Lesley had been living in Sydney with a friend so she came to stay in Base with me pre-Melbourne so we could check out and travel together.
Sydneys rail service is awesome - super reliable and frequent. So we used this to get to the domestic airport for the flight to Melbourne - it was only $14 and took you right into the terminal. We spent so much time catching up and gossiping that we missed the airport stop by 11 STOPS! We had to get off and go back....
We get to the airport so find our flight wasn't on the board. Tiger Airways (Oz version of Ryanair...) had only gone and cancelled it. We dealt with an extremely rude member of staff who gave us ten minutes to decide if we wanted to pay for another flight ourselves or be put up in a hotel that we would have to get reimbursed for. Flights with other airlines were costing a fortune so after much stress, tears and cross words exchanged with another member of staff, we booked into the local airport hotel called 'Formula 1'. Apparently Tiger Airways are famous for stuff like this...
After a night living like queens in the hotel with $25 dollar bottles of wine (after goon, this is a treat!) we got up SUPER early for the 8am flight to Melbourne. The SHM gig was on this day so we were furious but Tiger Airways weren't bothered in the slightest. Get on the flight, ready to leave and the cabin crew announce over the tanoid that it'll be a while before take off as the plane hadn't fuelled.... WHAT! Land in Melboourne Domestic terminal (which literally is a tin can with a conveyer belt - like something from Bosnia) to find Lesleys bag missing. It had the gig tickets but luckily we could re-print them and i had everything else, of course ;) (hairdryer, straighteners.... necessities!!). We decided not to let it bother us and crack on with the trip. Checked into the amazing hostel - seriously the best i've stayed in to date. Urban Central - immaculate; value for money; loads going on; decent kitchen; free rice/pasta; the bar attached meant strictly no alcohol could be brought in though.... but not for us two scottish - that got sneaked in! Muahahahaha.
We seen on Twitter that SHM had a pop up shop. Off we went exploring to find it. It was inside a cafe(?!) and was selling all their merchandise. Lesley bought a top for that night and i bought a lanyard - purely because it said "I CAME, I RAVED, I LOVED" which i thought was awesome.
The gig itself... wow. I've went off The Swedes over the years but the Sidney Myer Music Bowl was an OUTSTANDING venue... even though it absolutely hammered it down the whole time. But again... the Scottish are always prepared - ponchos at the ready! We literally drank a whole box of goon before we got there, danced non stop and cried at the end. Like right wee emotional, drunk t*** ! Not having many nights out since i had been in Oz meant i was making up for it and i sure as hell paid for it the next day. Up until this point i hadn't been drunk more than once! Lesley fell asleep on the hostel bedroom floor haha...
The hostel was quite a walk from the Sidney myer but just added to tge laughs of that night, the taxi there had cost us $17! Rip off!
Never done as much sightseeing due to losing a day to Tiger Airways and another to Goon hangover from hell... but Lesley took me on the trams to St. Kilda. She used to live there with her man and i could see why. This is why everyone raves about Melbourne - so chilled, so relaxed, all walks of life... the complete opposite of Sydney! The tram service was awesome too. We went to the retro 100 year old theme park called Luna Park, which i LOVED. It has the oldest working rollercoaster in the world, "99 year old great scenic railway". Such a cool cool place...
We booked the Greyhound sleeper coach for the return to Sydney - saves you a nights accommodation and takes like 12 hours anyway. Very sad leaving Melbourne - i was originally going to stay there, work and save but i'm so glad i booked trips and moved on. Its not goodbye Melbourne, its see you soon :)