My hotel is a great location & my room is very nice. I’m very glad I chose this place – I see other places I’d considered & I’m very happy with my choice (sister Cyndy remembers our discussion about decision making!). I texted Danielle who was in classes (her 1 day / week when she actually really NEEDS to attend!). We finally got together inbetween her last 2 classes, ate a bite she brought, then she went to finish up (good girl!) & I took a nap – this worked out really perfect. Who gave me this idea? I forget – but someone told me to get this nap when I get here cause it’ll help me stay up late enough to turn myself around. Very good advice!
Danielle came back after class & we went to her room at school (a quick walk away) got her stuff to spend the night with me & went to dinner on Lygon st – same street my hotel is on & it’s the main restaurant street of this Italian neighborhood. So we walk along deciding where we want to eat – I wanted pizza / pasta & authenticity (not Papa Johns!). as you walk past the places which all have the walkway between their entrance & their outdoor tables, their staff try to entice you to eat at their place. It’s all a part of the real Italian feel, apparently – I guess this is common in real Italian café eateries. So these often handsome young or older men (didn’t see any women doing this) call to you as you walk by their place & try to talk you into going in to their establishment. We chose an authentic looking place & I got exactly what I wanted – a yummy pizza with garlic, spinach, artichokes & pasta with shredded chicken, tomatoes, yummy yummy sauce. We had thought we’d have leftovers but, guess what – we ate it all! Darn! I just thought – I’m supposed to take pictures of my food like Jack does! OK, from now on…
So, back in my room, stuffed with good food, feeling cozy & content we got into our comfortable sleep clothes & Danielle turned on one of her favorite tv shows on her computer (Veronica Lake) & I read – for about 3 minutes! I tried to stay awake but that was it for me. the laying down & reading – poof, asleep in minutes flat. Well, it was 8:30 or 9 so I figured I did pretty good. And I slept great! Kris had given me some Ambien & the idea (great idea!) to use it the first night or 2 to get myself turned around. But I thought I’d see what happened without it & I did fine – I woke about 2 but went back to sleep & slept till 7!! I felt so good & glad I did it so easily. I have a pot like Karen’s that heats water to boiling & a French press coffee maker – I’d gotten coffee & milk (& beer!) when we went out yesterday. I made my coffee without problem & they have real coffee / tea cups & mugs, real silverware & real glasses in the room. So I had my coffee in a real mug & felt so content my first morning waking up here. Danielle slept a little longer & off we went for our day.
I feel like I’m on Melbourne time just fine. Well, I can’t really tell what time it is without looking (like, I can’t even tell if it’s late morning or afternoon! I can tell if it’s night but not how late it is!). but right now it’s almost time for Danielle to get back from her “Chick Footy” practice – tomorrow am there’s a “Chick Footy” game where the girls play Footy (like AU football) but it’s totally for fun & games & the boys watch & cheer & make fun of them… and it’ll be time to eat some dinner soon but I didn’t really have lunch. Well, I’m hungry now!
Today we aimed to go to the zoo – it’s been a really nice couple of days (partly sunny, 50s) so we got on the tram we figured would take us near there but it ended up being one that went off in a direction not where we need to go! we’re riding the tram & neither of us knew where we were – so we got off & back on heading back the way we came. That’s really easy to do, by the way. The trams are like the streetcars & it’s fun to just ride around. We ended up deciding to do the zoo tomorrow & instead we went more downtown (by tram) & got on the free city circle tram – these historical trams do this circuit around the “Central Business District” or CBD & they have a recorded explanation of the city sites. It was sooo fun! But we ended up having to get off early to get back for her Chick Footy practice… I’m having so much fun! And I’m so glad I decided to just stay here & not go to New Zealand. I’m so glad to just fill up with all this!
We still plan to do more city stuff. Like museums, the aquarium, the shops (there are these laneways & a mall they turned the historical Post Office into!), I want to eat in Chinatown, I want to ride the free city circle bus – that’s like the tram but goes further. And we want to visit the Grampians (mountains) & drive (or bus) the Great Ocean Road & of course we need to go see the little Penguins! And eat eat eat! I think I’m hungry!
Danielle in her room
 |
| Danielle's "College" (ie, dorm) exterior |
|
| | | | |
|
|
|
 |
| Danielle on a tram |
 |
| Me on the tram (trying for the zoo) |
 |
| the historical FREE city circle tram - goes around the central business district |
 |
| cool statue sculptures above sidewalk at Ian Potter Museum of Art |
 |
| Newman College (cool spires) another "college" (dorm) near Danielle's Queens college | |
|
 |
| cool tree right outside Danielle's doorway |
Wow, just saw this. I thought it was going to send me an email when you posted a new one!!!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's so fun picturing what you are saying and I LOVE the pic's. Jack, I think you have some competition :)
Love to you and Love to Danielle. Kinda looked like you were clipping your nails on the tram (like that woman on the train from chicago, tee hee) but I know you wouldn't do that in another country :)
xoxoxoxo, Cyn