Well I thought it was about time to get my blog going again as I am nearing the end of my time in Melbourne. I didn't think it was necessary to do a weekly update as although I have had an amazing time living in this great city, I was still technically static and I think my pictures gave a pretty clear picture of the time I was having :)

I really did fall in love with Melbourne. It's a great city. A lot of people before I left England told me Sydney was "better" but once I got started on my trip I met loads of people who said Melbourne was a fantastic place to live so it reassured me before I eventually discovered it myself anyway. Sydney is apparently such a beautiful city that it kind of hits you with a bang when you first arrive, where as Melbourne is more of a place you grow to love after exploring and living here, so I see why if you only stopped in Melbourne for a week or so and then compared it to Sydney, why Sydney might win. But I have had an absolute blast living here.

I'll always remember my time in Melbourne and this list of things spring to mind and will leave me with lifetime memories of my time here;
Greenhouse Backpackers, "X-Base" Thursday 'ladies' night in St Kilda, Melbourne Trams, Precinct and Sneak Bars in Richmond, the Great Ocean Road, Learning to Surf, Healesville Animal Sanctuary, Veggie Restaurants, My flat, Jacuzzi and parties, Bridge Road Shopping, Transport Bar at Federation Square, Flinders Station, Fitness First, Running the "Tan" track, Victoria Market, Port Melbourne, South Melbourne Beach, Albert Park Deli, MFB, PJ's Sunday Night dancing, Passion Pop and Goon, Chadstone Shopping Centre, Yarra River, Crown Casino, Southbank, Melbourne Spring Cup Carnival, Melbourne Races, Gold Class Cinema, 'Mitch's Princess Party' and much more………

So I started at Green House Backpackers which is a great hostel right in the centre of the city, down one of the many famous lanes in Melbourne. As far as a hostel goes it was really good. Massive communal social area and kitchen, lounge, pool tables etc. Great modern bathrooms and good sized dorms. I lived at the hostel for about 4 weeks and to my surprise it wasn't until the last week that it started to drive me a bit mad as I had these Chinese girls coming in the middle of the night turning the lights on and off, unpacking their stuff into the locker next to my ear, all to find out they checked out of the hostel that next morning anyway! And someone stole the lunch I'd made for work…so that was the last straw (Lauren-you would have gone mad!!! Haahaha)

Then I moved into this amazing flat with Lorna, it was in Southbank, right by the Arts Centre and near the Botanical Gardens. We had our own room each, double bed, WARDROBES, big open lounge with plasma and a balcony overlooking our lovely swimming pool, Jacuzzi, gym and tennis courts! Plus we had the skyline behind our block which gave for an amazing view at night when it's all lit up. Not back for a "backpacker" lifestyle I must say! And for only $30 more a week than the hostel where I was sharing with 4 others! We had such fun living there and it was so much easier to get settled having your own place and in the heart of the city it was fab. We had Jacuzzi parties, BBQs on our balcony and general drinks most weeks before we hit nights out.

I quickly made a lot of friends in Melbourne and felt really settled so quickly. It's amazing really. I joined Fitness First after 3 days of being here and also bagged my first job at Albert Park Deli Café in the first week so it was straight into my usual hectic lifestyle. I registered with some temp agencies to get proper office work and after interviews and type tests etc I got a job for Melbourne Fire Brigade working as a PA and Office Co-ordinator in the Fleet department. All in all I would have worked there 11 weeks, and it was great pay and easy work for me (compared to what I was used to in London) and the staff were all lovely so I had a good time. They also took me out in the new fire engines and also up to 37m on the ladder platform; I got a beautiful view of the city!

For a good part of my time in Melbourne I was working 7 day weeks but because 6 days were early starts it meant early finishes so I was still able to have a free night so I always did different things with my friends every night so I was still having an amazing time, managing to save the money I needed to help fund the rest of my trip, and living in the great flat, so....in the words of Lorna-my trusty partner in crime throughout my whole time in Melbourne always used to say..."GOOD TIMES GOOD TIMES!!!!"

Flying to Sydney on 26th November and I cannot wait……will be reuniting with Ellie, Adam and Amy!!! Good times ahead