My First Night at St Kilda Beach

It was a tired day for my past 2 days. I woke up at nine and checked out at 10am. We temporary left our luggage in the hostel and walked to the Queen Victoria Market. It is a huge market within the city, where mainly attracts tourists and residents surrounded. The stalls are ordered by section based on the food type, and it is clean in the pedestrian way. If you want me to compare it with Malaysia’s market, they are much more organized and structured. After a short visit to the market, we took a free city tram surrounded the city. We stopped at Dockland, city port of Melbourne. I strolled along the jetty and enjoyed the view of the port. Beside the Jetty, some luxury apartments are constructed along the Port. It is so beautiful. After that, we took the free city tram back to my hostel, then moved into my new “house” at St Kilda Beach Hostel.

St Kilda Beach Hostel is one of the international hostels near the beach (5-10 minutes walk). To be honest, the outlook of this hostel is good, but the room’s quality is not as good as Victoria Hall Hostel. However, it is not bad in overall. The room price is much cheaper than other hostels where it costs me RM18 per day (dorm with 8 beds) if occupied for the whole week (winter sale). We shared the room with two persons from New South Wale Australia and Sepia. They are coupled. They treated us and nice and friendly. This is my first night at St Kilda.

The next day, we spent some times in Sunday Esplanade Market. This market is located at the Esplanade Road, besides sea bay. Most of the stuff are unique and local made. And, stall owners were always not allowing the tourist take photo on their local made products.

** What I hear in my shared dorm. Europeans are too open minded until they can make love in public. Unfortunetely, it was dark. Hehe!

New Chapter in Melbourne

17th July 2009, my starting in Melbourne

The temperature is cold here with 10 Celsius only. I walked in the street with 3 layers of cloth. The main thing I need to do is bank in my cash money. I choose ANZ as my banker. The people here are quite friendly and helpful. They served every customer in the same attitude. The browny lady who served me is funny and obliging. The way they served the customer is not hurried but slow and steady. I took 2 hours in the bank just for an account opening. (I think it wouldn’t happen in Malaysia or the person who in command will be sacked soon). After I have banked my cash money, I need to wait for another five more working days to get the ATM&EPTPOS card (OMG ~ slow process ~ I think it is too steady and slow). After completed the bank process, I met an estate agent at Camber Well (Suburb, 30 minutes tram from Victoria), but return with no result. I lost, and walked more than 2 hours in the Toorak Road (long road from South Yarra to Camber Well). Then, we took the tram go back to the city.

St Kilda is a place having a same zone with Victoria. Without wasting the value of the ticket, I visit toward to St Kilda beach and enjoy a “freezing” beach along the coast. (The public transport ticket is based on specific zone and time range). After a short stroll at the beach, I went back to Victoria before the ticket had expired. It was 7 pm, I walked around the town, and cannot determine which restaurant I should dine in within the china town (it was crowded). Finally, I have found a restaurant between Victoria Street and Russel Street. I ate a fine dinner with Chinese cuisine called “麻辣空间”. It is a “Si Chuang” restaurant, where mainly control by Chinese. I ordered a Si Chuang Tafu with rice. However, my travel mate has ordered a chicken soup noodle. Each dish spent us AUD 9.8. It was expensive after convert it into RM. However, it is a usual price.


**Facilities in the city
Public Transport – Personally, I like the public transport provided in the Melbourne City. The usage of one ticket can be used in three types of facility include buses, trams and trains based on a specific zone (zone 1,2,3) and time range.

Australia’s bank – The bank is spacious, but empty. Few staffs are working as an officer, and only few teller counters. There is no long queue, and always quiet. Based on my cousin’s explanation, she told me that the people in Australia are rare to visit banks. They are highly using internet banking for all the payment and transaction. But, why the process is still slow today?

My First Visitor

It was a surprise to me to receive a call from Bob. Before that, I plan to visit State Library for my job preparation today. And, he called and asked for a breakfast. It was such a warm morning call from him. He brought me to a café with a proper breakfast at St Kilda. I have ordered a cup of cappuccino and French Vanilla. That was my most luxury breakfast, where I have for my past 12 days in Australia.

Bob is an Australian, who is living in Adelaide. This trip is his business trip at Melbourne. However, he has never forgotten our friendship in Malaysia. After completed his business discussion yesterday, He came to “inspect” me and ensure I am in a stable condition.

Thanks Bob!
Thanks for the breakfast you spent on me!
Thanks for everything!

I hope I can buy u a proper meal with my first salary!

Arrival

16th July 2009, it is my day to fly to Melbourne.

After 7 hours flight on the plane, I reached to Melbourne International Airport finally. I spent more than an hours in the airport including passed the custom (make sure declare sort of products listed on the travel list card honestly, it is not hard to proceed the security custom if u have provided with clear and sufficient information). After pass through the check point, I bought a local telephone card immediately from Vodafone. It cost me AUD9.95 for the starter kit and AUD29 as top up credit. However, the actual credit contains in the phone card is AUD150 + AUD10 from starter kit (kind of marketing strategy to attract more users??). I took the Skybus from Melbourne International Airport to the Melbourne Central (domain interchange btw tram, bus and train) in city, then transit hostel Skybus to my hostel at Russel Road, Victoria Hall Hostel (All in one cost with AUD16 p/p). It was almost 10pm when time I have arrived to hostel. It was too late for dinner. I bought a hotdog from 7-11 to fulfill me stomach (such a poor and cold night to me).

pic 1: kiosk of Skybus
pic 2: scene opposite Melbourne International Airport

** What I saw in the Melbourne street?
There are multi races in the street especially Chinese. Instead of saying Malaysia is multi races, I think Australia is much more races than Malaysia.

Blue Monday

Today morning, when I opened my twitter, I saw a shock news about my ex-boss, passed away on yesterday. I have no idea what was the main reason that caused him die? Anyway, it makes me depress today.

Honestly, I did not have any direct manager-subordinate relationship from him(He was just my boss). However, this news made me feel uncomfortable for the whole morning. I tried to search and find all my past photos. Have I taken any photo with him? Finally, I got it few pictures on my company trip at Krabi, Thailand. I choose this picture, because it was the most charming smile for him.

Anyway, TMS is one of my happy moments in my life. I really hope everyone can works in safe, peace and happy. Life is fragile, please appreciate friendship and family.

Kevin Thong ~ RIP! We will always miss you!