Meandering in Melbourne

With Australia in the grip of devastating forest fires, I wasn’t too sure what would be waiting for me having arrived in Melbourne on a flight from Perth. Other than a slightly acrid smell in the air on arrival, and an intermittent smog it was business as usual – some torrential rain on the 2^nd day, whilst uncharacteristic for the season was much needed for those fires. A free walking tour was a fantastic way to see around the City, as our guide Tom took us through the streets and alleyways of the city – interspersing historical and cultural insights with tourist tips. As we explored the lane ways, we took in the street art of Melbourne – and learnt the etiquette that means that it can only be painted over if the quality will be better!

Tour complete, we knew the sites to go back and explore further – and it’s always a good day when you go to visit somewhere and it takes you by surprise by what lies behind the doors. The reading room of the State Library was stunning – and almost made me want to be a student again! 

Reading Room, State Library

Heading off to the Shrine of Remembrance I naively thought that it would be like a war memorial in the UK. How wrong I was?! Originally built to commemorate the men and women of Victoria who had served in WW1, it now serves to commemorate all Australians who have served in any War. It forms an iconic landmark and it is impossible not to be moved walking through the various galleries of remembrance and taking in the views across the City.

Shrine of Remembrance

Speaking of views, standing on the South Bank and looking out over the Swan River is one of the picture postcard views of the City!

Swan River

Melbourne has is known for its coffee and foodie culture – and there was no shortage of eateries to enjoy.

Rice Paper Scissors and Mamasita were two restaurant recommendations which I thoroughly enjoyed – it was just a shame I wasn’t there longer to enjoy more of the food scene. Like Adelaide, and Fremantle, Queen Victoria Food market didn’t disappoint and a foodie tour ensured we got to sample the very best.

Sampling cheese in Queen Victoria Market

A highlight on the food scene was stumbling across a live shoot of MasterChef Australia and finding ourselves on the front row of filming!

MasterChef Australia

One of the ‘must do’ day trips away from Melbourne is the Great Ocean Road Tour – a very long day but the views of ‘The Apostles’ (impressive rock stacks off the coast) were stunning – albeit incredibly windy!

The 12 Apostles

Melbourne will stick in my memory for being the place that I completed my personal Grand Slam of the tennis circuit, at the Australian Open – two days of tennis, together with an evening session continuing to midnight and almost later into the night – I was in my happy place!

The Grand Slam complete!

Foodie Freedom in Fremantle

If it’s one thing that the Aussies do well – it’s food markets! Finding myself in Fremantle for the second time in 6 months, the decision over where to go for lunch was an easy one. The website for Fremantle Market boasts “Listen carefully and you might just hear the horse and carts of yesteryear.” Yesteryear may take a little imagination – but it’s a tour through several continents in the space of just a couple of aisles, laden with an array foods and aromas to draw you in. Ironically with so much choice, I was still drawn back to ‘What the Bao!’ – Asian fusion food at its best, as I discovered on my first visit!

Fremantle Food Market

Less than 1km from the markets is a very different place – Fremantle Prison. Stepping into the reception area of the main cell block, a guide disguised as a prison officer, took us through the ‘Behind Bars Tour’ In 2010 the prison was the first building in Western Australia to be listed on the World Heritage List. Visitors of one kind or another have been welcomed since 1850, but it wasn’t until 1992 that guests paid to go by choice to have a look around! When you learn that the prison was home to convicts, colonial prisoners, prisoners of war and maximum-security detainees, you know you are standing on a piece of history. Add to that the fact that it still was home to prisoners up until 1991, in very basic conditions was a sobering thought.

Fremantle Prison

One word of caution – nothing is held back in the vivid descriptions provided in the execution chamber, and it’s not for the feint hearted. Post tour recovery ice creams in the Convict Café were the order of the day – if an excuse was ever needed!

A Postcard from downunder Part 2 - Ambling in Adelaide

By all accounts, Adelaide was a surprising choice for a mini – break from Perth. It doesn’t seem to be on the list of suggested places to explore – but at less than a 3-hour flight from Perth it proved to be a great location for a 3-night stay. My hotel was well placed in the central business district, the added benefit of streets laid out on a grid system meant that even with my poor sense of direction it was impossible to get lost! 

The Adelaide Tourist Office offers the possibility of being shown around the city by a volunteer Adelaide Greeter – as a solo traveler this was a great way of getting to know the city. Without the guide bringing its history to life I would have had no idea that it was a planned city dating back to 1836, with every detail having been carefully thought of including streets that were designed to wide enough for horses and carts! By the end of my 4-hour tour I knew my way around the main landmarks, had ridden on a tram – been shown a coffee shop by the river, and had lunch at Lucias – the first Pizza bar Adelaide!

The Cathedral

Orientation complete I felt safely equipped to explore further afield on the tram – having read that Glenelg Beach was one of the ‘must see’ sunset spots near Adelaide. Amusingly my plan to get off the tram where the locals did, backfired slightly as the people around me on the tram were tourists – and we all followed each other. The sunset was well worth the trip and absolutely stunning – and I enjoyed it on an almost empty beach. I also learnt that what a palindrome is – and that Glenelg is one!

Glenelg at Sunset

I took in several other sites on my visit including the cathedral, the Oval and the Botanical Gardens. Each location had friendly locals volunteering their time to host tourists – unsurprisingly, chatting to many of them soon led to a Brexit conversation as they were totally bemused as to what is happening in the UK – and I wasn’t able to shed much light!

The Botanical Gardens

Flying back early afternoon left the perfect space for an Early Risers’ breakfast tour of Adelaide Central Market hosted by Aus Food Tours. I had already discovered JamFace by Poh for brunch one morning following up on a great recommendation – Poh was runner up in Australia’s MasterChef and owns a great little café in the market. However with the tour I could look at the market through a different lens - after a lovely breakfast, the tour brought the history of the market to life and included numerous tastings – yoghurt, cheese, nuts, salami, truffle salt – and green ants (!) to name but a few! A great end to 3 nights away … and I felt that I had uncovered some of Adelaide’s hidden charms, with a little help from the locals who were so enthusiastic to welcome visitors and showcase their city.

Adelaide Central Market