I've always thought I had lots of interesting things to say and that lots of people would love to hear what it is I have to say. Real life has taught me that neither of those statements is true, but that what really matters is that I don't care. There is no doubt blogging is becoming increasingly accessible and influential; anyone can blog about pretty much anything that interests them as long as they can stand to deal with the "comment wars" that often occur in the aftermath of a blog post. As a strong believer in my own self-importance, I have long talked about creating a personality in the blogosphere. Recently, the stars aligned and gave me an opportunity to open this, my first ever blog attempt.
Allow me to paint the scenario. In July, my younger sister, armed with a childlike curiosity, a sense of adventure, and some hard earned cash in the piggy bank moved to Melbourne, Australia for a semester of study abroad. Those that have studied abroad know what a great opportunity it is to live life to the extreme in a new environment under the pretense of "improving their education." Fortunately, my parents viewed her move to Australia favorably and decided to visit and explore Australia for the next month. As the unemployed post grad, my schedule is open for the foreseeable future and no one in their right mind would turn down a complimentary trip to Australia, (even with their parents) would they?
From Washington D.C. we three intrepid explorers set off, excited but at the same time dreading the 30 hours of travel between us and Melbourne. I won't relieve every moment for you, but its safe to say: I laughed, I cried, I froze, I negotiated with screaming children, I went through customs in Sydney only to be told we were in the wrong place to catch our connecting flight, and just about damn near lost my mind during the last hour of travel, but a full 30.5 hours later we arrived in Melbourne City. On our approach to the city center, my first thought was how much Melbourne reminded me of England. The weather was cloudy, cool, and threatening to rain-typically English. Cars operate on the left hand side of the road, and something about the design of the roadsigns reminded me so much of my time in England as a child. Once we reached downtown Melbourne however, those feelings disappeared and I quickly realized it was unlike any city I have been to before.
Melbourne has a great energy about it. Widely regarded as the arts/culture capital of Australia, there was a plethora of performances being advertised, ranging from Steve Aoki to Macy Gray and everything in between. Apparently, Wheatus is due to come and play in October. "Teenage Dirtbag" is my anthem, that IS a show I would definitely pay top dollar for.
Another thing I really like is that while there is plenty of people out and about, the city is spacious and clean. When I say 'spacious' I mean that despite the crowds and activity nothing feels cramped. Sidewalks and roads are very wide, there is lots of green foliage, and despite the rapid pace of city life i never felt hurried. The only thing that made me feel out of place was my lack of skinny jeans. Among the locals, men and women, young and old alike, there was a serious preference for skinny jeans. I've never been one for a pair of skinny's, and my first thought was that a good friend from home, (whose name rhymes with Smenton) would absolutely love the style on display here. I have no doubt though, if I lived in Melbourne long enough I'd give in and buy a pair. I'm a sucker for trends.
The food in Melbourne was diverse, ranging from local cuisine, to western chains, to a buffet of South East Asian cuisines. We headed to a local restaurant and under recommendation sampled a "Roo Burger," which is exactly what you think it is. My first ever taste of Kangaroo was exquisite. If it was possible, I'd get Kangaroo meat imported en mass to America in a second. The burger was served without french fries, or "chips" as they are called here, so as an American I think Australia still has a few things to learn about serving a burger. Coffee in Melbourne has been excellent so far, but here people refer to a regular coffee as a "small black" or a "large black," which A) makes me laugh every time I order it, and B) has caused confusion between myself and the staff multiple times now.
Overall, Melbourne gets two thumbs up from me. Despite an initial ride with a cab driver who quickly made Melbourne sound more like Baghdad, it has turned out to be an awesome city and a great way to start my exploration around Australia. Recently ranked the number one city to live in world-wide, I would have to say after three days I can see why.
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