Melbourne: Farewell Trams

Friday was my last day on my Pat Malone in Melbourne. Dana went off to work and I checked out out of the hotel before starting my third day of wandering. By this third day my shoulders and back were as sore as my feet: I carried my laptop on my back each day so that I could write and check my email during breaks from walking.

After a bit of rambling I boarded a tram and set off for the suburb of Richmond. I was headed for a particular pub so that I could enjoy a nice lunch, a couple of pots and a new neighborhood. The tram network in Melbourne is fantastic. They run all over the city and well into the suburbs. One of the odd things about them is that pedestrians board them in the middle of the street, and as the tram approaches, it sandwiches them against a metal fence, on the other side of which cars whiz past. Melburnians seem to have it down, but I would imagine this would result in lots of lawsuits in the States. So I hopped on the 48 on Flinders Street, heading east. I knew I had to get out on the corner of Bridge and River, and the woman next to me kindly told me when we got to Bridge Street. I jumped off and onto the sunny sidewalk to get my bearings. In one direction was a street with a long line of storefronts, so I figured that had to be the way. It didn't take me long to realise that I got off at the beginning of Bridge Street, on which the tram continues for quite some time before it gets to River Street. After a 35 minute walk through the town I arrived at River Street. It was a pleasant walk and the result of a happy accident.

The Royston Hotel is a local's pub, but it has good character, a great beer selection and the largest plate of fish and chips I have ever seen. I enjoyed two hours of tucking into my fish, sipping my pots of Hargreaves Hill, Red Hill and Red Duck, and listening in on conversations. My favourite was between a customer and a bartender:
"Just a Jack & Coke, thanks. [pause] Be as generous with the Jack as you like."
"Be as generous with the tip as you like, thanks."
"I always am."

Soon I was back in Federation Square and starting another podcast, this one was "Eat, Drink Melbourne". This was a real find on Adelle's part. If you get to Melbourne, download some podtours, put them on your iPod and start walking. Aside from the stage whispered "Stephanie Alexander" over the sound of something being deep-fried, this tour was as good as the first. The sound of being close to splattering oil isn't pleasant. Neither is the sound of being close to a stage whisper. But the tour was great. It took me through some new streets and alleyways while giving some anecdotes and historical facts. It also led me down Melbourne's other major graffiti alley, Centre Place, just off a main coffee strip. I tried to keep with the food theme and focussed on pigeons feeding in the dumpsters while other tourists snapped photos around me. I wouldn't be surprised if I see a photo someone took of me leaning on an overstuffed dumpster, my camera a half a meter from the pigeons and my elbow a half a meter into the bin.

Friday night was Dana's farewell, so I joined her in her office after the farewell speeches had been given, the tears had dried and they were all playing a bizarre version of Pictionary with Play-Doh. Try competing in this game with a bunch of designers and communications experts. Afterwards we all went to an opium den for drinks and snacks. There was no opium, but I forget the name of the place and it looks like what I imagine an opium den would look like. Except the word "den" makes me think there should have been a TV and a La-Z-Boy, which there wasn't. The revelry continued on to some pizza and a heated discussion at Adelle's over who should sleep on the inflatable bed. A great third night.

All photos from Melbourne day 3 here.