Melbourne - February Fun Times

So I'm in Melbourne and I LOVE IT!!!!! It has such a good vibe here, really quirky and edgy, a bit like London I guess, there are some beaches, which aren't anywhere near as nice as the ones in Sydney or the East Coast but that doesn't matter! I've even been for a swim in the sea! I need to try and make that more of a regular occurrence, sort out some regular exercise because I have put on weight!! Too many carbs before Marbs!

On my first night out in Melbourne, I met up with Linzi.We were going to head to see the penguins but unfortunately the weather put a stop to that, because it decided it was going to rain torrentially!! That's probably one of the only bad things about Melbourne is how crazy and hit and miss the weather can be. So we ended up going for some drinks, as Linzi works for one of the pub companies in Melbourne it meant we got quite a few free and discounted drinks (get in) we both ended up far more tipsy than planned, so when I decided to take myself off home I suddenly realised I didn't have the foggiest of where I was going, I got on a couple of trams (they use trams here a lot) and thankfully ended up on a road that I had walked down before, just at the very very far end, it took me 45minutes to walk home, without my flipflops on because the ground was so wet and slippery I kept sliding over!!

I was also Linzi's date to see Warhorse (for free) was so nice to go to the theatre again. This was on at the Arts Center Melbourne and is fantastic!! I would highly recommend it, the hype is all worth it! Linzi's now headed to Perth, so we'll hopefully meet up in a few months when I head that way.

Nick, Will & Matt

I head to St Kilda a lot its about a 20minute walk from where I am living - with my friend Matt from home and his flat mates Nick and Will, we all have such a good laugh. But St Kilda is such a cool area, reminds me or a friendlier Shoreditch or Stoke Newington type area. At the end of the pier you can see Penguins, so one evening a few of us went and waited down there at sunset to see if we could spy any, and we did - three of them! Was too dark for any photos though and you aren't allowed to use your flash, they are cute though!!

St Kilda Fest being harassed!

Sunday 10th February, was St Kilda Festival, a free music festival, well the festival goes on all week but the main day is the final Sunday, St Kilda is buzzing and so busy, I didn't actually see hardly any music...opps...but it was still a good day with a few too many drinks along the way!

Drunk, me? at St Kilda fest..no absolutely not....ok maybe a smidge...

At the QV Market

Melbourne CBD - I explored some of the art galleries, walked along the Southbank, had a wander down the laneways (reminds me of Brighton!) went to the NGV (National Gallery Victoria), ACMI and saw a few exhibitions, St Kilda Botanical Gardens, Queen Victoria Wednesday Night Market (best buzz)....and various other cheap/free things. Still need to do quite a lot of touristy things which I think I'll keep for March and April seeing as I've decided to base myself in Melbourne for a few more months, such a Lauren place - LOVE IT!!!

At the end of February there was another free night of art and music, called White Night Melbourne, which was awesome, the whole CBD turned into this massive arena filled with stages and exhibitions, galleries, stages, shops, you name it were open 7pm - 7am on Saturday 21st February filled with overflowing cultural quirkiness, they also lit up the city with loads of light displays on buildings...I was in my drunken hippy happy element!

A friend from Sydney, Heather, was starting her travels with her boyfriend and she started these in Melbourne, so we caught up which was nice to see an 'old' face. A lot of the guys that started out in my Ultimate Oz group are slowly dropping off....it seems such a shame and a waste of a years working holiday visa to head home only a few months in, still I'm deffo making the most of it!! Looking forward to more adventures and exploring in a few months when I take off again!

Me and Jenny at White Night

One of my friends from England, also put me in touch with a few of hers friends in Melbourne and Jenny and I have spent a fair bit of time together, eating far too much calamari, cake and coffee, but all good fun!

I have a fabulously manic March coming up which I cannot wait for! But I'll update all those plans in another post, don't want to make you all too jealous in one hit! Oh and btw, the weather for most of February has been beyond beautiful, hot and sunny, thank you very much Melbs. Knew I'd like it here.... x x x