Melbourne! Day 1, Part 1: Arrival and Queens Victoria Market

It was unfortunately a full flight. I was already tired shortly after the flight took off and Zaky soon joined me in the interrupted journey to lala land. 

Zaky had reminded me time and again to wake him up for dinner. I was dozing on and off and was awake when dinner was served. I skipped dinner and tried waking Zaky. He woke up and told me that he didn't want dinner. At least I was nice enough to save him his favorite bun. 

I is nice. 

Daddy Lim was waiting eagerly for dinner and woke Nana up for dinner. She was half asleep and tucking in. 

Zaky woke up at 3am SGT, which was about 6am. The sun was right just peeking out from behind the clouds. 

He then asked if dinner was served. Yes. Did I wake him up? Yes. Then why didn't he get to eat dinner? He totally had no recollection of him refusing dinner and was upset that he didn't get to eat dinner. *palm-face*

The bun saved half the day.

He was still upset when he found out from the rest how good dinner was and how Daddy Lim had 2 servings of ice cream. Lol. 

Finally, we saw land. 

Monkeying around as we wait to disembark. 

Arriving safe and sound!

We were all sleep deprived but spirits high. I reminded Daddy Lim to sleep on the plane. He said that he wasn't able to but I think he just wanted to binge watch movies and proudly told me that he caught 3. Zzzz.. the rest of us average 3 to 4 hours of interrupted sleep. 

Immigration was fairly easy and so was the luggage clearance. We declared as needed and there was no extensive check. We got the Myki card from the vending machine and haven't figured a way how to get the unused value refunded. Then it was the pre-purchased SkyBus to Melbourne City. Nobody even checked the tickets we got from Klook. Hmmmm. 

The SkyBus ride was about 20 mins and that was the easiest part. The plan after we alighted is to take the free tram 35 to somewhere near to our hotel. We 1st had to find the right tram station and Aunty S brought us to the stop safely with the help of Google map. 

At the stop, we panicked a little bcos the electrical board indicated that the next tram 35 will arrive on Sunday, 9.50am??!!?? We checked Google and saw that tram 35 runs daily at 30 mins interval. We waited and waited and waited and there was no tram 35. Plan B kicked in and this time, Daddy Lim took over. We also figured out that it is not only tram 35 is free but generally the trams are free if we travel within the free tram zone, which essentially is the city area.

The waiting got us, who are already sleep deprived, very tired. We had to change a tram and there was a long wait and very cranky people overall.

The stop that we alighted was right outside the free tram area but we didn't tap the Myki card bcos we didn't know how to. There was something about tapping the card when the tram is exiting the free tram zone and we are still intending to travel beyond. We only figure out that we were already outside the free tram zone after we alighted.  Apparently, not figured out yet. The hotel, Arrow on Swanston, is right next to the tram station. The whole "adventure" took us almost 2 hours. 

Checkin was only at 2pm. We left the luggages at the hotel and had to make some changes to our plan. The original plan was to visit the Fitzroy market, which closes at 2pm. Without much time left, and the high possibility if getting lost, we decided to go to the Queens Market instead bcos it is nearer and stays open until late afternoon. We also got hungry people to feed.

I was more interested in the food than crafts. The market feels somewhat like a combination of out wet market (much cleaner, dryer and bet.ter smelling) and atas pasar malam. 

We walk, we eat and we shop. 

Zaky bought prezzie, Nana bought kiwis and souvenirs for her friends. 

Whatever Daddy Lim and I bought simply went into the tummy. Lol. This donut cart is famous. 

The donut balls were still hot when we got them. Not very healthy but we are on vacation!

It was about 2pm. We didn't spend too much time at the market. The plan for the afternoon was an art street self walk tour an then dinner at the Southbank. We were in no condition to do any kind of walking tour and decided that the only right thing is to go checkin to the hotel and have a rest. 

Mummy Lim