This blog entry is going to cover the last couple of weeks/weekends in Melbourne. I realise the Yarra Valley blog comes somewhere in the middle of this but it deserved it's own entry!

The day after I went to the Dracula cabaret show I went and had lunch with Alanna. We went down to Brighton for the day and walked along the beach. No Kung-fu ice cream involved or naked old men on a nudist beach...this is Brighton...Australia lol. In hindsight wearing a pair of thongs on the beach walking on the sand would have been better than the ballet pumps I was wearing. Oh well, bit of sand never hurt anyone really...has it? We carried on walking down the beach till we reached the Brighton Bathing Boxes. These are a row of very colourful bathing boxes (shed size...sheds basically) which sell for an amazing amount of money and are one of Brighton's attractions! Lunch was good, we went into a little restaurant in the town before she dropped me back at the hostel.

I've had to work this week and it was hard for me to tell them at the end of the week that I was giving them a weeks notice and would be returning back to the UK for a while a few days afterwards. They took it well and told me if I ever come back to look them up again which I thought was nice.

Tonight I went to see Ryan at work and I bought some random Chinese food with me and we sat at his work eating it in reception. Got a few random looks but it was worth it. We also tried a new restaurant! I did have a laugh though, there was some really drunk guy who stood there talking to the both of us for about 40 minutes repeating himself over and over and I wondered if I looked like that? I thought it was about time to leave and head home when he started to tell me why he thought Asian people can't drive...Sorry to leave Ryan to him on the rest of his night shift!

Today (31st) I decided to take a trip to the Melbourne zoo. Why not, I've been to most of the other zoos on my trip so far and it wasn't too far away etc. My god I had mistaken how hot it was going to be outside when I was roasting just waiting for the tram to arrive! At least it was a straight forward journey and I was actually very glad I had talked myself out of walking to the zoo, especially when I saw how long it took to get there on a tram!

Melbourne zoo, if I am being completely honest, is a little average. They have all the usual animals which is cool (unlike that weird one I visited before which had no Elephants...) and a nice Lion park and I got to see the Meercats up close. But honestly...I think I must have been off my head to go into the zoo at a weekend with the amount of kids screaming and running around! I did however as usual really enjoy spending time in the Tiger area of the zoo and I actually spent a good hour or so trying to get a decent picture of the one tiger which was pacing back and forth. The Elephant enclosure was kind of interesting, it took you on a small safari around Asia with signs in Thai and other languages and totem poles with strange carvings on them. I spent a few hours walking around the zoo before heading back and making it to the Victoria Market before it closed.

The following week was my last week working at the cafe and I am a little glad to be honest as I was sick for most of the week. Friday (my last day) seemed to come way too fast and I was upset at leaving. Although I did have some fun, I lost my voice during the week but got it back in time to Mohammed's disappointment!

After I finished work it was basically a matter of biding my time before I flew home. I bought some souvenirs for people at home and then tried to complete some more stuff on my 'bucket list' for Melbourne. Sunday (8th) saw me go into the Hopetoun Tea Rooms. Somewhere that Bea and I had walked passed every day thinking we should go inside. It was lovely inside, very 1920's-30's looking with massive mirrors on the walls and a giant cake display in the window which attracted people just taking pictures of it. I ordered some cheesecake and a pot of Earl Grey. Not very original of me but those are the things I like and I was very pleased that they did not try and give me milk! Tea how it is supposed to be served!! Although I did have a head in hand moment when the table next door put in a complaint that their Lavender Earl Grey never came with any milk and cried inside a little when they drowned their tea with it! When did I become such a tea snob? Tonight I said goodbye to Ben, we hung out for a while watching TV and I went home a little while later. He asked me to keep in touch and to look him up if I came back to town before he left Australia and I promised to do so but doubt I will be able to.

I finally made it to the tram bar! I decided to have a half of cider as I sat in the sun and contemplated going on a river cruise. The Tram bar is a wonderful 1950's looking tram (similar to the free ones which go round the city) but it is static outside the arts centre and has been turned into a bar.

The clock is ticking on my time left in Australia and I am not sure whether I am sad or excited!

The picture is of the Tram bar outside of the Arts Centre.