Hey guys!
Happy New Year and welcome to my first post for 2018. In 2017 I travelled interstate to Sydney, Tasmania twice and last but not least, Melbourne. I like having little getaways without having to go as far as overseas, and there’s so much to see in Australia. Clara and I wanted to go on this trip together for a couple years now so I’m really glad we made it happen ^_^ My cousin joined us half the time, taking us around and bonding over boardgame tactics which made it all the more special.
Day 1
If you’ve seen the memes about Melbourne weather, they’re so true!!! The photo above was taken shortly before touchdown, a few hours before the photo below. It became really cold and rained heavily that afternoon so we opted to stay indoors. Helloooo Sephora! 😀
Aqua S popping candy soft serves ~
Post-rain sunshine, Melbourne is full of interesting alleyways and roadside shops.
^ Walked a few blocks to have Pho in Chinatown. Really hit the spot.
Below: A breathtaking view from our AirBnB! Facing the Docklands and Etihad Stadium.
Day 2
To our surprise, Higher Ground was located on the ground floor of our apartment building and this was the main brunch place I’ve been wanting to try. Interior design. Bomb. I love the botanical ambience with big windowpanes and a high ceiling. The only downside was the food. Expensive and didn’t taste great but then again, we might have ordered the wrong dishes *shrugs*
^ Colourful prints everywhere in Melbourne
Paid a visit to Queen Victoria Market which was full of stores selling Australian goods, leather jackets, leather bags, artwork, clothing etc. I bought a ring from Jen of Jen’s Craft and her husband which I absolutely adore.
Strolls through the brilliantly Christmas themed Royal Arcade.
Clara’s watermelon ice cream from Milkcow
Next stop: State Library of Victoria. It. was. so. beautiful!!!! Seriously I’d be happy to study all day in the La Trobe reading room. We made our way quietly further up the levels to get a higher view of the room but it’s so big I couldn’t capture the ceiling. I’m not sure how long I spent just looking (Clara probably does hehe).
Flinders Street Station- another landmark I was keen to hit up. Under maintenance! weh
Ended the day wandering the corners and alleyways of Hosier Lane. The artwork is constantly changing with new ones covering existing ones on the walls. I kept looking up and wondering how people could get so high to create huge paintings. Tis a mystery.
Day 3
With no clear plans for breakfast, I picked a random place to have brunch and ‘Grain Store’ was soooo nice! I much preferred the food here over Higher Ground.
Walked across the river to the National Gallery of Victoria and spent a few hours immersing ourselves in history and art.
Roadside acai bowl
The Shrine of Remembrance
Royal Exhibition Building
Day 4
St Kilda beach! Darn this day was HOT! Like, feeling the sun’s heat penetrating your body kind of hot. We walked along the rocks and the streets, stopping for ice cream at the end of the pier. Last stop was Luna Park before we headed to the airport!
Hope you guys enjoyed the post! I experimented a bit more with the layout and design of visuals. Next time I hope to do more road tripping and visit the great ocean road (I didn’t know it was a 3 hour drive from the CBD haha). Next up, Japan series!
