TRAVEL DIARY: There's something for everyone in Australia
From sports buffs to foodies and culture enthusiasts to fashion aficionados, there is something for everyone in Australia. Every city in this vast country has something different to offer.
There is a lot to discover in the streets of Melbourne, and the maze-like lanes can often lead one to the best cafes, restaurants and bars.
The city is obsessed with art, food, coffee and wine, and boasts of a variety of restaurants, among which Chinchin is one of the most popular evening places. The Japanese-Korean establishment caters to food lovers from across the world with its famous barbequed and smoked meats and seafood.
A boat ride on the Yarra River in Melbourne gives a view of some of the best sites
As for drinks, the Aussies surely know where to be on weekends, as bars — big and small — are all packed across the city on Fridays and Saturdays.
Melbourne’s diverse dining culture sports an array of the world’s greatest cuisines, with flavours ranging from modern to traditional. The numerous exotic restaurants dotting the city reflect its status as a cultural melting pot.
One can see people sharing a drink at eateries in the by-lanes of Chinatown. Weatherwise, though, Melbourne can be quite unpredictable.
In fact, one can easily experience four seasons in a single day. When it rains, one can see people scurrying up the stairs to grab a drink at various bars, each with its own unique character.
A table at the fanciest restaurants in Melbourne is well worth the wait and the expenditure. But one doesn’t need to burn a hole in one’s pocket to have a good meal in the capital of Victoria.
The 88-storey Eureka Skydeck, one of the tallest residential buildings in the world, provides an awe-inspiring view of the city. A special feature at the top floor is ‘The edge’ - a glass cubicle that projects out of the building with visitors suspended 300 metres above the ground.
The Yarra River also gives the city its own character. A walk on the waterfront or a boat ride provides a spectacular view of some of the best attractions such as Melbourne Park (venue of the Australian Open tennis Grand Slam) and Herring Island Park.
One can also have a barbeque or picnic on the banks of the Yarra, and the place is often brimming with tourists eager to enjoy the feast.
Melbourne is a busy city, and when one has to unwind, St Kilda’s Beach offers a great seaside playground for people of all ages.
There is no dearth of outlets for fashion enthusiasts with some of the best and most exclusive retailers dotting the shopping malls.
Emporium is one of the latest shopping centres to have come up and caters to high-end clients with brands like Chanel, Furla, Armani, Calvin Klein all having stores here. In fact, the management says it has made a conscious decision not to allow McDonalds or KFC to set up stores in the mall.
Melbourne is a sport-crazy city and summer (from January to March) is a great time for fans to be there. The Australian Open draws a huge crowd, as does the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, which is home to traditional Boxing Day Test. Summer draws to a close with the Formula One’s Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park.
Sports aside, there is a heavy inflow of tourists to Melbourne round the year. Major sports events come one after the other, providing a good reason for people from all across the country to visit the city frequently.
Long-term legacy in place for Commonwealth Games
French poet Antoine de Saint- Exupéry once said that a goal without a plan is just a wish. Unfortunately for India, there was no proper planning on how to use the sporting facilities after the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games concluded. But for Australia that does not seem to be a problem.
The country has already come up with a well-thought-out plan to utilise the various stadia that will come up for the Commonwealth Games for 2018, in the Gold Coast.
The Games Village at the Gold Coast is being built for the 2018 Games
In March this year, the Queensland government released the Commonwealth Games Village Master Plan which clearly mentioned the legacy plan for the facilities that will come up. Even as the construction of the Village at Parklands is still in its initial stage, all the 1,200 apartments that will be coming up at the facility have already found investors.
The Games Village will be transformed into a residential complex and is expected to change the landscape of Gold Coast, which is a relatively new city in Australia. This is not just the case with the Games Village but for other venues as well.
The Commonwealth Games will bring up a range of sports facilities in the city and the Queensland government feels the best way to maintain the stadia is to make them available for the community.
This is a far cry from India’s Commonwealth sporting facilities, many of which are still inaccessible to the public Clearly, India could learn a thing or two from Australia.
Across the world, Foster’s is marketed as ‘Australian for beer.’ But reality is that if you walk into any bar in Australia and ask for a Foster’s, you will get a strange look from the person across the table and the answer would be a “No.”
Yes, the official Olympic beer for Australia at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics is way down the popularity list and is not even sold at majority of the bars Down Under.
Foster’s is brewed in the UK and as of today, most Australians will claim that there is nothing Australian about it.
As for what Australians choose to drink, VB, Carlton Draught and XXXX are the most popular beers here. In fact, beer lovers will truly enjoy themselves as they grab a beer and settle back to enjoy the sporting action.
Backpacker hostels ideal for tourists
Backpacker hostels offer a cheap but cheerful way to explore on a budget
Australia is one of the most favoured destinations for travellers from across the globe.
Backpacker hostels, especially, are a huge hit with tourists. There is a lot to explore Down Under, and backpacker hostels provide affordable stay along with a good cultural mix that tourists lap up.
Most of the major attractions in Melbourne are within walking distance of the Federation Square, which is where a number of backpacker hostels are.
The rooms are as per the requirements of the visitors and while a decent hotel in the heart of Melbourne will cost nothing less than AU$180 for a couple, backpacker hostels can provide a room for two at just AU$80.
Tourists can stash their own food items in the kitchen where anyone can come and cook their own meals with a huge dining space.
Facilities like snooker, internet and theatre within the hostels make the travellers feel at home. There are no restrictions on drinking in the dining area and tourists can enjoy drinks without shelling out money at the fancy restro-bars.
Four friends from Liverpool, England, have been on the road for the last three months and the backpacker culture in Australia has made their life a lot easier than they expected.
“For the last two months we have been travelling in Australia and majority of our stay has been in Melbourne. The backpacker hostels here are really good and they are very affordable as well,” said Stephen, a travel enthusiast.
