
Sunnyside Beach... it's a bit of a trick to find it the first time... but it's worth it...It's between Mt Eliza and Mornington south of Melbourne (about 55 km) The Northern part is legally clothing optional since 1986. Parking and crowded restrooms can be a bit tricky on the weekend... it's the closest and most popular nude beach to Melbourne.
Point Impossible Beach...is nothing like it's name as it is easy to access with ample parking and restrooms..It's an official clothing optional beach and the first legal nude beach in Victoria. It's about 95 km southwest of Melbourne.
Southside Beach is located near Bells Beach past Torquay about 100 km from Melbourne. The nude section is marked and about 500 meters to the left of the main stretch of beach... It's technically a surfing beach and it's popular because it's somewhat sheltered from the wind... it's worth the journey to get there.
Most of these are about and hour(ish) from Melbourne... my advice is arrive early, pack a picnic lunch and don't forget the sun screen... any maybe most importantly have fun and be sure to take everything you brought in out with you...only leave your footprints in the sand. As a reminder if you are traveling from the Northern Hemisphere... best time to visit is January.
I've said in a previous entry taking a river cruise of a city is one of the best ways to familiarize yourself... and the view from the Yarra River cruise certainly won't disappoint... the views are amazing at every turn.
Getting around on land to destinations outside the city usually starts at The Flinders Street Station... it's Australias oldest train station and the busiest station serving the entire metro area rail network... Rumor has it there is a ghost occupying the building...
I don't think there is a single Melbouornian who has not said at one time or another... "I'll meet you under the clocks" which are the clocks that line the wall above the main entrance.. the trains* travel between here and the outer suburbs and there are several day trips that arrive and depart from Flinders Street Station.
Melbourne is one of the easiest cities in the world to get around in...
- Trams travel throughout the city*... The largest tram system in the world, there are 250 km of tracks and is 100% solar powered.
- A free City Circle Tram in the central business district
- Buses travel to most destinations around the city*
It's also an easy city to use ride shares and taxis... but most importantly it's a very easy city to navigate on foot.
If you are visiting... keep in mind that the weather can be very fickle in a single day... It's weather is much like Europe in that...on any given day you could be wearing shorts and a tee-shirt and the morning and need a jacket or coat by evening... I guess the easiest thing to do is dress in layers... and carry and umbrella.
So depending on your tastes... there are several city tours or you can find your own way to...
The Chinatown in Melbourne is the oldest in the Southern Hemisphere...located on Little Bourke Street it was founded during the Gold Rush when about 40,000 people came from China.
Melbourne was designed with a very geometrical grid with large streets and laneways... where you will find large street murals (Melbourne is the street art capital of the world) also shops, bars, coffee shops and cafes.
One of the things I love best about Australia is the diversity of people and cultures... I'm sort of tied between favorite destinations being Greece or Australia... as it would happen Melbourne is a city with the largest Greek population outside of Greece... Melbourne is a very cosmopolitan city, over a third of the population is from someplace outside Australia... with a very large population of Greeks, Italians and Chinese... with restaurants and cafes featuring some of my favorite food. The one thing I can state with absolute sincerity is that I have never had a bad meal in Melbourne... Australian cuisine blends Asian and Mediterranean flavors and concepts into very imaginative recipes with the freshest ingredients.
The one thing I've usually always done in my travels is take a cooking class or two if I'm spending a few days somewhere... I'm sorry to say I have not done so in Melbourne... but it's on my bucket list as there are some fantastic options offered through Melbourne Markets offering cooking classes from some of Melbourne's most notable chefs... I have never walked away from The Block Arcade hungry or empty handed... it is the most famous shopping experience in Melbourne full of stylish and eclectic boutiques... and there are several specialty food shops and restaurants...My favorite shop is Gewürzhaus meaning spice house... it's a cooks dream... they have everything from all over the world.
One of my favorite places is Hopetoun Tea Rooms... its a shop and Tea Room a reservation is required for High Tea... It's named for its founder Lady Hopetoun. You can also order cakes or take something out with you. I love to stop mid morning for a cup of coffee and something delicious... Another surprisingly great High Tea was the Three Plate High Champagne service at The Marriott Melbourne...
Speaking of coffee... Melbourne is known as the Coffee Capital of Australia... and has become the city with the most cafes... I learned how to make sensational coffee in Melbourne. A lot of Melbournians carry around a reusable coffee cup as it's not unusual for many to take away as many as four or five cups of coffee per day. Coffees have different names in Australia than other places... you won't find Americano...it's refereed to as a Long Black... and espresso is a Short Black...a Doppio is a double shot of espresso... a latte is a Caffelatte and a Flat White is a espresso with steamed milk with a higher proportion of espresso than a latte... and for those of you who partake you still have your Cappuccino, Macchiato... and ice coffee is cold espresso, milk and ice cubes... most cafes in Australia have two sizes... regular and large.
Melbourne was the first city outside of North America or Europe to host the Olympic Games in 1956... A bit before my time... but I was cheering loudly at the games in Sydney in 2000... with a little luck I'll be cheering just as enthusiastically in Brisbane in 2032.
Melbourne is the only city in the world with five international standard sporting facilities... and is known as the sports capital of Australia... they are...
- Melbourne Cricket Ground
- Docklands Stadium
- Rod Laver Arena
- Hisense Arena
- Olympic Park
Melbourne hosts the Australian Open and The Melbourne Cup...
St Kilda's Palais Theatre is the largest theatre in Australia... it's world famous with 2,896 seats... compare that to The Metropolitan Opera House in New York city with a seating capacity of 3,800.
There is also a Winter Garden space with very exclusive access and premium hospitality.... The Palais Theatre hosts live performances in theatre, ballet, music and opera and is the home of The Melbourne Film Festival. The theatre is very proud to be 100% green powered.
The Regent Theatre in Melbourne is a former movie theatre built in 1938 and closed in 1970, it was restored and reopened in 1996. It is one of six theaters collectively known as Melbournes East End. The Regent theatre has a house seating capacity of 2,162 and hosts most theatrical world tours. It's a short walk from Flinders Street Station and The Victoria Hotel.
I feel like I have only scratched the surface on what to see and what to do in Melbourne... maybe we will visit this again sometime in the future.
The side trips you can take in addition to the beach outings I've already outlined are also numerous and might warrant a separate entry soon.... I'll quickly outline my favorites...
There are about eighty wineries in the Yarra Valley only about an hour away... and they create some of the best Cardonnay and Pinot Noir as well as an exceptional Shiraz as I have ever tasted... There is no place on earth like it and it provides the perfect conditions for creating world class wine.
It's really easy to access from Melbourne... it's easiest to drive or hire a car... if you don't have a designated driver or you can take the train from Melbourne to the Lilydale Station and take the Mc Kenzie's Tourist Service Bus to Yarra Glenn or Healesville or the Ventura Bus to Warburton... if it's your first time... there are bus tours that leave directly from Melbourne.
There is no such thing as saving the best for last... because as far as I'm concerned all of Melbourne is the best... but If I had to choose where to live if not in the city centre... then I would choose St. Kilda...
St Kilda is a seaside suburb near Melbourne...it's just a short tram ride (about 25 minutes) on the #96, #16 or #3A
to a vibrant beach community with a never ending list of things to do or just relax.... or if you are feeling up to a little adventure you can rent a bicycle it's only about a 7km ride.. The Royal Botanical Gardens in Melbourne are not to be missed but don't skip the St. Kilda Botanical Gardens either...
What can I say about St. Kilda... It's the vibe I grew up with and the feelings and emotions I love the most about surroundings and people...
You can find almost anything you want or need at Aceland Court Shopping Center...
St Kilda is a haven for artists, musicians and has a very diverse LGBTQIA community.... there is a lot more but I wanted to save a little room for Luna Park...
Luna Park has been entertaining the young and young at heart..since 1912... with the oldest continuing operating roller coaster in the world...there is something for everyone at Luna Park...they have special events on Halloween, Christmas and New Years... Luna Park is next to The Espy.
So on top of everything I've said... Australia offers me everything I love; from the desert, to the mountains to the ocean and everything in between... but like I said before... people matter more to me than places and things...
So... you begin and end your time in Melbourne most likely at the Melbourne International Airport...
The easiest way to get to and from the airport are ride shares, taxi and the Sky Bus Express that leaves from the airport to the city centre every 10 minutes 24/7... the ride is about 20 minutes depending on the time of day and traffic.
Just to give you and idea... There are five time zones in Australia...
- Western Australia Standard Time
- Northern Territory
- Australian Central Standard Time
- Australian Eastern Standard Time
- New South Wales/Victoria
Suffice to say it's between 12-15 hours ahead of from New York
The climate in Australia is... well it is what it is... if you are visiting... plan ahead to where you will be going and what time of year...
Flight Times
- Honolulu to Melbourne- 11 hours
- Los Angeles to Melbourne- 15 hours
- New York City to Melbourne- 23 hours
- London to Melbourne- 21 hours
I've taken all these routes over the years... and since the introduction of larger aircraft these long flights are non-stop... you used to have to break the trip down with stops to refuel the aircraft and pickup passengers along the way making most of these flights a two day trip... either way take playing cards and a good book to pass the time.
I've written previously that I used to ignore my intuition or maybe not listen carefully would more accurately describe it... my intuition has been whispering to me gently for several years that I should move to Melbourne... lately it's not been soft voice but more of a commanding baritone directive... that is part of the reason I wanted to write all this down... In the coming weeks I am going to explore career opportunities, legal, technical and logistic concerns like expenses, housing, shipping and visa requirements... and we will see what we see when we see it.
I said in one of the early posts here... I rarely fit into new places and it usually worked to my advantage for one reason or another... but with Australia... it's nice to fit in somewhere finally.
If your intuition tells you that you need to move then you need to move... if your intuition tells you to give up on your dreams... it's not your intuition... it's fear... it's important to know how to tell the difference... I've had to remind myself more often than I would like to admit...
Thanks for reading... see you next month...
From here I can go anywhere... and so can you!
