After a 24 hour delay, we set off once again for Melbourne. Much to my relief, there were no flames coming from the engines of the new plane. Round after round of drinks and tiny pretzels paced the 16 hour flight and assisted the complimentary movie screen in slowing the progression of insanity that comes from sitting in one spot for too long. All jokes aside, the flight was as painless as a flight can be and included the best food that I’ve had on a plane.
Leaving the terminal provided one of the first reminders that we were in a different place. As I wheeled my suitcase toward the exit, I met continual resistance. People were walking straight at me; Australians walk and drive on the left like they do in the UK. I quickly moved to the left side of the sidewalk to follow along with everyone else.
We reached our hostel and went straight off into the city. The size of the city was undeniable. Buildings sprouted from the earth in tight clusters and stretched skyward. They towered high above and cast shadows into the inner city. The wind occasionally gusted and chilled me more than I would expect from an Australian summer day. The architecture was absolutely stunning. The city planners took extra care to make each skyscraper unique. Here was a building with a wavy exterior and there was one with a middle that was star shaped. One was purple and another was shaped like a staircase. There was no shortage of variety.
The closer I got to the CBD (Central Business District or downtown), the more I had to remind myself to walk on the left. People pressed in from all directions and each sidewalk held hundreds. Each time I crossed the street, I looked in the wrong direction. The sound of trams rolling down the center of the major roads mixed with the voices of thousands and was topped by the high pitched ticking sound that indicated when one could use the crosswalk. I was in a tornado of human experience.
While I intend to stay in Melbourne only a short while, I can say that it will truly be my loss to leave it any earlier than I have to.
