Fashing it up in Fitzroy

This place name is the only one that stuck since my friend told me that it’s basically a street filled with vintage shops. Luckily for me, this is also Luke’s idea of heaven.

After missing our tram stop due to a crazy woman distracting us with her Dame Edna style voice, making demands at people on the tram to help her with her shopping trolley (which Luke ended up helping her with.) We should’ve known we’d headed to the quirkier side of town when she was described as being as ‘mad as a cut snake’, along with a string of other expletives from a fellow passenger, who looked like he’d had a few too many already at 11am. I so wish I could’ve filmed it!

We headed back towards the high street, which is made up of buildings that look like they belong to an Old American Western-style film set. Run down and faded, I like the colonial nostalgia of them. Luke, on the other hand, is in awe of the classic cars that keep passing us. From 1950’s Cadillacs to old Ford Chevrolets in pristine condition, it’s like we’ve stepped back in time.

After browsing a couple of the vintage shops, I have to stop myself. I literally spot so many retro delights in each of them, it’s teasing me. I’m now wishing that I hadn’t brought so many clothes with me as I’m definitely going to have to stock up here before heading home. It looks like the post office here will see nearly as much of me as the Tottenham Court Road one did. Instead of sending off my ebay items, I’ll be shipping things off to myself back home!

Aside from retrophilia drawing us into this suburb, it has the best bars we’ve seen so far.

Unlike the contrived hipster pub/bars back in London that started to pop up here, there and everywhere - Fitzroy’s tucked away hang outs look like they’ve literally been rummaged together out of dilapidated bricks and mortar, then accessorised with furniture remnants that their neighbours no longer need. Sure, we considered how many tarantulas and giant ants might be nesting underneath the velour upholstery but that’s why we chose to drink in Little Creatures Dining Hall in the end. This was a good compromise. Set in an old yet airy brewery, the mess hall style eatery has cute little break out areas, with rocking chairs and crochet blankets (the latter always wins me over!)

 

Naturally, the whole bar is centred upon selling their home-brewed craft beers but I’m a sucker for a hoppy pale ale so I was in my element!

If, like me, you like spending a Sunday afternoon strolling around London’s Brick Lane, then this is definitely the place to hang out. If, like me, you also like to visit there, rather than live there – you’ll understand why we ruled out flat hunting here too.

Backpacking vs flashpacking

Summer time anywhere makes you want to head to the beach.

The most convenient coastal location here has to be St Kilda and we’d heard both good and bad reviews about the place. Interestingly, the rave reviews had come from people back home who had been travelling over here about five years ago and we got why, once we’d headed over there.

A Gumtree ad I had seen as soon as we had arrived in Melbourne, is what led us over to St Kilda so soon and I’m so glad, because it is this trip that made us realise that we definitely didn’t want to live there.

We were introduced to the lively backpacking district by a bohemian guy who makes his living renting out places that can only be described as squalor. When shown the first room that he was renting out for (wait for it…) $425 a week, I had to try my hardest not to show my thoughts via my facial expression (something that I find tricky at the best of times.) The room was littered with crumbs; stains on the carpet, kitchen drawers hanging off their hinges and what can only be described as grime that had congealed together, living in the air vents. Looking around at the dog eared sofa, scuffed walls and yellow stained mattress, I thought I might cry.

After barely saying a word, I think the guy could tell that I wasn’t exactly impressed by the place. To reassure me, he said that he thought we’d prefer the second property, which was his favourite. And this one was a ‘bargain’ at $400 a week.

Driving up a sloped drive, we arrive at what looks to be a run-down motel. A two tiered building that has wrought iron shutters over the windows and bug shielding doors. I try to keep an open mind but I know straight away that if this is how we need to live, then I need to head home. Fast!

Admittedly, this second place wasn’t as bad as the first but it was still the most basic, tatty around the edges, room. You couldn’t even shut the windows and as for the bathroom – this was a like a dingy hole that you wouldn’t even want to shower in at the public baths. I’ll give it to the guy who rents these places out, he really does try and PR them well, pointing out the most remote ‘nice’ features – he could give Phil and Kirsty a run for their money. But, he doesn’t pull the wool over our eyes.

Fortunately, me and Luke are on the same page here. Neither of us want to live like backpackers again (at least not for a long stretch of time.) With this in mind, we head back to the CBD and make a pact that we need to find somewhere ten times nicer than those places or we head back home together.

Finding our feet

After booking an initial three night stay at a Travelodge chain in the Docklands area - we began to realise that maybe we'd been a little ambitious.

Arriving in the midst of some freaky storm weather, the miserable, grey skies began to reflect our dampened spirits as we were on a bit of an anti-climax. I guess, a big part of the adventure is building up your expectations prior to your arrival. But, without a real plan - no permanent home, no job and not an awful lot of money behind you - the scale of what you've got yourself into begins to dawn on you.

The first day (Wednesday 7th) was spent tracking down a Medicare centre, where we could each apply for a Medicard - this is the Aussie's equivalent to our NHS access, it would seem. Waiting in line, along with a bunch of other travellers; expats and migrants, we were pleasantly surprised at the high level of service on offer; this was definitely not like the local benefits centre back home! After only an hour of waiting, this was all in order and we could even organise for this to be sent to our hotel.

Afterwards, we made our way to the Commonwealth bank, where we had set up bank accounts, prior to our arrival. All you need is the welcome letter they e-mail you, along with your ID and the cash card is ready to collect! Unlike home, they do not require proof of address and the whole process is super simple (providing you have a relevant visa granted.)

Health and banking = check

Accommodation = pending

Travelodge double room - $103 per night (not expensive in Melbourne CBD terms but extortionate on our budget - still, only a little more pricey than staying in a hostel.)

The loooooongest journey ever!

 

Leaving home is always the hardest thing about travelling.

 

Actually, even leaving home (back in Yorkshire) after a weekend spent with my friends and family has been enough to make me cry on a suicidal Sunday journey back to London. With this in mind, I'm not quite sure how I managed to board the plane from Manchester airport last Tuesday (6th January.) This; along with my extreme fear of flying, was never going to prepare me well for a 27 hour journey.

 

Already dreading the 15 hour flight to Singapore, followed by a 5 and a half hour wait in the airport, followed by an 8 hour flight to Melbourne - you can only imagine my terror when me and my boyfriend were told that we have a surprise connection in Munich. Most people might despair at the extra hours added to the journey. For me, all I could think about was taking off and landing THREE times in 24 hours.

 

Travelling through several time zones in such a tight space of time really does send your body into AWOL.

 

Being offered breakfast when all I want is sleep; all I really wanted was an alcoholic drink to try and top up the anaesthetising effects of the beta blockers I'd been prescribed to try and 'take the edge' off the turbulence, which we seemed to be experiencing every ten minutes.

 

Needless to say, when we finally touched down safely in Melbourne - I thanked every one of my lucky stars to have arrived safely, in one piece.

 

 

Return flights from Manchester to Melbourne with Singapore Airlines, purchased from STA travel(includes 3 date change multiflex pass) £1194 per person