Life is pretty good here in Australia: good weather, great natural scenery, affordable living, and a welcome escape from 'The London Commute’. I certainly don’t miss an hour waiting at Paddington Station, or being packed into the tube like a sardine.
This is happy Gary, without grey skies, without expensive paninis, without city claustrophobia, without an oyster card.
I’ve wanted to write this post for a while now; it seems fitting that I do it now at the anniversary of my time in Melbourne. There’s been so much happening this last year, that I feel it’d be nice to share in one post.
After travelling to New Zealand last February I came back to Melbourne. I spent most of the month of March and early April living in a house-share with French backpackers, and Alex, just 2 minutes walk from the beach and then a few more to the bohemian hub of St Kilda. Midnight strolls and midday swims just moments from my front-door were bliss, but mingled with that happiness were the stresses of being broke and unemployed.
I soon found work though and moved to West Melbourne in a shared flat overlooking the city. I’m still here and have enjoyed walking or biking commutes to work and the city - or enjoy the free trams.
I started working out of the premier startup hub in the city known as York Butter Factory with the motto of #GSD (Get S**t Done!). And we did, mostly; fuelled by Melbourne’s amazing coffee culture of course.
My weekends are often spent in the wilderness surrounding the city. One of my favourite places is in the Dandenong Ranges, the wine regions of the Yarra Valley, or at the beaches.
Below is a nice photo from a weekend away wine, beer, cheese and chocolate tasting in Healesville with the girlfriend :)
The kookaburra really does sit in the old gum trees.
When I’m in the city I find myself visiting the Queen Victoria Market for fresh and cheap groceries - just 2 minutes from my door - or enjoying one of the many events going on in the city from street festivals, to outdoor shows, to multicultural fêtes or open-air art exhibits.
Back in December Alex and I even went surfing, we managed to stand up… sometimes. We visited the surf capital of Australia, Bells Beach, along the Great Ocean Road and surfed with Blue Bottle Jellyfish (Portuguese Man of Wars).
It’s a great feeling having the beaches and outdoors so close. I sometimes go to the beach after work for an evening swim with work colleagues, followed by some beers in the sunshine with salt encrusted skin.
Today I cycled to a billabong. I didn’t even know what one was until today. Now winter is coming, again, and I’ll settle in for the cold - but at least the sun will still shine.