Revisiting the ties that bind

Currently touching base at the moment. It will take me a long while to settle. Just starting to 'come back' from holiday mode although it's technically still the holidays. It does not hurt to be a tad earlier than everybody else.

Rewind to Christmas Eve. Almost missed my flight to Melbourne as I sleeped in an hour longer. Good thing the cab company was speedy enough and when I was about to check-in the airport, they called the line. Still had to wait a bit til I got on the plane. Spent the waiting period opening Na's pressie and feeling happy about the Christmas dinner the previous night. I just love Christmas.

Waited 3 hours at the Melbourne airport. It was one of those good airports you don't mind spending a few idle hours 'exploring.' Had some nosh and then waited for my family to come. We had our forty winks and then had expensive chinese dinner.

Christmas Day was fare free day in Melbourne. Got on the trams and the trains and went to St. Kilda, Malvern, South Yarra and Richmond. It was more of jsut a look around. Shops were closed so really, there's hardly anywhere to go. I believe we called it a day when the sun was still up.

Lygon Street, Carlton has a really good rep. It's Italian ville in Melbourne so I wanted to take my folks there so they can see how nice and interesting the aussie suburbs are. I misread my Lonely Planet and we ended up on the other end of that long stretch of Lygon Street. Got off before we ended up at the last stop and took them to Cafe Banter.

Nice little cafe, that one. Very comfy with it's own mock living room like ambience complete with fireplace and really nice couches and lounge chairs. Took them a while to get used to the rather out-of-the-Manila-box feel and at the end of the whole Banter experience, they loved it. Woohoo! Initially I had to sit through some "we should have gone to Mc Donalds" lines. I loved Cafe Banter, too. They've got books, board games, toys and magazines. Helped myself to this really cool foodie street mag called Tomato. =)

Post Christmas in Melbourne got the city life flowing. We took a stab at the old steam train care of a half day tour which brought us to the Dandenong Ranges and its surrounds. Got to walk around the Melbourne grid and headed to Fitzroy for dinner. Very impressive. Brunswick Street is lined with cafes and restaurants and nice little shops with uniquely arty goods that would probably cost a bomb each.

Checked out Crown Casino and the Exhibition Centre. Got some books and finished reading He Died With A Felafel In His Hand before we left Melbourne. Interesting read. A bit along the lines of Irvine Welsh.

Met up with mom's friend whom she hasn't spoken to for about 30 years? Nah maybe it was 20 years. She brought her 15 year old daughter along. Had yum cha, checked out the Myer Polar Express display window and then had whatevers at Starbucks Collins Street.

Did a walk around Melbourne city our last night there. It was so nice that I grew such a liking for Melbourne. Still considering relocation should an opportunity presents itself.

Off to Sydney we were after Melbourne. Fireworks on NYE was awesome though not the best Sydney has ever offered. Nonetheless I was happy and took a 2-minute video of the bridge while they light it up and all.