There’s something about Melbourne that draws you in and makes you fall in love with the bustling city, a kind of magic that my boss and I experienced during our recent trip.
When the International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) was cancelled in early February, Bec and I decided to go ahead and visit Melbourne anyway. Our flights and accommodation were already booked, and we were way too excited to cancel. Conference or no conference, the girl’s trip had to go ahead.
Day 1 saw us arrive to beautiful weather and after a short 30 minute taxi to our apartment, we landed at the doorstep of our Collins Street accommodation. I almost fell over when I walked through the door of our 45th floor stay.
Floor to ceiling windows wrapped around the entire apartment with views over the city and bay. I for one have never stayed in accommodation even remotely as nice as this.
With the excitement of arrival, we quickly ducked to the bottle-o and got ready for our first night out.
A lovely guy at reception suggested Rooftop Bar on Swanston Street as our first stop, so we jumped on the tram and made our way there. Packed full of people, smiles and drinks galore, Rooftop Bar was the place to be on a Saturday night in Melbourne.
This is where the magic of Melbourne comes in. I don’t know why but every time I’ve been to Melbourne, this time included, everyone is so damn nice. On a night out in Newcastle you’ll be hard-pressed not to come across a snobby person or two, but in Melbourne absolutely everyone we spoke to was extremely nice, helpful and went out of their way to help us find new spots for a beverage. Is there something in Melbourne’s drinking water? Do they breathe happier air? I don’t know, but it’s great.
After dozens of drinks and a few more bars, we retired to the apartment to rest up for day 2.
Needless to say, we woke up with some pretty dirty hangovers, but that wasn’t going to stop us from hitting up Melbourne’s Crown Casino.
I was thrilled to have my first ever turn at Roulette and even more thrilled after my first win. Bec and I had a blast until our wallets were dry and it was time to head back to bed.
On our final day, we went for a scenic walk throughout docklands to the Spencer Outlet Centre for some retail therapy before having a lovely Italian lunch at a nearby restaurant on the water. Then it was time to head to the airport and head home.
We had a fantastic time in Melbourne and enjoyed the endless amounts of bars, restaurants and smiling faces. Trams make it easy to get to where you need to go and are free if you take the city loop. There’s loads of activities from the aquarium to boat hire so there’s always something new to do. If you haven’t experienced the magic of Melbourne for yourself, you’ll have to add it to the bucket list.
