This trip was more than just ticking another item on my list of must-see places.
It’s April and it’s conference time for our church Planetshakers. And last April 2019 was my first Melbourne conference. And my first trip to Australia as well.
So here’s a glimpse of we spent our 7 days in Melbourne:
On the same plane as us were our friends from church.
We stayed in the CBD for the convenience exploring the city and going to and from Melbourne Arena, which was the venue for the conference.
They say everything is walkable in the city. So that’s exactly what we did: walked around and see where our feet will lead us
and get on the tram, which is free within the city, when we got tired.
Some of the iconic buildings actually reminded me of Europe. Prague, mostly.
(See my post on Prague here.)
Melbourne in April had the perfect weather. It was cold, but not the unbearable kind of cold.
Prior to going on this trip, I was already given a heads up by some of my friends that food in Melbourne is amazing, and it‘s so ironic that Asian food there is better than in most Asian countries I’ve been to.
Along the way, we bumped into this cute doggo
and she melted my heart.
But I also had a not so pleasant encounter with some dogs.
This one, for example.
This poor baby was left outside the South Melbourne Market.
It wasn’t just 5 minutes that he was tied up there. 😦
I mean, okay. I understand some people want to walk their dogs and do errands at the same time, but please don’t leave them alone and tied up. Especially when it’s raining and/or cold.
Yes, dogs have fur. But they also feel cold.
This lovely boy was shivering. And could barely walk.
He snuggled up to me for warmth.
I think I stayed with him for a good 30 minutes and his owners weren’t back yet. 😦
Again, please don’t leave your dogs tied up and alone while you do your errands.
Some places we explored outside the CBD:
South Melbourne Market.
We took a tram from the city going there.
I love how rustic the surroundings look.
It feels.. Quaint.
To locals, these are probably just their everyday view. To foreigners and tourists like us, it’s the perfect background for an Instagram-worthy photo. Hahaha.
Walking into the South Melbourne market, all I could think of were oysters. Mainly because that’s what most of our friends were highlighting.
And so at 11 in the morning, we dug in.
The hype did not disappoint.
(Our friend Liz’s face could testify to that.)
And who am I kidding when I said I could still go on a diet while I was there?
Okay. I did have ONE must-do in Melbourne: TO SEE THE PENGUINS.
And so we braved the cold winds as we made our way to St Kilda Beach
and walked towards the pier to see them.
We had front-row view to a beautiful sunset
and the penguins themselves! We were told to keep at least 2 ft of distance from the penguins.
They were the cutest! It was definitely worth the trip.
During another free day, we joined the Great Ocean Road tour (Can’t not do anything touristy, right? Haha.)
On the tour, we passed by a few beaches,
ranges to see kangaroos and koalas (wasn’t able to see any though)
and walked along the Otway Rainforest.
Still gotta have my coffee though. Haha!
It’s always nice to see in real life some of the sights you only see in postcard.
The 12 Apostles was as breathtaking as they said it is!
It’s not the easiest to take clear photos and selfies ’cause of the hundreds of tourists there though.
Just gotta look for the right timing haha.
The Shipwreck Coast and Loch Ard George were must-see as well.
Be sure to read the signages around to know more about the history of the place.
Alright, travel and touring aside, what we really came for was this: The Planetshakers Rain Conference.
Every encounter I had with Him just blew me away. I heard Him clearer than before. I felt His love and presence in ways I have never before. I witnessed miracles. I heard His voice louder than before.
Needless to say, it changed my life.
What made it even better was I got to experience it all with my husband. 🙂
Can’t wait for next year’s conference. 🙂
@samanthaawrites 