(Aussie)^3 (Oi)^3

Kavita arrived in Melbourne on Australia Day, commemorating the kangaroo's defeat at the hands of convicts, or something... Actually, I think it's to celebrate when the British established Australia as a penal colony.  So there were BBQs and picnics and parties.  But that's everyday in Australia.  So in a way, Australia Day celebrates what Australians do everyday.

Kavita checked into the Novotel in Glen Waverley, a suburban Melbourne suburb.  It's everything you'd expect a suburb to be... strip malls, lots of parking, movie theaters and bowling alleys.  This was to be our home for the next month...

Glen Waverly CBD

I arrived the following day, taking the airport shuttle downtown, and then taking a train to the Glen.  I did observe that a certain superhero is quite popular at the downtown train station.

Cafe at Southern Cross Station

I arrived at the hotel and what did I do?  You guessed it, I set up the wireless router in the hotel room.  The Novotel is especially strict about how many internet connections they give you, so this was essential.

Our first day together in Melbourne!  Let's explore!  Despite still being a bit jetlagged, having been in 4 different timezones in the past week, we dragged ourselves downtown for the Aussie experience.  Would we see a kangaroo?  Will someone throw a shrimp on the barbie?  Will I turn into a dingo and start eating babies?  Oh, fun with stereotypes!

Happy Hour along Yarra River

 We boarded a train, hoping it was heading to the CBD, which is Australian for "downtown".  We found this out when we asked a local if the train was heading downtown, and he had no idea.  Stupid locals.  Or so we thought!  The train was in fact heading towards both downtown and the CBD, so we made our way to Young and Jackson, for our first Aussie pint.  No Fosters here (or anywhere), so I ordered a Carlton Draught, which  is Australian for Carlton Draft.  We then walked along the Yarra River that runs along the CBD, enjoyed a few local happy hour spots, and explored food options.

Kangaroo steak

We grabbed dinner at one of the many riverfront restaurants in Melbourne, the name escapes me.  The food was alright, nothing too special, but certainly memorable as it was my first encounter with a kangaroo.  It tasted alright, a bit like deer, but definitely a weird experience, as I've always known kangaroos as animals first, food second.  But I'm happy to say that now I think of kangaroos as food first.  Our first day in Melbourne couldn't've ended on a higher note.