The Name's Bourne- Melbourne


“So Melbourne? Is it bourne as in ‘Bourne Ultimatum’ or ‘Bourneville’ or ‘Bournvita’?” my friend laughed.
“I don’t know. It’s that city somewhere in Australia. The one where Chak De was shot.”
“Hmm..ok..so what about it?” 
“Anything interesting... I am writing my first imaginative travel blog entry and it needs to include my dream tour of the city and I know nothing about the place.” 
“I am not sure but I think the place has got something to do with penguins…” 
“Penguins? Are you sure? Weren’t penguins confined to Antarctica?” 
“Yes. That’s why I am not sure. Check wiki.”
The conversation with my friend lasted just a few minutes. The impact of it is this blog entry. I Googled ‘Penguins in Melbourne’ and hola! Yes! There are penguins in Australia! Amazing new discovery. I am proud of myself! Haha…
One thing led to another and ultimately I was on the wikitravel page for Melbourne. As I went through the ‘Eat’, ‘See’ and ‘Do’ details, my knowledge about the city increased (otherwise why would I be reading about it anyway), but more than that, I was suddenly having a craving for setting out and going on an immediate trip to this place. There was so much about it that intrigued me to read more and more and I was amazed by each little detail that followed.

‘Like the Willy Wonka one? Are you kidding me?’ my friend asked.

I wasn’t. Melbourne actually has a real chocolate factory full with the largest chocolate waterfall and games and exhibits all made of pure delicious chocolate! The Phillip Island Chocolate Factory it is. Not something I can stop my mouth watering from by just reading about it. But will there be Willy Wonka? I guess I will have to go there to find out.

Phillip Island is also home to some of the best and most beautiful scuba diving destinations in the world. After my recent foray into adventure tourism and my urge to indulge in everything adventurous, how can I miss this treat? But yeah, somebody please teach me how to swim before I dive! :D

“There are more adventure things I can do. Probably I shall go ballooning over the skyline of Melbourne”, I tell my friend, “And perhaps go skiing or snowboarding at the nearby resorts. I will get to touch and play with real snow!”

I laugh at the jealous tone of my friend’s voice as I continue reading more about the wonders this city offers.

Wiki tells me, Melbourne is often called the cultural capital of Australia, with its many art galleries, film festivals, orchestras, choral and opera productions, vibrant live music scene, and a strong food, wine and coffee culture. People in Melbourne tend to dress up more than in Sydney, partly due to the colder climate. Many bars and clubs have strict dress regulations, such as requiring collars and dress shoes for men. Particular events to note include the Melbourne International Film Festival in August, the International Art Festival in October, and the Melbourne Comedy Festival in April.

The Flinders Street Railway Station is  one of the defining landmarks of Melbourne. It was seen in Salaam Namaste. ‘The main entrance is known for several clocks hanging over it, and is a popular meeting spot for locals.’ I don’t think that’s something worth missing out on…!

“But dude, what about the penguins?” my friends asks.

That takes me back to Phillip Island. The place has a Penguin Parade which one can see every morning and evening. At sunset, penguins come out from the sea and walk to their nests- a scene straight out of the Happy Feet movie- not one to miss.

“And food?” 
“The wiki page lists a huge list of cuisines that the city offers. And I mean it when I say ‘huge’. I can try all different cuisines for every meal and from the looks of it, I don’t think that would be something that I am ever going to forget to do if I am there”, I laugh. 
“Melbourne looks like a cultural hub similar to Delhi. Only bigger and more enchanting,” my friend tells me. 
“Perhaps only a visit to the place can justify this ‘enchanted-ness’. And let’s see, when I come back I might tell you, Dude…it’s your time to visit Melbourne NOW!” :)

This entry has been written for IndiBlogger’s Visit Melbourne Contest in association with Visit Melbourne

Comments

  1. hehehe!!first ever entry that lead me to wikipedia!!! :D
    nicely put!:)
    n that adds another destination to my post-internship trip(u are aware of the torture they do to us,so no hopes leaving for a trip before that!:\
    )

    ReplyDelete
  2. hehehe! quite a peppy post indeed.... and Mel- Bourne is a good one! My entire focus would have been on the penguins too (did not know about the chocolate factory - thanks!!. You do have a 'dhasoo' blog. All the best!

    http://lafemmenirvana.blogspot.in/2012/08/vacation-fit-for-god.html

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

All spam comments with backlinks from bots/individuals will be deleted. So please don't waste your time by posting spam.