nickelass

Standing in a Sydney Airport news agency and I’m playing that game where I look for something to read in the vain hope to prove to myself that I’m not THAT predicable. It is a joke because I might as well accept that it is inevitable I’ll reach for the latest issue of Monocle. Sure they claim to be ‘a briefing on global affairs, business, culture and design’ but really for me, it’s just articles and pretty pictures about airports, wayfinding, Japanese stuff, some trendy international place 'you must visit' and Kita Koga. Reading manga right to left makes you cool right? It is such a nerd magazine really and truly. It is for the kind of person who likes watching planes at the international airport *cough*.

A flight from Sydney to Melbourne is simply an exercise in aircraft ascent and decent. The flight is packed, yet I have a window seat with a spare seat next to me. I love Virgin airlines for domestic travel. Thinking about it, I have flown them a lot in the past few years. And it honestly seems I’m either the most lucky person when it comes to seating or I’m in their system as a regular. I’m traveling so light that I have no need to check-in or wait for baggage. I’m now resolved to try and always travel this light where possible. The Skybus from Melbourne airport is packed. But no one pushes to get on. From a Sydney perspective, how do you get on a bus when no one fights for it? Confuses the hell out of me.

Melbourne welcomes you with such a sense of industrial force from the north west. But they do get points for trying and succeeding a lot more then Sydney in dealing with this. The pieces of art and engineering beauty that litter the highway a proof positive that Melbourne has gone a long way from a city with nothing of geographical beauty to a well sculpted and engineered creative experience. That and everything made by humans to inspire you is built at an angle (1,2,3,4,5). Go figure.

My diggs come in the form of something very Melbourne. I also like the serviced apartment more then a hotel.
The areas between Spencer St and William St are undergoing some form of gentrification but not in the Sydney fashion. There are opportunities to restore and reinvent. You can see hole in the wall vintage bars undergoing fit outs.

Nice sleep in the next day before heading off the Melbourne office. The constructive nature of my meeting exceeds even my expectations. Much is learned and shared; I wish I had done it earlier. I meet my mate for lunch, whose farewell I’ve also come to town to attend. In some ways it is pretty apparent that we have not changed but in some ways we both have grown. It is a nice feeling.

That night I meet Dave and Co for his farewell at a funky little bar (are they not all in Melbourne?). It must be said that conversations with strangers and almost strangers is easy, free and often actually meaningful in this city. It is a refreshing change to put ones guard down.

I spend the next morning being proven wrong. I’d always had this view that the city was the dead heart of Melbourne. But it seems on the fourth visit I got it right. This place is not Sydney; the city is alive at any time. And it is filled with riches that just take a local saying the name of a lane way (thanks Dave!)


I ended up wearing myself out with all this walking so spend a few hours just sleeping on the lawn and people watching at the State Library near RMIT. The winter sun is out and Melbourne is enjoying itself. I love being in a new city and the fact that the mundane is so damn interesting you can lye down on a lawn in the sun and be entertained for hours. Lots of people on push bikes, skaters, fashion, trams and motorbikes. The streets are so wide there is room for everyone it seems.

Meeting up with Dave and Chris we head to Yum Cha. W00t w00t. China town is more like China/Korean/Japanese/Vietnamese/Thai/South east asian town. But Yum Cha is the same everywhere. We all eat so much we can barely move. So really, it’s time for a road trip in Dave’s car, affectionately known as the silver bullet. It has some nice touches, like the hand built ash tray.
We end up on Mount Dandenong, recently done up and is now very Melbourne. A restaurant, café and some art.
Big up to Dave for being the host with the most and for all the class he brings to any outing. Have an awesome trip overseas mate!
And finally, to Melbourne itself. How can I thank a whole city? Well for me I must thank Melbourne for being open to being reinvented for me once again. A place of newfound opportunity, a place of self-rediscovery for the Nickelass.
I jet out of Melbourne on a packed flight with a whole row to myself (!) and The Bulldogs letting everyone know they are also on the way back with us. It’s a suitable introduction back into Sydney life.