We've finally made it to Melbourne! We got in late-ish on Friday after a long, weather-related redirect and rebooking in NZ, but here we are! Our mate Gareth has graciously set us up at his place in West Richmond (a suburb just east of the city central) and we've spent the past couple days walking the city and surrounding neighborhoods. So far, we absolutely LOVE Melbourne and can't wait to spend more time here later in our travels. We've found it to be a bit like Boston - very walkable, very laid-back, cultured, artsy, with a big emphasis on food and drink. We overheard some aussies mention in town that "coffee is the new wine." They certainly have enough coffee shops and cafes in Melbourne to caffeinate the world.
One of the coolest things about the city is that it's filled with hidden alleyways, side streets, and bars and restaurants that you can only find by wandering down random, seemingly dead-end paths. Graffiti is also legal here and is considered an art form, so the street art we've encountered (see Melbourne photos) is incredible and really adds to the slightly grungy but oh-so-cool artsy feeling of the city.
Happy Birthday to Ben! (We're celebrating with our new Melbourne friends tonight and Ben might whip out the Kookaburra song on his uke)