Landed and Livin' Large: Welcome to Melbourne

When last we spoke, I was packing up my things in a Shanghai hotel room, on my way to the airport to (hopefully) embark on the last leg of my trip to Melbourne. Despite cutting the departure time from the hotel a bit close for my taste, the bus got me there safe and sound, though I can't say the same for my smartphone , which is currently making a Chinese person somewhere in Shanghai very happy... But phone or no phone, I successfully boarded the plane, which was far more comfortable than the one that carried me from The States to China. Several naps, 2 meals, and a feature film later I touched down in Melbourne, Australia.

Success!

Summer Paradise

Once through customs, I was greeted by my great friends and former Chiang Mai roommates, Will and Elise, and the reunion was joyous. With visions of summer sun & heat dancing through my head during the weeks leading up to my journey, I was taken by surprise by the weather upon arrival: gloomy and rainy, with the temperature hovering in the mid 60's F. However, this slight disappointment was not enough to shake my good mood and sense of accomplishment, and time had finally come for my Oceania Exploration to begin in full.

See what Ian's been doing since he landed—and what's next!

Back together again, my friends and I took a shuttle to the city center, found a hostel to stay in for a few days, and set out to explore the city. All currently unemployed, we spent most of our time enjoying the best (ie free) things that Melbourne has to offer, from beautiful green public spaces, to complimentary WiFi at the nearby Victoria State Library, which is also certainly a beautiful public space. And after the first couple days, the erratic, chilly weather turned into beautiful blue skies and perfect sunny summer days, hot in the sun and cool in the shade. Definitely workin up a nice base tan.

One thing I quickly learned about Australia: EVERYTHING is expensive, some things almost comically so, and the high prices can be hard for someone as broke as me to dodge at times. But when there's a will there's a way, and I certainly saved a good chunk of change by cooking at the hostel with my pals while resisting all the awesome food and coffee littered around the city... there will be time for those things once a job starts happening (the search for which has also been a favored past time for me and my crew).

$12?? Ummm... maybe ill just have a fudgesickle...

 Getting settled somewhere new is not all always easy, and the uncertainty, discouragement, and inevitable rejections of a job/housing search in a new city seem to be a frustratingly inescapable pain in my ass the last few years. However, after a few weeks here, one thing remains clear: Melbourne is an AWESOME city to spend some time in. Everything you look for in a city as far as culture, character, livability, and vitality is found here, and around each corner is something new and great (and pricey) to take part in. Truly a special place to be, and the perfect time of year to be here. Its hard to say how long I will stay, but Melbourne has already surpassed the high expectations I had before arriving. Having since found casual employment with a couple restaurants and a short-term living situation with an awesome Indian grad student, I'm well on my way to makin Melbs happen.

Fitzroy, just outside of Melbourne city center, boasts an impressive Hipster-Per-Capita ratio

 For now I will leave you, with a promise of more frequent posts to come. What to look forward to: A series of posts on what makes Melbourne one of the best cities in the world, in addition to any chance adventures that happen my way. And, of course, pictures of stuff...

Happy Winter Solstice and a Merry New Calendar Year to All!!
See you in 2014