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?