Phillip Island

On a chilly day, late in the Australian winter, we ventured approximately 140 kilometres south-east of Melbourne to Phillip Island. Formed by volcanic action, the island is home to many island wildlife – most notably the world’s smallest penguins, the “Fairy Penguins.” Other than being famous for wildlife viewing activities, Phillip Island is also a great place to go surfing. We started our day there.

I’ve been told by locals that the ocean never really gets warm in the Melbourne area, so maybe surfing in winter wasn’t the best timing on our part. The ocean surface temperature was around 10 degrees Celsius that day (~50 degrees Fahrenheit), and I have no idea what the actual water temperature was. All I know is that from the moment I put my bare foot into the water, a sharp sting shot up my leg. With a girlish scream, I instantly ran back onto the beach screaming, “This is not natural for a human to be experiencing!” Out in the distance, two young girls about 7 years of age were jumping waves in their bathing suit as if it was a warm summer’s day. Here I was in my full Rip Curl wetsuit, screaming that the water was too cold. I headed back in the water, biting my tongue as the feeling of liquid nitrogen pouring over my feet consumed me. Within a minute, I lost all feeling in my feet. Luckily, my wetsuit shielded my body from having to go through the same traumatizing experience!

After a few hours of mostly body boarding on the surf board, and Corey catching a few waves without encountering sharks (where an island is famous for wildlife, it is almost famous for its shark sightings), we proceeded to the wildlife viewing portion of our day.

With the island being fairly small (26 km long x 9km wide), we were able to make a stop at all of our planned sights on our way to the Penguin Parade. We visited the usual tourist attractions such as the Koala Conservation and Pyramid Rock before proceeding to the Nobbies, in hopes of seeing Australia’s largest Australian Fur Seal Colony. From the moment we stepped out of the car, it was as if we had walked into an Alfred Hitchcock movie – specifically, “The Birds.” I was not aware that the Nobbies was also home of the nesting seabird colonies. As we strolled cautiously along the boardwalk, trying to take in the gorgeous coastal scenery, thousands of beady silver gull eyes stared back at us. Not only did I fear that my invasion on their nesting ground could result in some sort of freak attack, I feared most that one of those silver gulls might poop on me.

Sadly, the silver gulls finally got the best of us, and we retreated to our car without catching a single glimpse of an Australian Fur Seal.

As the sun began to set, we arrived at our grand finale for the night – the Penguin Parade. Without a doubt, this is one of biggest, if not the biggest, tourist attraction for the island. From “The Birds” we had moved onto an amusement park like atmosphere. Hundreds of people poured out of coach buses, as a person in a furry penguin suit greeted everyone at the entrance. We even had the option of getting our pictures superimposed onto an image of penguins in the background! I was surprised that cotton candy wasn’t being sold, but upon further reflection, they may have had some at the snack bar.

Ticket prices ranged anywhere from $18 AUD/adult (the get ready to be shoved onto a rafter with a few hundred strangers, and pray that you can catch a glimpse of a penguin package) to $65 AUD/adult (the you and your 9 closest friends can practically hold a penguin package). We settled for something in between.

Despite all the bells and whistles, seeing the fairy penguins was an amazing experience! The penguins, each just over a foot tall, return to their burrows each night after hunting in the ocean. Once they came ashore, we were able to observe them from just a few inches away!

Tower Hill State Game Reserve

The beauty of seeing the Great Ocean Road on your own is that you have the opportunity to go beyond the usual tourist stops, and explore some of the less well known areas. Sadly, even with the extra day, we could not stop at all the sites that we (and by ‘we’ I mean ‘I’) had aggressively planned. After departing Port Fairy in the wee hours of the morning, we had to make a decision between Tower Hill State Game Reserve - a potential kangaroo, emu, koala filled adventure, or Logan’s Beach - a popular place where patience could be rewarded in the form of a sighting of the Right Whale.

As we drove along the two-laned road with endless strips of farmland on either side, Kate suddenly shouted, “Look! A kangaroo!”

We quickly pulled over the side of the road like any other American seeing a kangaroo in the wild for the first time would, and scanned the expansive land.

“There it is!” Kate pointed, as a medium sized grey kangaroo hopped off into the distance.

Not only was there 1, there were about 8 – 12 kangaroos in the distance! They blended almost perfectly into their surroundings. Had the kangaroo not been hopping, it would have resembled a piece of raised earth or some other inanimate farm object. Unsure if we would see kangaroos in the wild again, we slowly retreated to our cars, and drove into the Tower Hill entrance in hopes that we would see more up close.

For the next hour, we were in full tourist mode. The windy road was only wide enough for 1.5 cars. As we began to descend further down, kangaroos began to appear out of nowhere! Some carried joeys in their pouches, while others happily grazed on the grass, unaware of our presence.

On the Road Again

The morning began quite astray. Thick clouds covered the sky as Kate, Corey, and I picked up our Hyundai Getz at the downtown Budget Car Hire. After driving for only 5 minutes outside of the city, we got lost and had to stop at a local café for directions to the Princes Freeway. To top off the morning, we got caught in Melbourne’s Friday morning traffic for approximately thirty minutes while trying to leave the city. Could anything else go wrong? I’ll get back to this a little later in the blog.


Despite the morning obstacles, we managed to reach the first destination on our Great Ocean Road trip, Torquay, at the planned time of arrival. You have to understand that the Great Ocean Road is…well…a greatly long trip. The entire journey one way takes over five hours to complete – that is if no stops are made to take in the amazing scenery around you or to capture a Kodak moment. Therefore, in order to properly view some of the more notable landmarks along the Great Ocean Road, a very precise timeline must be planned and adhered to.


Torquay, Bells Beach, Apollo Bay. We arrived at all of our planned destinations and activities ahead of schedule, and with pictures to remember them with! Next on our stop was the Otway Fly – a 600 metre tree top walk elevated 25 metres high in the rainforest tree tops of Victoria's Otway Ranges. Unsure if we had missed a turnoff, we made a U-turn on a side road, and it was then that it happened. Our unusually wide U-turn left our car stuck in a large patch of mud a la rainforest. Luckily, we were only stuck for about 20 minutes before a nice gentleman was able to tow us out with his truck. Thank goodness for the popularity of the Great Ocean Road! Had the same incident happened in the outback, I may not have survived to write this entry!

We never did make it to the Otway Fly or Triplet Falls (the gentleman who rescued us recommended the falls over the more tourist geared Otway Fly). However, we were able to view the 12 Apostles and Bay of Islands before the sun set.

We stopped for the night in Port Fairy, a quaint fishing village with a population of 2,600 people. Sadly, most of the shops were closed by the time we arrived so we did not get to do much exploring. The holiday home that we stayed at, however, provided a much need rest stop for all 3 of us after the long day of driving.

Kate Visits!

Only two months into our Australian experience, and our first US visitor, Kate, came to see us! What’s the first thing I convince her to do? To visit a park, at night, to see POSSOMS! I have converted from a Northern Virginian suburb girl to full on Melbournian city girl; it was only right that I finally get to see the most popular Australian city dwelling marsupial, Trichosurus vulpecula, or the Common Brushtailed Possum. I had some small reservations, unbeknownst to Corey and Kate, about what these possums really looked like. Anyone who has seen possums in the US knows that they look nothing short of R.O.U.S. – rats of unusual size. My inner animal enthusiast, however, would not let me pass an opportunity to see animals in the wild.

The sky was pitch black as we stepped onto the path leading into Treasury Park. A few lamps illuminated the path, but most of the lawn was covered in darkness. We quickly spotted two…no five!…maybe even twelve cuddly, bushy tailed creatures dotted across the lawn! I slowly approached one, and without any hesitations, he (or maybe it was a she) came towards me in a very curious “do you have food” type of manner. Kate and I got a little nervous as two possums suddenly let out a hiss, and jumped up on one another in what seemed like a territorial defense move.

“It’s okay, rabies doesn’t exist in Australia,” I stated proudly. “But if one of them thinks you’re a tree, and scratch the heck out of you trying to climb up your leg that’s a whole other story!”

We did not get to stay very long in the park to pet a possum (although an Australian co-workers of mine have told me it is quite safe). Sadly, our visit was cut short by Corey’s commitment to a 10:30pm (8:30am US Eastern time) conference call.

Pre-Great Barrier Reef Research

Corey and I finally booked our trip to the Great Barrier Reef! Although our trip is not for another two months, the excitement led us to conduct some research at the Melbourne Aquarium. After all, if I am going to die in the hands (or mouths/stingers) of the world’s deadliest shark/stonefish/cone shell/blue ringed octopus/etc etc, I want to at least get a good look at it to see what I am up against. Although the size and layout of the aquarium barely held a light to the one in Baltimore, Maryland, the exhibits were amongst the most intriguing I have ever seen! It seemed as if every exhibit began with the words “World’s deadliest…” “World’s largest…”

Murray Cod - aggressive & largest freshwater fish. I'll have to admit that it is indeed quite a large fish...but I couldn't keep the thoughts of steamed cod with spring onion from dancing around my head! =)

Stonefish - most venomous in world. The fish is fairly easy to spot in isolation, but we could barely spot in amongst the rocks in the reef display! Note to self: don't swim near any rock formations.

Crabs/Lobsters - largest crustaceans known to man kind. Okay, so the label didn't really say that, but you have to admit they are pretty darn big (and probably also another very tasty meal to be had).

I was also quite impressed by the jellyfish section! The lighting (or lack thereof) created the illusion of chiffon like pieces floating elegantly in the water. However, I was disappointed to find out that neither the box jellyfish nor irukanji jellyfish were on display. I sure do not want to see them in the wild!

One Year Anniversary in Mornington

Corey and I have hit the one year mark! Sadden by the fact that we missed our opportunity at a newly wed’s reality show (although if you go by the Nick/Jessica standards, we’ll be “newly weds” for another two years), we drove an hour and a half to the Peninsula Hot Springs (http://www.peninsulahotsprings.com/) to drown our sorrows away. The pools ranged from ~25 to 35 degree Celsius hot spring pools, and felt fabulous! I highly recommend the experience, but be aware that white swim trunks are very popular for the men in Melbourne…

After a relaxing morning in the hot springs, we checked into the Coral Cottage at the Hilltonia Homestead (

http://www.hilltonia.com.au/) across the street. The cottage was quite cozy, and had beautiful views of the surrounding green hills and ocean in the distance! Notice that the shower has great views both out AND in.

Our Designer Home

We have an official long stay apartment at Flinder’s Wharf (http://www.flinderswharfapartments.com.au/)! Looks great doesn’t it? Of course – it’s a complete designer home! What do I mean when I say that? Remember those printed scarves that women like to wear during the winter time, but the scarves don’t really keep them warm at all? Our unit is kind of like that. In short, while it looks like something straight from Dwell Magazine, it’s really not that functional.

First of all, we only have two electric, in wall heaters in place of central air – one in the living room, one in the master bedroom. The last time I didn’t have central air was my second year in college when I lived in a house that used radiators and had lead paint. We’ve received a notice that our AC needs to be repaired, but haven’t been able to find a control panel or vents for an AC system.

Second, the ceiling contains a splattering of mini halogen lights perfect for a cozy lounge/bar, but not so much functional for a day to day home. Corey and I are lucky that we still have all 10 fingers considering the lighting in the kitchen is so poor.

Lastly, our appliances are drastically different from those in the US. Our oven contains symbols that resemble hazard warnings one might see in a science lab. (”I’d like to cook the lasagna with the added radiation tonight please.) Our washer has settings for water as hot as 90 degrees Celsius (194 degrees Fahrenheit). I’m not exactly sure whether I would be washing or cooking my clothes at the temperature!

Despite the various nuisances, there are a lot of up sides that make the apartment a pretty cool place to live! We have the added guest/luggage bedroom which we did not have in the original unit that we were in. The view is also quite spectacular, looking onto the Yarra River. Just the other afternoon, we were entertained by jet skiers practicing their routines in the Yarra River. And while I have yet to indulge in the sauna and spa downstairs, it’s nice to know that I have access to one at a moment’s notice.

Bula!

After two, fun-filled weeks of packing up my American life and husband, Corey and I began our journey to Melbourne. We spent our last “American” hours at the Los Angeles Airport, patiently waiting for our connecting flight to Fiji. The connection in LAX only reminded me of how much I despise the airport, and people that “secretly” cut in lines – you know those people, the ones who pretend like they don’t know what’s going on when lines are queuing up European style, and suddenly they are in front of you! The one upside was seeing Ty Pennington from Trading Spaces/Extreme Home Makeover. He totally looks the same (and by the same I mean hot) at 10pm in an airport as he does on TV.

10 hours later, we crossed the International Date Line and arrived in Nadi, Fiji for our stopover! All the international flights arrive early in the morning. On our taxi ride to Denarau Island, we saw the sky transform from darkness into a warm glow as the sun rose over the mountains. We were only at our hotel long enough to change, and grab a bite of breakfast before being whisked away on our South Sea Island Cruise.

We spent the first half of our day snorkeling off the South Sea Island, where we saw blue starfish, sea cucumber, large masses of coral formations, and really neat fish! The BBQ lunch was also spectacular for an all inclusive day trip! After lunch, we hopped back onto the catamaran, and cruised around the various islands in the Mamanuca group, picking up and dropping off passengers. Each island was distinct in its own way, but all appeared to provide nothing short of relaxation.

The captain seemed to have made more stops than were advertised on the brochure, because we returned to Port Denarau nearly 45 minutes behind schedule! It’s not a big deal if you’ve got time to spare, but we were in jeopardy of missing the only flight of the day to Melbourne! Like contestants racing for a million dollars on the Amazing Race, Corey and I rushed to find a taxi driver who could get us to our hotel and airport FAST FAST FAST! We didn’t win a million dollars, but we did make our flight!

Almost St. Kilda Beach

After nearly two months in Melbourne, I finally felt confident enough to venture a little bit further outside of the city by myself on public transport. I had been told that the bayside beach was not very far away, and easily assessable by tram. I decided with the weather slowly fading into the coolness of fall/winter, I had better visit the beach before it got too cold.

I hopped on tram 96 along with what seemed liked the rest of the city. Approximately 30 minutes later, I finally caught a glimpse of palm trees…then water…then…a street market! I really wanted to make it to the main portion of St. Kilda Beach, but found myself being lured off of the tram a few stops early at Luna Park! The decision totally paid off! I found a yellow cowhide purse with my name written all over it!



After being side tracked, I returned to my main purpose of scoping out the beach. There wasn’t anything exceptional to the beach. Nonetheless, it was great to smell the salt in the air, and I even picked up a few pieces of sea glass on the beach.


As I continued to walk along the beach, I found myself at the St. Kilda Pier. It’s hard to tell from the pictures, but the winds were blowing about 40 – 45 mph that day, and I was nearly blown off the pier! There are many people that came to the pier either for fishing (bream, squid, snapper, Australian salmon to name a few), taking a cruise to see the fairy penguins, boating, or just to see the great sights of the city beyond the boat dock. It’s pretty nice knowing that there is a beach so close by!



Week 7 Observations:
Only Melbournians pronounce Melbourne “Mel-bun”
McDonald’s serves the exact same menu (no kangaroo burgers)
Australians say I have an “American” accent; it’s the first time I have ever been told that I have an accent
Fruit is much more expensive due to a shortage in supply, especially bananas
There are no parking restrictions for street cleaning, but I have seen street cleaners day in, day out (those of you in DC can appreciate that observation)

Working in Australia

Here I am working in Australia, and I realized that I haven’t written a word about it!

I have to say that working in an office in Australia is much like working in an office in the US, except with a MUCH better view. I’m currently located in a Telstra building that consists mainly of local Aussies (versus expats), and it is amazing how the office is pretty much empty by 5:30 – 6:00pm every day. Even the security guards are gone by 6:30 – 7:00pm. I have heard that this is typical across most Australian companies. It is really refreshing to see that type of work life balance. At the same time, it is a bit scary when I am the only person working past 6pm in a huge office building! The lights are also set on timers, so they automatically go out at 7pm each night. Of course I can always make my way to the switch box to turn on the lights at 1 hour intervals, but I’ve watched enough scary movies to know that it is safer to work from my hotel after 7pm!

I have also come to learn that desk space and meeting rooms are scare at Telstra. I am not sure why I thought it would not be a problem here; perhaps I was just suffering from the-grass-is-greener-on-the-other-side syndrome. I often find myself traveling (by traveling I mean walking or if I am lucky catching the free Circle City Tram) to buildings across the city for meetings. I like walking, so I don’t mind, but it can also be a pain if you have to go back and forth between buildings all the time.

Week 6 Observations:
Chips are not chips; chips are what we Americans know as french fries (should’ve seen my expression the first time I ordered “chips”)
Reservations at almost all good restaurants in the CBD need to be made 3 months in advance
The best cafés and/or bars tend to be hidden in the alleyways; I’ve been told alleys are perfectly safe despite the fact that they are covered in graffiti and look shady
Coffee breaks or meetings over coffee are very popular (no wonder there are so many cafés!)

Mornington Peninsula National Park

I really wanted to see more of the scenic sites outside of the city, and get a chance to spot more native Australian creatures. So…in addition to the Great Ocean tour this past weekend, I also visited Point Nepean at Mornington Peninsula. I signed up to volunteer with a local conservation group, and we headed out there to help preserve the parklands. What did this all really mean? I knew that I wouldn’t be spending my hours of volunteering with fuzzy animals when they handed me a neon orange vest to wear. Instead, I spent a couple of hours removing polygala, a plant that threatens the native plant species due to its rapid growth, and avoiding brown and tiger snakes.

Luckily, we did get to eat lunch at Fort Nepean, so I got a chance to really take in the great view! I also saw the cannon that fired the first shot both in WWI and WWII.

Originally established as a Quarantine Station in the 1850’s, the area later became a military fortification. In fact, there is an entire area that is still fenced off, because of the potential of active landmines! It was in 1988 that the land was transferred to the State of Victoria to become a part of the new Point Nepean National Park. Nowadays, the park enjoys visits from approximately 3 million people a year!

Great Ocean Road

After a month of trying to blend in as a Melbournian, I finally signed up for the touristiest thing possible: The Great Ocean Road Tour. No surprise, there was an abundant number of vendors, all touting to offer the “best” trip. I took a gamble and booked through an online site that I saw advertised in Chinatown, and came out winning. I ended up paying $59 for a tour that is normally $138 when booked directly with the vendor! The Great Ocean Road was created after World War I. It was a means for employing all the soldiers returning from the war. In order to commemorate their efforts, the statue below was built.


We departed Melbourne early Saturday morning while the city was covered in a thick fog. The weather reporters, however, swore that it would be a sunny day in the low 70’s. Our first two stops took us to the popular surf towns of Torquay and Bells Beach. The surf was not high by any means, but plenty of surfers donning full body suits (I’ve been told the water is extremely cold in Melbourne) sat patiently on their boards. These towns typically have a population of 5,000 – 6,000, but this number grows by 10 times during the summer months (December – mid-April). Because of its recent popularity, median home prices in Torquay are about $100K AUD higher than in the CBD.

Around lunch time, we stopped in the town of Apollo Bay. I have never had motion sickness in all of my life. But the Great Ocean Road was SO curvy, that I thought I was going make the bus driver wish I was never on his bus! After a quick bite of Szechuan Beef Noodles at the Apollo Bay Hotel, I stepped onto a beach for the first time since I have been in Australia! Apollo Bay was originally a whaling port, but has since become another popular holiday destination.

The remainder of the afternoon was spent viewing several popular limestone formations: The 12 Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, and London Bridge. There are only 7.5 or 8 apostles remaining; one collapsed about 2 years ago. Recent studies conducted by environmentalists have led them to believe that all of the remaining apostles will collapse within the next 20 years!

The Loch Ard Gorge was the sight of one of the most tragic shipwrecks in Victoria history. In the late 1800’s, the Loch Ard, a sailing ship, rammed into the cliffs of Muttonbird Island killing 52 people and leaving 2 survivors, Tom (apprentice crewman) and Eva (a passenger). They took refuge in the cave behind the beach before Tom climbed up the cliffs to a nearby homestead, and was able to obtain help.

London Bridge was also made famous by a man/woman duo. Approximately 20 years ago, London Bridge consisted of 2 arches, and was connected to the mainland. Two married hikers visiting the site were walking across the bridge when they heard a rumble. Quickly running away from the noise/mainland, they watched as the connecting arch collapsed. No injuries were sustained by either, but it turns out that they were not married to each other.


Week 5 Observations:
Instead of free Starbucks at work, I now get free milk
Bikes (scooters and motorcycles) can be parked anywhere…and I mean ANYWHERE
5 planets currently can be viewed in the sky – Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, Venus, Mercury
Australia holds the greatest supply of uranium and coal, but it uses coal as its source for power supply

Professional by Week, Student by Weekend

Since I will be a pseudo Melbournian for the next year, I thought that I could best get involved with the community by taking a few classes in the city. I started taking an interior design short course in order to purse my artistic interests. Aside from learning the basic design principles, I also discovered that Australia’s interior design trends are half a year behind the US. (Great! So I may be living a half day ahead of the US East Coast, but my interior design style is half a year behind?) Maybe it was just a misconception I had about Australia being more advanced in all areas of design…. I was even further shocked to find out that they are just starting to import water based paints. That basically means that all the homes in Australia are painted in lead based paints! It isn’t a huge ordeal considering the fact that I will not be sanding the paint off the walls in my hotel any time soon, but a good thing to know for anyone with wall chewing tendencies.

I have also started taking a beginner’s funk/hip hop dance class in Southbank, a suburb approximately 2.5 km / 1.5 mi from my hotel. Just in case my career as a consultant fails AND I am terrible at interior design, I’ll have a third option – back up dancer! Watch out Kevin Federline!

Carlton Garden

As the days progress, it is becoming more and more noticeable how much the Melbournians LOVE to eat! How can I tell? Every time I walk around the city, I am tempted to sample an exotic flavor of bubble tea, munch on a piece of fresh bakery, or grab a bite of fresh fruit at the market! It’s no wonder I have been subconsciously motivated to hit the Marriott gym every other day!

During my walks, I have ventured to one of Melbourne’s hot spots: gardens. That’s right, there are quite a few luscious gardens spread throughout the city. Okay, so I have only been to one - the Carlton Garden. It was truly a sight to see! When I stepped onto the grass, it was like I was no longer in the city, but transported into some fairy tale land. Tall trees bend over the dewy green grass, and the sounds of the city seemed to be miles (or here – kilometers) away. Children kick soccer balls along the lawn, while couples sit on picnic blankets along the pond. Well, you can tell how awesome they are by the pictures!

Above is a picture of the Royal Exhibition Building, which sits at the south side of the Carlton Gardens. It was completed in 1880 for Melbourne's first International Exhibition, which attracted 1 million plus people over the first 8 months it was open! It is the world's oldest and largest exhibition pavilion.

Apparently, the gardens are also home to possums! I was not able to spot them hanging in the trees during the day time, however, I’ve heard they are a very common sight at night. In fact, they have become so acquainted to people that they will eagerly run up them! Maybe one night, when I am in the mood to be bum rushed by a gang of possums I will venture into a park.


Week 4 Observations:
Almost everything is outsourced here, yet the price tag of things are much higher than in the US
Orange tic tacs are white, not orange
Sports are huge here – every thing from footy to cricket to hockey are on at least 2 TV channels or more 24/7
Bars are more like dance bars (at least the ones that I have been to, which are not very many)

Melbourne Zoo

15 full days in Australia and I STILL had not seen a kangaroo…koala…or anything that us Americans think of when we hear “Australia.” To validate that I was indeed on the right continent, I hopped on a tram for the first time and traveled north of the CBD. 20 minutes later, I found myself at the Melbourne Zoo – the oldest zoo in Australia. It was there that I saw my first kangaroo, wallaroo, wombat, and koala in person. They were all laziest things I had ever seen! In fact, the most active of the bunch was the koala (yes, the animal that spends nearly its entire life sleeping)!

Week 2 Observations:
Fashion style is very European - for women, leggings with every outfit is very popular!
Water conservation is big
Many restaurants allow BYO wine or beer, and charge a small corkage fee
Sydney is where the great beaches are at, not Melbourne (but there apparently is a beach 15 minutes from the CBD)