Corbett`s Travels

Everybody knows of Sydney but what about her beautiful sister Melbourne. A lot of travellers head straight to Sydney and even if they do visit Melbourne it tends to be only for a few days. I have lived in Sydney and I can tell you that after a few days of being there you have seen pretty much everything there is to see, don’t get me wrong what you see is fantastic with the wonderful Harbour, Bridge and Opera House, It certainly is a great place to holiday but I got the impression that Melbourne has more to offer for a longer term visit.

In October 2006 I decided that I would spend the summer in Melbourne, not just for a few days like a typical traveller but live and work there, get to see the real Melbourne that so many travellers miss, there has always been an issue with which is the better city so now it was time to find out for myself.

Below is the diary from my summer spent in Melbourne, please don’t expect Shakespeare as It is only what I have written in my personal journal, Nevertheless I hope you enjoy reading about my time in Melbourne.

                                    Ross Corbett, Melbourne April 2007

• October/November
• December
• January/february
• March
• April

Sunday 22^nd October

Chell and I boarded our 6.30am flight from Sydney to Melbourne on a very beautiful morning, warm sun with blue sky’s made viewing out of the plane window a real joy. We got a flight with ‘Jetstar’ which is one of Australia’s budget airlines abit like Easy Jet back in the UK and like most budget airlines it dropped us off at a small airport 50mins by coach from the city.

In the city we caught a train from Flinders Street Station to the beach side suburb of Mentone where my cousin Michele has just moved to. After a cool drink and a nice chat my Auntie arrived with my cousin Emma and her beautiful daughter Molly. We had lunch followed by a stroll along the beach, It was a very nice way to spend our first afternoon in Melbourne.

I’m very excited and full of enthusiasm to be here, I’ve been looking forward to this for quite some time, summer is just around the corner and there so much I want to do, there is something very special about Melbourne!

Asleep by 9pm.

Beautiful hot day, 29c.

In the City we visited Fitzroy Gardens home to ’Cooks Cottage’. This was the Yorkshire home of Captain Cook’s parents in England. It was sold to a Melbourne business man, dismantled, shipped and then reconstructed here in 1934. It is a very small cottage hidden away in the park but the tourists could smell it a mile away, bus loads of Asians crammed into the cottage that was only really suitable for ten people at a time, fighting them for space was not only very annoying but was making me very hungry, time to eat.

Enjoyed a very tasty lunch sat outside in the sun on the ’Paris end’ of Collins Street at a very nice café, Already we are feeling the Melbourne way of life of not rushing and enjoying the finer things. Spent the afternoon sat with a coffee watching the world go by.

Oh and I burnt my head!

Wednesday 25^th October

In the morning we viewed a studio apartment on Flinders Street overlooking the famous train station. It is small but very modern and furnished, with it being $270 a week its in our price range. It comes available on November 3^rd and after about 20 seconds of thinking about it we took it. We paid $400 to reserve it and then signed a six month contract starting November 3^rd.

Spent the afternoon at the cinema on Russell Street watching a new British film called ’Children of men’ starring Michael Cain and Clive Owen, disappointing.

Friday 3^rd November

Chell’s 20^th birthday.

Arrived early at the apartment to drop our bags and then walked up to the Queen Victoria Market at the end of Elizabeth street to hunt for things for the apartment. After picking up a few things from the market we came across a store called ‘BigW’ which had everything you could possibly want for your home. We struggled down the street with everything bar the kitchen sink under our arms.

Evening, had a lovely dinner to celebrate Chell’s birthday and our first night in our first home together.

Afternoon, walked along St Kilda road to the Botanical Gardens. They are described as ‘one of the finest in the world’ and I would have to agree. I sat by the beautiful lake on a little grass bank reading while chell snoozed in the afternoon sun.

Evening, went for a lovely stroll along the river over at Southbank and I discovered how to use the night shot on my camera, nearly two years I have had my camera, better late than never I suppose!

Later, heard that Saddam Hussein has been found guilty in his trial and has been given the death penalty.

Morning, got a for a job interview on Wednesday for a company called ‘Amart All Sports’ based in Clayton which is 40 minutes out side the CBD.

Later in the afternoon Chell and I went to the ‘National Gallery Of Victoria’ on St Kilda Road to see a very good exhibition of photo’s of events from the last century, my favourite was one of a brave soldier crawling up Omaha Beach on D-Day.

Evening, watched ’The Departed’ at the cinema on Russell Street. A great film with one of the best casts I have ever seen.

Had my interview (delayed from yesterday) in Clayton at 10am. Got on very well with the boss Michael, he is a big Liverpool fan which was very surprising but also very pleasing, always good to meet a fellow fan of the greatest team ever. Start 9am Monday morning.

I’m currently reading ’Michael Palins Python Years’. it’s a great read, very hard to put down at times. It’s such an interesting, busy time in his life that I new nothing about. He was and still is clearly very passionate about his career and very ambitious aswell as hard working. Inspiring.

Saturday 12^th November

Lovely day, around 27c.

Chell and I had a picnic in the Treasury Gardens. Nice afternoon spent in the sun eating and reading.

At 5pm we caught a train to Heathmont to have dinner with Barbara, as always we were very spoilt.

My first day in the new job.

I am working along side some real characters, Mihia is 33 and moved here from Romania 4 months ago, Steve is 26 and is studying Counter terrorism and hopes to join the CIA, Blake who is also new has his own band called Mexi13, they are recording an album at the moment that he hopes to release middle of next year and then there is Ed who is a top bloke, great sense of humour and made me feel very welcome, he is pushing towards a career in radio.

Evening, made my debut for the works indoor cricket team. They had not won a game all season. I batted with a guy called Matt and made 16 runs which was ok but my bowling got smashed all over the place. In the end though we won the match and of course I put it to them that it was me that made the difference, they disagreed.

Today was also the start of the Ashes up in Brisbane. All of the pre-match excitement was spoilt when at close of play Australia were already 360-3!

Chell now has a job around the corner on Swanston Street at a women’s clothes store called ‘Deborah K’, she loves her fashion so I’m sure she will enjoy it. We celebrated with a fine bottle of wine, couldn’t raise a toast to the England cricket team though, today they were bowled out for 157 in reply to Australia’s 600. The quality difference between the two sides is huge at the moment and I feel this Ashes tour could become historic for all the wrong reasons.

• October/November
• December
• January/February
• March
• April