My Melbourne Recap

Where?

Melbourne is in the south east corner of Australia. Being part of a hot continent with warm land to the north, but on a cool coast with Antarctica in the south, the weather is very inconsistent and the city is known for having ‘four seasons in a day.’

When?

I arrived in Melbourne from Adelaide towards the end of March as I had a job lined up! I stayed for just over a month to work and have a little bit of chill time towards the end of my time there.

Accommodation and transport

The rental market in Melbourne, like a lot of Aussie cities, is pretty hectic. It’s always daunting trying to secure accommodation whilst you’re based somewhere else. Friends suggested I try Fairy Floss, a Melbourne-centric Facebook page where people share rentals and sublets in a variety of the city’s suburbs. I ended up securing a sublet in Prahran for the length of the festival. This provided a great stable base for me, and the people I was subletting from let me use their bikes as well. I was only a twenty-five minute cycle from work and often took a route along the Yarra River. 

Melbourne also has trams, trains, and buses. Coming from Adelaide the transport was quite expensive – usually $5.30 per journey, even a short one. Cycling was not only fun and great exercise, but also saved me a few dollars across the month! I did have one minor incident when I changed lanes over a tram track and got my front tyre stuck, embarrassing myself in front of the crowds on Chapel Street. Luckily I was on my way into work where there were plenty of first aid trained people ready to help bandage up my bleeding arm!

What did I do?

I came to Melbourne as I had a job at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. I worked there most evenings and became a bit of a night owl. I started going to bed in the early hours of the morning and waking around 11. I tried not to feel guilty for losing my mornings, understanding that I needed the sleep! Once rested, I could enjoy my days and be productive: explore the city’s free museums, go for lunch catch ups with friends, try out new coffee shops with my journal or a writing project. After working 50+ hour weeks in Adelaide, this was a month of slowing down and balancing rest and fun much more than I had been.

My favourite place

I became very fond of that cycle path along the Yarra. On sunny days, I would come out from under one of the bridges to see the city skyline blooming out of the earth, the river sparkling, green fronds waving and buzzing with life. Melbourne in the sunshine is glorious. 

My favourite food

Melbourne is a vegan’s dream. I’d explored a lot of veggie food places when I was here last year. I revisited my favourites, including Smith and Deli for a delicious fresh toasted sandwich. I also tried out Sister of Soul in St Kilda, as recommended by a friend, and when I moved to Brunswick for a few nights following the festival, I had a tasty ‘katsu kiev sando’ at the Cornish Arms. 

My favourite memory

My favourite Melbourne moments of this experience are tied to my job. I had so much fun working at the festival with some really great friends. Because we all worked so well together, everything we did was just fun! And that continued after shift when we caught shows and went for a dance. Good comedy shared with friends is gold. 

A new experience

After the festival, I had time to get out of Melbourne city to explore further afield. Some friends had recommended Puffing Billy Railway, a steam locomotive where you can sit on the window sill as you journey through the trees. For the hourish journey Belgrave to Lakeside, you can hang your legs in the air as you gaze at lush green ferns, bronze sprouting mushrooms, red and gold autumn leaves. That was a lot of fun. At Lakeside, I went for a wander further into the trees and saw some gorgeous brightly coloured birds, moss and lichen drenched trees, and more natural delights. It was a unique way to explore the landscape!

Something I’ll take with me

I’ve worked festivals in three cities back to back this year. I’ve had a fantastic time, but after this, I was tired. Slowing down in Melbourne gave my body time to experience this tiredness and begin to recover from it. I also learnt that it’s okay that my life and routines look different in each place I visit and work – it makes sense that way! And I’m proving to myself just how adaptable I am. 

Where to next?

After making the most of Melbourne and big city life, it was time to embrace the road again.