The Friday overnight XPT train down to Melbourne from Sydney was again fully booked. I tried to sleep but it is quite uncomfortable in economy class. This is the first of 5 trips purchased on my 14 day discovery pass. It does make it a lot more economical to travel this way. Leaving Friday night 10th November 2017 around 8.30 pm from Central Station platform 1.
Arrived around 7.30 am Saturday morning 11th November 2017. Was able to dump my bag in the room as I had prechecked in online then take a shower before heading off to The Melbourne Exhibition Centre to pick up some safety pins not included with my race bib posted out to me and have a quick look around at the City2Sea Race Expo before heading off to see The Pool exhibition on the ground floor of the NGV Federation Square. The exhibition itself was very small however there was a real indoor pool complete with a step down from shallow to deep and pool chairs surrounding it and visitors are invited to take a dip but not a swim in it. I rolled up my leggings after taking off my shoes and took the plunge. The water was freezing! I decided to take another dip once I became used to the cold water - it was very hot outside as a contrast. I had taken my cooling towel with me to dry my feet off afterwards. My backpack had to be cloaked before I could see The Pool. My left ankle and heel was still painful and has been since my birthday. I thought a bit of natural cryotherapy would help - it did for a while but the pain came back. I hope I am ok for the city2sea tomorrow eventhough I am only doing 5 km of it!
After The Pool, I walked around the NGV at Federation Square to have a look at some of the other free art exhibitions on. The first exhibition I went to look at was a little too icky for me so I left after I noticed nobody else had continued to see the rest of the exhibition. The artist was Gareth Sansom and his art was just too gross to look at - bondage masks gential mutilations body piercings self strangulation etc far to weird for me therefore I left after viewing about 1/3 of the exhibition.
Onto something more appealing such as late 20th and 21st century art on the floors above followed by a visit to the members lounge - very cute small but practical with a great view of the atrium and NGV store below. Ah yes the perks of being a member of an art gallery or museum!
Rating : The Pool exhibition and NGV Federation Square 8/10 . Sometimes it is not all about the main NGV, free admission to exhibitions currently on - The Pool is a great place to cool off indoors especially on days where Melbourne's temperatures hit above 28 degrees celcius. Give the Gareth Sansom exhibition a miss especially if you have kids with you definitely rated MA - too much for me too handle.
Onto South Melbourne Markets by # 96 tram towards St Kilda Beach - my favourite market. I was hoping to go to Queen Victoria Markets and Prahan Markets but decided to save this for future trips perhaps trip # 2.
Arriving at South Melbourne Markets the first thing I did was go to the food hall to find something yummy to eat as I was starving! So much good food I could not decide but instead of going for a spinach and cheese Turkish gozleme, I went for a Borek with lamb and spinach and no cheese - I scoffed it down in minutes whilst walking around the markets. Next was to find some fresh groceries for 2 dinners , breakfast and lunch. Some potatos tatsoy shallots coriander dill blueberries salmon and local scallops from the markets.
Then it was off to Chefs Hat (no this is not a restaurant or cafe which I thought it was the very first time I visited the markets) across the road where they were having an outdoor cutlery and crockery clearance sale. I purchased 2 coasters and 2 matching plates with Australian wild flowers on them and found 2 black square malamine plates amongst all the white and patterned ones. I negotiated a price for my purchases totalling $13.
One final look around South Melbourne Markets - so many restaurants cafes and food stalls surrounding the markets. Sushi gozlome burritos giant paellas sizzling away and even fish burgers!
Rating 9/10 - forget Queen Victoria Markets, South Melbourne Markets have everything you need. Great atmosphere and you are less likely to get lost - just stick to the 96 tram towards St Kilda Beach and get off at South Melbourne or follow the crowds with their bags and shopping trolleys on a Saturday or Sunday !
Next was a trip on the tram back to Southern Cross station via a quick trip to the Spencer Street Outlet Centre above the station to purchase some antihistamines and have a general look around for clothes and shoes before walking to the nearest Coles and Woolworths supermarkets to pick up some other general grocery items such as water, butter, stock cubes, mixed herbs, bread etc.
Back to Melbourne Central YHA where I will be staying again for the next 2 nights to off load my groceries and prepare dinner and then prepare for tomorrow's City2Sea early starting near the NGV at 7.45 am. I am only doing the 5 km - I have retired from the 15 km. Interestingly the City2Surf is only 1 race the full 15 km or nothing. In Melbourne the sister race City2Sea is known as the "party race" - the last race in the series for the year which has the option of 15 km 5 km and for the first time this year team relay.
After preparation for the City2Sea tomorrow it was straight to bed. No Night Noodle Markets tonight!
Sunday 12th November 2017
No trams that early to get to the start of the City2Sea therefore walked uphill from Melbourne Central YHA near Spencer Street up Flinders Street turning right at Flinders Street Station continuing past the NGV. A good 1 km plus. Arrive about 15 minutes before the official start of the 5 km start time at 7.45 am. Signage of cut off times are displayed along race course.
Start of the City2Sea just past the NGV
Passing the Singapore Airlines inflatables
Approximately another 2 km to the finish line
The City2Sea finish line at St Kilda Beach
Medal collection station
Waiting for the next tram from St Kilda Beach back to Melbourne City after finishing the City2Sea
Pagoda in the park
Baggage collection point
Maps of finishing area at St Kilda Beach and City2Sea course information
Map of St Kilda Beach and directions to nearest tram stop.
Crowds of people who have finished the City2Sea but nowhere near the crowds at the City2Surf!
Back to the Melbourne Central YHA for a shower lunch and change of clothing before heading out again. Took the first tram from St Kilda Beach back to Melbourne City. I meant to take the 96 tram which would have been shorter and passed the South Melbourne Markets and getting me closer back to Spencer Street and Melbourne Central YHA. Instead I had no idea which tram # I actually took - it was the first tram that arrived, it just read Melbourne City so I got on it along with hundreds of other people - it was the longest most uncomfortable and crammed tram ride I had ever been on. It must have taken about an hour to get to Flinders Street Station. I decided to get off at The Art Precinct (stopping at the NGV to briefly look at one piece of artwork by a particular artist before being told off by security to cloak my very small backpack before going any further - I actually wasn't intending to go any further except to the members lounge near the toilets on the ground floor - I saw 2 other people with larger backpacks but they weren't told to cloak them and they looked as if they had just come from the floors above - How rude must lodge a complaint) and walk as I could not handle standing on the tram any longer. Enough of being run over by a pram on the tram and being knocked by people losing their balance on the tram - at one point knocking my phone (which was not in its hard case) out of my hand - good reflexes meant I was able to catch it before it hit the ground with a crash and being stomped on by other passengers.
After a shower change of clothes and lunch made from the fresh groceries I had purchased from South Melbourne Markets yesterday, I headed back to Federation Square where the Polish Festival was on therefore I had a quick look around. I loved it but I have never seen so many porogies or potato dishes before! The food stalls were all the way down to where the Night Noodle Markets started - I could see them in the distance.
Next stop was supposed to be another dip in The Pool but I caught something I was thinking of seeing yesterday just next door at the ACMI - the Wallace & Gromit and Friends exhibition. It was a $24 entry fee and no concessions for YHA members however I really enjoyed my time there. It was larger then I expected and when I asked how much time people usually spend at the exhibition was advised an hour or more - I ended up spending around 3 or so hours there including the model making and animation creation activity which was the highlight at the end of my visit to the exhibition. Words cannot describe what I saw only videos and photographs which I took heaps of!
Back to Melbourne Central YHA by tram but not before stopping at Woolworths again for drinks and snacks for my very long 12 hour day trip tomorrow back to Sydney. Dinner and packing - no Night Noodle Markets again tonight just an early night's sleep.
Monday 13th November 2017 - shower breakfast and check out of Melbourne Central YHA early. Walk to Southern Cross station on Spencer Street just around the corner and wait for the Melbourne to Sydney XPT train departing at around 8.30 am. On time departure but train was late arriving back at Sydney Central station - arrived around 8.07 pm Monday night which meant I missed the last M40 bus directly home from Wynyard station and had to find an alternative train and bus connection home - arriving home well after 9 pm. Very tired - work the followimg day but had to ensure my laundry was all done in preparation for next trip to Melbourne after work following Friday!
Notes : No wifi or power points on board the XPT Sydney Melbourne trains therefore hensure all electronic devices were fully charged before departure AND I had my power cell also fully charged as a backup charger. Bring a book to read or a pen and journal to write with - take photos of all the obsolete country town railway stations along the route and spot wildlife - that is what I did to keep myself occupied for the 12 hour day trip by train (spotted 2 rabbits and a whole lot of kangaroos plus 1 lonely wallaby along the way) sheep and cows everywhere and look out for the giant wind turbines near Golbourn. Ensure you pack lots of food and drink - buffet onboard but not open entire trip and food expensive and not too tasty and runs out - I didn't pack enough food therefore had to purchase a sandwich on board and there was nothing left except for ham cheese and tomato on white bread which I don't like eating much. Plenty of lollies pies sausage rolls and chips (crisps) though. Finally when you use the toliet what is it with people who don't lock the door!!!!I walked in on a girl who complained the toliet door would not lock - yes it wasn't locked that was because she had not pushed it hard enough for the lock to latch shut. If you don't want to be hit in the face or caught with your pants down in these tiny cubicles - LOCK THE UNISEX TOLIET DOORS ON THE TRAIN!
Loads of photos most of them now uploaded - so behind in my blogging yet again however I have uploaded 1 Youtube video from my visit to Wallace & Gromit exhibition @ ACMI Federation Square. Produced on one of the crappy Ipads provided and sent via email, I could not share or upload it to my android phone therefore the only way I could share what I had created was to upload onto Youtube directly.
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