Melbourne - Day 1 (Part 1) Melbourne here I come!!

During autumn 2017, I traveled solo to Melbourne to meet my travel mate Mariya from Perth. It was absolutely nerve wrecking because that was my first time travelling overseas by air by myself. It was also challenging for me to speak entirely in English because Mariya and I can only communicate with each other in English. Saying that I was nervous is an understatement of the year. I was the luckiest girl in the world that Mariya was the sweetest travel mate a girl could ask for.

Shaky pictures due to excitement

                                   

Since she was flying in from Perth (as in 5 hours of flight compared to my 8 hours flight from Kuala Lumpur) she waited for me at the arrival gate and the dramatic first time meeting happened. After a couple of minutes catching up, I was a girl on a mission to buy an Aussie SIM card. I tried to buy from Optus but the line was so long and rather not waste time in the airport. So I got my SIM card from Vodafone because the line was shorter.

Once outside, we immediately when to the sky bus counter and buy our tickets. I got my return ticket from the airport to Melbourne CBD for AUD 36. After 30 minutes ride from Melbourne Airport to Southern Cross Station in Melbourne CBD, we took the free shuttle ride to our accommodation.

                                                                      In the Skybus

Southern Cross Station

During our days in Melbourne we stayed at Greenhouse Backpackers, Flinders Lane. This hostel in my opinion was at the best location because it was right in the heart of Melbourne CBD. It was a few minutes from Federation Square, St Paul Cathedral and Flinder Street Station. I am a city girl, so I highly appreciate the walking distance between places and great public transportation that surround Melbourne CBD. We had a private room with shared bathroom and room was spacious with double-decker bed. It was a quiet room because the communal area was at a different level and does not disturb the rooms with the noise and there were elevators so you don’t have to drag your luggage to the stairs.  

Lucky for us, they allowed us to check in before 12 o’clock (check in time after 12 o’clock)and don’t worry if you are early and don’t want to drag your luggage through the city because you can drop your things at their luggage locker until you check in. During our check in at the counter, something heart stopping happened to me. After I gave my name to confirm my booking, the receptionist suddenly asked the money for the room. After having a minor heart attack for believing that I need to pay again for the room (since I already paid when I booked the room) I quickly cleared with the receptionist that I already paid for the booking. Only then he realized that he was mistaken and confirmed that my booking was already paid. What a way start of my travel adventure?? After paying for a holding fee of AUD 20, we settled our things into our room and ready to explore Melbourne CBD.