Next I flew to Bendigo, about two hours north of Melbourne if you’re driving. My friend Lori met me at the airport-apparently the Bendigo airport is new and much of it is still under construction. The flight was on a commuter plane similar to the ones that fly out of my home airport. That meant I was only allowed one small bag in the cabin, so I ended up having to check my backpack. Had I known they handle this the same way we do in the USA, I could have kept it and dropped it at the gate. Several passengers did that, most likely because they commute frequently. Hindsight is 20-20.
The week was spent as Lori’s guest along with friends Tracy and Shawn. This was serendipity at work: after we had planned my visit, Lori’s boyfriend asked her to marry him, and the wedding coincided with my visit.
My experiences here won’t be much help if you’re looking for travel details. I was completely spoiled all week, with Lori and her fiancée hosting us grandly at their Bendigo and Melbourne homes.
Bendigo is a historic gold mining town of about 100,000 citizens. Just as in the US, there was a gold boom in the 1800s, drawing gold seekers from around the world. Today the city has retained much of the historic feel, with lovely verandas on houses decorated with lacy iron filigree. They have a historic trolley that allows you to see the town in less than an hour (or more if you want to get off and explore before reboarding the next trolley.) It’s also home to the largest Chinese dragon outside of China. They bring it out at Easter for a big parade; Google it!
Another thing they have is bats, which most of the locals would love to see gone. They’re known as grey-headed flying foxes (don’t ask me why-I don’t know!) They’re protected, but the population has exploded in the area and the smell of bat poo (not to mention the possibility of wearing some) is unpleasant. As a visitor, I was fascinated by watching them gather and fly in the evening.
We spent two days in Melbourne, where Lori was able to take us in a short walking tour of the central business district. Their home is in a high rise in the Southbank area, which is a lovely area on the Yarra River. The city has plenty of historic buildings mingling with new skyscrapers. There seemed to be little alleyways everywhere, all having interesting shops and dining tucked away. During the tour we had real New York pizza at Sal’s Pizza; it was excellent and authentic!
Melbourne’s Central Business District is filled with interesting alleyways and shopping venues. These fellows strike the hour, to remind you it’s time to catch the trolley home.
Before heading back to Bendigo, we visited the Queen Victoria Market. It’s similar to the many open markets in US cities, but this one has an enclosed building that has dozens of food vendors. Yes, you can get kangaroo meat here
Back in Bendigo, our last three days together were spent in wedding preparations and meeting family and friends of the groom. We had some concerns on Friday when the skies opened up and a drenching rain turned the streets into rivers. By the wedding day, however, it decided to cooperate and give us a lovely day for the balcony ceremony.
On Sunday the groom’s brother and his wife gave me a ride back to the Melbourne airport. Off to Christchurch, New Zealand tomorrow!
Travels with Billie 