Melbourne & The Great Ocean Road

So Melbourne actually got off to a slow start. It was kind of a gloomy day, it took me the longest so far to find the hostel, and it wasn't in the center of town. Once I figured out the city though, where the center is, what the attractions are, where to hang out, etc, I liked it. Melbourne is more cultural and laid back than Sydney. I'm not sure I like it better than Sydney, but it's a nice contrast and change of pace.

One of the attractions in Melbourne was the Eureka Tower, which is the largest residential building in the southern Hemisphere. Basically they take you to the top floor and you can view the city and beyond from there. The view was amazing from up there, similar feeling as the top of a mountain, but this is the top of a city. That was definitely a great experience and well worth it. Another thing about Melbourne and Australia in general is that it seems to be big on cafes. I've never really gotten into cafes that much but I'm starting to adjust.

Anyway, I also stayed with a friend of my brother's, Rob, in Sandringham, 20 minutes outside Melbourne and got to meet and hang out with his friends. There were really cool. It was refreshing to chill with actual Australians, instead of just having quick conversations or chilling with other travelers. They showed me around town a little which was cool also.

An attraction near Melbourne is the Great Ocean Road, which is similar to what you would think (road along the ocean/sea). I did a one day tour of it and it was pretty good. The coastal view was great and it had some nice beaches along there as well. Plus, the Twelve Apostles was a pretty good attraction along that way with some nice scenery.

Next up...Canberra, and back to Sydney