After the Jetlag

So, here I am... in Melbourne finally. The flights took forever, and I'm more than happy to be back on land and rested. The hostel I am staying in is very nice, despite what people think about hostels. Really, they just make me feel like I'm in a college dorm again. I share a room with other travelers who come and go, community showers on every floor, kitchen (with free breakfast!) and tons of help for people looking for trips, car rentals, jobs, things to do, etc.

I did a little sightseeing in the city yesterday just trying to get my bearings. If you know me at all, you know I have zero sense of direction, so it's not the easiest thing in the world for me to find my way around a new city. A friend of mine is living in Melbourne and he showed me the basics. I bought myself a MetCard for riding the trams, and went into the city to explore. The picture to the right is me in front of Flinders Street Station. It's the original 1911 building used for trains. It's a central stop for traveling in the city.

As you can see in the pictures, I am wearing a jacket and sweater... it's a little colder here than I expected. It's about 50F. So, I have to say, Australia in the summer is way better. But I'll live.

This is the Southbank of the Yarra River. It's a trendy area with shops, restaurants, and you can catch day cruises up and down the river. They nickname the Yarra River the "upside down river" because its pretty brown and muddy. Not the prettiest thing in the world, but the area around it is nice. The tallest building in the back has a observation deck that I plan to visit soon.

I saw a few of these carriages around the city. I love that they ride right along with cars and buses.

Below is Federation Square... it's a really unique, abstract group of buildings. Inside is a museum, a theater, and some shopping. There's an enormous TV screen on the side of one of the buildings. When I walked past they were showing part of the Olympics. They generally have movies, or big sporting events broadcast here. People gather outside to watch it and it's all free. There are cafes and shops all around through here too.