My entire life I classed myself as a small town person, and I was happy with that. I enjoyed living in Darwin, which is by all measurements of the fact a small town, and even when we lived in Bali (which is not really a small town), much of our lives was centred around Sanur, at the time hardly a bustling metropolis. I even once lived on Great Keppel island for 4 months, population 2o-something people, my favourite small town ever.
So, some people were surprised when Dean and I announced we were moving to Melbourne. I can’t say I didn’t have my doubts about the move, but we’re more than a year in now and it’s been a pretty great adventure. The thing that I like about Melbourne is that there always seems to be something new to do: some new place to walk, to eat or to explore. That’s one thing that small towns definitely don’t have. A small town is all about the comfort in the familiarity, but I kind of like the excitement of the new. This feeling was aptly summed up on a recent day out in Melbourne, which I just happened to have my camera for.
It started with breakfast at a cafe near the Queen Victoria Markets. My little brother (now considerably bigger than me and little in name only) was visiting Melbourne with his girlfriend in order to see me… Actually he was coming for a concert but a big sister takes the opportunities when she can get them. Breakfast in the classic Melbourne hipster cafe, complete with freshly picked native flowers, soy lattes, and quiet jazz.
Then it was onwards for a wander around the Queen Victoria Markets, a Melbourne institution and such a classic with Dean and I that we’ve visited at least monthly since moving down here. A plethora of fruits and vegetables, the babbling sound of grocery vendors and tourists milling around. Nothing better on a Melbourne weekend morning if you ask me!
Bidding farewell to the little brother, we went almost directly (via a haircut) to our next catch up of the day – such social butterflies – with our friend I who was about to jet off from Melbourne to Europe for the holiday of a lifetime, and her sister J, another Melbourne local.
(You probably remember I from such other adventures as our trip to Gunlom, that cute dog photoshoot, and this delicious looking breakfast experience… and past rituals of morning iced coffees.)
This meant another meal (we are the millennials you’ve heard stories about) and a nice little wonder around Ascot Vale, which is frankly lovely and gives me all the happy Melbourne suburb feels. Believe me, if I could get the place we have now in Ascot Vale, I would definitely do it! Oh well, in the meantime I’ll just have to have my wanders, peek into little street side libraries, and marvel at the changing leaves.
Oh and just a moment of appreciation for the suave guy in his new ‘Hans Gruber Memorial Base Jump’ t-shirt, fresh from celebrating his 29th birthday. Corny as anything, but I do love him!
So there you have it, Melbourne delivering again on a great day out (that was only half done, we still had time to spend a glorious afternoon kicking back and relaxing), with fantastic catch ups, delicious food, and some really nice pictures. What can I say? I’m a small town convert!
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