Saturday, December 13, 2008

Wicked through and through!

I was in Melbourne a couple of weeks ago for work. I decided to change my flights afterwards and stay the weekend.

So, after all the work was done, I shifted myself out of the luxuriously comfortable digs I had been provided at the Stamford and moved myself to the less luxurious but still comfortable hostel I had been able to find online.

Growing up in Melbourne had been fun as a child. However, since adulthood, I had only been back to Melbourne once. I thought this would be a nice opportunity to see Melbourne properly as an independent adult.

I was very impressed.

Unlike Sydney, Melbourne is far easier to move around in. The combination of trains, buses and trams makes commuting a relatively easy issue. Heading to St Kilda beach from the middle of the city was an easy matter of jumping on a tram, unlike the train + walk or bus (that will likely end up in a traffic jam) option in Sydney.

The life in the city in Melbourne was also a surprise. Compared to Sydney, were many parts of the city die on the weekends, the city in Melbourne was bustling. There were cafes everywhere, people wandering around the shops and generally just using this as a place for socialising. I particularly liked the small arcades that seemed to branch out from all of the streets.

Another reason for staying the weekend in Melbourne was that I wanted to see "Wicked"!

This hit broadway musical was in Melbourne and I heard great things. I didn't want to pay the full price, so instead I lined up for the lottery and managed to score myself some $30 tickets!

The show was fantastic. I still have the songs floating around in my head. The cast even included Anthony Callea, Robert Mills and Bert Newton!

I finished off my trip visiting old friends and just enjoying the sites of Melbourne.

I wonder if I made the right choice moving to Sydney....

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