If there’s one thing you have to check out in Melbourne, it’s the alleys. I know, I know — it’s not the most popular advice for visiting a new city. More often, dark alleys are best avoided, right? Melbourne truly is an exception to…
For most of the four months I spent in Melbourne, I lived in an incredible little apartment in the heart of St. Kilda. It had plenty of problems: a washing machine and dryer that just barely functioned most of the time, hot water that…
Australia Destinations Melbourne & Victoria
Into the Woods: Day Tripping from Melbourne to the Dandenongs
At heart, I’m not exactly a city girl. I grew up moving around the States every couple of years, bouncing from one version of suburbia to another. With the exception of Atlanta, we tended to live on the outskirts of smaller cities: Cincinnati, Chesapeake, Fort…
Whenever I travel to new cities, I tend to seek out certain constants. The landmarks cities are known for aren’t necessarily my sightseeing priorities. As a traveler who daydreams about living almost everywhere I go, I prefer sussing out the local vibe. I look…
Australia Destinations Melbourne & Victoria
Melbourne Neighborhoods: Where to Eat and Drink in St. Kilda
I’m finally moving on. Melbourne’s been nothing short of incredible to live in, and I know I’ll always look back on St. Kilda in particular as one of the coolest neighborhoods I’ve ever called home. Still, it’s time to leave. In a country as…
If there’s one thing you should know about my trip to Australia so far, it’s this: I love Melbourne. So much so that I stuck around for over a month longer than I’d planned, suffering both increasing cold (winter is decidedly not my thing) and diminishing…
So, I live across the street from penguins. Yes, real penguins! And no, you haven’t missed anything — I’m still living in Melbourne. Believe it or not, Australia is actually home to the world’s smallest species of penguin. Here, they’re known mostly as fairy or little penguins;…
Australia Destinations Melbourne & Victoria
Wining and Dining (but Mostly Wining) on Our Yarra Valley Tour
When I first moved to Melbourne and started reading up on all the must-do touristy experiences, I got my heart set on one in particular: Yarra Valley. Not surprisingly, most of my hostel crew was also down to visit the valley. After all, who…
There’s something magical about the beginning of a road trip. It’s that high that comes from leaving obligations behind and hitting the highway with the windows down and music blasting — when it’s just you, your friends and all the freedom of the endless…
About a month ago (and just in time, as in turned out, to catch the last few days of hot, sunny summer!), seven of us rented a minivan and headed for the Great Ocean Road. After over three months in Australia, it was my…