Discovering the Wonders of Australia: A Memorable Trip to Melbourne and Sydney
Ali Rezaiyan3 min read
I'd heard about Australia for years, so finally going felt a bit like a dream. I landed in Melbourne on a Wednesday night after a very long flight and was completely wiped out, so I rested on Thursday and saved the exploring for Friday.
On Friday I was up early and couldn't wait to get out. I started by just walking around the city center to get a feel for it: the people, the shops, the streets.
My first proper stop was the Botanic Garden. I ended up spending a few hours there just wandering around.
Right by the garden is the Shrine of Remembrance, a memorial to the people Australia lost in wars. It's a huge, quiet building, and standing in front of it I didn't really know what to say.
From there I went to the National Gallery of Victoria and lost a few hours to it. I liked reading about the artists, and it taught me a fair bit about Australian history along the way.
In the afternoon I sat in Federation Square for a while. It was busy, but in a good way, and it was nice to just sit and watch. Lunch was at Maccaroni Trattoria Italiana near Collins Street, which was really good. Then I kept walking through Melbourne Central and Chinatown, and found the Youth Project, an alley covered in murals.
Saturday was for friends. We had dinner at a restaurant in Crown Towers and spent most of the evening catching up.
On Sunday I flew to Sydney to see the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. Seeing them in person after years of photos was something else. I spent the whole day walking around Sydney, and it ended up being one of the best days of the trip.
On Monday I went to the Sea Life Aquarium. I hadn't expected so many different kinds of sea creatures in one place.
Tuesday was the Puffing Billy Railway, an old steam train that winds through the forest. It's a slow, relaxing ride, and the forest is very green. In the afternoon I went to Seaford Beach and spent a few hours in the sun.
On Wednesday I spent several hours at Melbourne Zoo, seeing animals I'd never seen outside of TV.
The highlight came on Thursday: the Skydeck, on the 88th floor of Eureka Tower. You can see the whole city and out to the bay from up there. I had a drink at the top and just took it in.
My last day was Friday. Pizza and ice cream with friends, then a hotel near the airport for an early flight the next morning.
Looking back, it was a week I'll remember for a long time. If you go, don't skip the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. And if you like nature and animals, the Botanic Garden, the aquarium, and the zoo are all worth a few hours. People were friendly everywhere I went, and I ate very well.