Melbourne: Day 3

When we last left off, I wanted to go down to Port Phillip Bay. Considering Melbourne is built all around said Pot Phillip Bay, I figured how hard could it be to find it.

Probably, not really that hard. But, when have I made things easy on myself?

Heading out the door at 11:00 (not sporting my Essendon hat, as I would be headed to rival territory and they lost) I set out to find the beaches of Melbourne. I headed past Telstra Dome and towards the Docklands. I planned to follow the Yarra River to the bay and then walk the beaches. But, a funny thing happened to that plan: the Port of Melbourne Industrial Park.

I walked through the park, smiling to the occasional biker, wondering when I'd get to the ocean. After a bit, I decided to take a picture of a rather large ship. That how I stumbled across Fishermen's Bend.

Fishermen's Bend is at the mouth of the Yarra, and true to its name there were fishermen abound there. I thought I was home free, but alas, the beach front there was private. So, I went through an environmental reclamation park, which was quite scenic and very nice and I probably would have enjoyed it heaps had it not been for the sign at its entrance.

"BEWARE OF SNAKES"

Besides are dashing good looks and great tastes in hats, Indiana Jones and I have one other thing in common. We don't like snakes. So, I was fairly on edge going through here. Didn't see any, and I'm not going back to look for them.

The park trail put me out on a road that led me directly to the Beachfront Trail. Jackpot! Port Phillip Bay is massive (I know, somewhere, a geography teacher is slapping his head. "Of course the bay is massive!" he is shouting at the screen.) I've always liked the ocean, and one of the things I like about it is when you look out onto it and just stare into the vast emptiness. I always thought it was cool. And yes, I did go out ont a pier, turn to the Northeast and look towards home. Its something I do, I guess. Anyway, I find the vastness of the ocean to be kind of inspiring and intimidating at the same time.

At the trail head, it said St. Kilda pier was 6.8 km away. No worries!

I walked further down the beach, stopping for lunch (a seafood platter, with chips plus a glass of wine. Loved it. Especially the wine.) Where I stopped for lunch, there was a band playing. Just a cover band, but one of the songs they did was "What a Wonderful World." It seemed so fitting. On a pier, drinking wine, watching the waves crash along the shore. What could make the world more wonderful?

An ice cream cone, thats what. So, I got one as I continued down the beach. I felt like a little kid again. Ice cream and ocean. If I could have those two things for the rest of my life, I'd nearly be set.

One of the most bizarre things I saw today was just west of St. Kilda (kind of weird to refer to points along the shore on an east-west axis). It was kiteboarding. A guy gets on a surfboard, and then holds onto a massive kite. The kite catches the wind and then pulls the boarder through the surf. Fascinating to watch, and I'm sure its heaps fun to try. Maybe someday I'll do it.

Continuing on, at this point walking for four hours, I got to St. Kilda pier. It seemed a bit unerwhelming. There was a nice park, and a good view (I did take a picture that I think is the best one I've taken down here...it'll be up tomorrow) but it wasn't to special. I did see Luna Park, which is an amusement park, famous for its laughing face entrance. If you are scared of clowns, I would reccomend staying away frm Luna Park.

There was a street fair going on nearby, and I purchased a watercolour painting of the Yarra at sunset. Looks really cool. After that, despite my love of the ocean, I pulled myself away from it to walk home.

There was one problem. Outside of "walk towards the large buildings in the general direction of here you came from" I didn't exactly know how to get back to the hostel. I used that strategy, fairly effectively (though probably not efficiently, now that I've looked at a map). Two hours of Melbourne and I came across a large tower. It was lit up, and it looked really cool, so I took a picture of it. Then, it donned on me that I had seen this before. It was the Art Centre down by the Yarra River! At an instant, I knew where I was, and quickly, albeit gingerly, made the walk home.

A little over six hours of walking, but pleanty of beaches to be seen. Although I'm tired and quite sore now, today was worth it.

Back to Canberra tomorrow. I leave at 7 am, and will undoubtedly be sleeping on the bus.

Alan