Le 15/02/12, 9:24
141.11223185714-28.119143428571
Australia was a teenager dream, and here I am finally Down Under, more than 15 years after ...so pretty excited !
My first destination here is then Melbourne. It’s supposed to be the most European city in Australia, but at first glance it looks like a very different kind of city...everything is so modern, there’s a lot of architectural blend (but it’s not ugly, just a little bit impersonal maybe), and a really multicultural people, with a lot of asians (Chineses, Indians, Malaysians)...it may be the first real postmodern globalized (and expensive) city I’ve ever seen...I had the feeling that if I had been “teletransported” here without knowing where I was, it would have been imposible to guess.
Actually you feel that in the CBD (central Businees District), because the rest of the town is composed of different neighbourhoods with a lot of houses and gardens, or small buildings, some of them in a Victorian or colonial style (I finally undestood the •european stuff” ) .
But for the Melbourners there’s even a bigger diffrence between the North (of the Yarra river) and the South. The north is supposed to be more alternative, with modern guys, more Berlin atmosphere, and the South more posh, with the beaches, and healthy people.
Thanks to Pablo, another wonderful Chilean guy who hosted me three days there, I could indeed feel the difference and get to know better the place. And after 2 more days discovering the town biking around (btw it’s a perfect town for biking) I came to truly appreciate Melbourne, and even started to love it a lot.
Why ? because you slowly realize that people are really relaxed here, no stress at all when they drive, when they walk, the weather is good, you can go to the beach, do some outdoor sport (kitesurf, biking, walk in fantastic parcs...) so easily. And enjoy some good bars and restaurants (good and cheap asian food everywhere), or the cultural offer (lot of theatre, museums and cultural events, ok not like Europe). Apparently Melbourne is rated amongst the most liveable cities in the world, I just stayed a few days there, but I really had this impression.
Only problem for a backpacker like me....of course it’s also very expensive! and especially right now since the Australian dollar is historically strong (more than the American dollar), and the Euro, well you know...
Actually during my 2 months in Australia I won’t have other choice than doing wwoofing for a month. That means working in an organic farm between 4 to 6hours a day in exchange of food and accomodation (I cannot have a proper job because I don’t have a working visa).
I already know where I’ll “wwoof”...first for a week in the Grampians (a national park north east of Melbourne), then 2 weeks in Kangaroo Island near Adelaide, and then a week near Byron Bay on the coast north of Sydney.
So after a really enjoyable stay in Melbourne, it’s time to move (before getting stucked here) my ass to work on the countryside !
My first destination here is then Melbourne. It’s supposed to be the most European city in Australia, but at first glance it looks like a very different kind of city...everything is so modern, there’s a lot of architectural blend (but it’s not ugly, just a little bit impersonal maybe), and a really multicultural people, with a lot of asians (Chineses, Indians, Malaysians)...it may be the first real postmodern globalized (and expensive) city I’ve ever seen...I had the feeling that if I had been “teletransported” here without knowing where I was, it would have been imposible to guess.
Actually you feel that in the CBD (central Businees District), because the rest of the town is composed of different neighbourhoods with a lot of houses and gardens, or small buildings, some of them in a Victorian or colonial style (I finally undestood the •european stuff” ) .
But for the Melbourners there’s even a bigger diffrence between the North (of the Yarra river) and the South. The north is supposed to be more alternative, with modern guys, more Berlin atmosphere, and the South more posh, with the beaches, and healthy people.
Thanks to Pablo, another wonderful Chilean guy who hosted me three days there, I could indeed feel the difference and get to know better the place. And after 2 more days discovering the town biking around (btw it’s a perfect town for biking) I came to truly appreciate Melbourne, and even started to love it a lot.
Why ? because you slowly realize that people are really relaxed here, no stress at all when they drive, when they walk, the weather is good, you can go to the beach, do some outdoor sport (kitesurf, biking, walk in fantastic parcs...) so easily. And enjoy some good bars and restaurants (good and cheap asian food everywhere), or the cultural offer (lot of theatre, museums and cultural events, ok not like Europe). Apparently Melbourne is rated amongst the most liveable cities in the world, I just stayed a few days there, but I really had this impression.
Only problem for a backpacker like me....of course it’s also very expensive! and especially right now since the Australian dollar is historically strong (more than the American dollar), and the Euro, well you know...
Actually during my 2 months in Australia I won’t have other choice than doing wwoofing for a month. That means working in an organic farm between 4 to 6hours a day in exchange of food and accomodation (I cannot have a proper job because I don’t have a working visa).
I already know where I’ll “wwoof”...first for a week in the Grampians (a national park north east of Melbourne), then 2 weeks in Kangaroo Island near Adelaide, and then a week near Byron Bay on the coast north of Sydney.
So after a really enjoyable stay in Melbourne, it’s time to move (before getting stucked here) my ass to work on the countryside !
