Flessenpost 9: Melbourne

(late January 2018)

Back in my old town, back to the city where it all began 5 years ago, back to the place I called home for 7 months, back to the location I first set foot on Australian soil, back to my first taste of Australian life and back to so many good memories.

When I think of Melbourne, I see us sitting on the roof of Unilodge, watching the sunset over Melbourne’s skyline. I think of the many pre-drinking games, I think of the walk from Unilodge to Brunswick St. with the usual midnight stop at this random kid’s playground full of possums, I think of the 7/11 where after a night out we always used to beg for free donuts or free food, I think of the campus we were hanging out in the sun, I think of the roadtrips we made in the weekends and last, but definitely not least, I think of the many people I have met during my stay there and the friends I have made for life!

I remember how more than 5 years ago I was waiting at Melb airport for the flight that would take me back to the Netherlands, thinking about the amazing half year and that I didn’t want it to end. I just couldn’t imagine there could be a life after Australia, where I had had the best time of my life, so I promised myself I would go back before I would turn 25. How naive does that sound now, so much has happened in the past 5 years, but o well here I am, back in Melbourne!

It surprised me how easy and quick it is to go from Sydney to Melb, almost like taking a train from Delft to Eindhoven. 15min train to the airport, walk to the gate, 1hr flight, 30min bus et voila I was in Melbourne CBD! Compare that with a 5min cycle ride, walk to the track, 1.5h train ride, 20min bus; my previous ‘transit’ from Delft to my parents.
This time I was in Melbourne to visit Charmaine, whom I met at the Christmas Surf Camp and spent some time with over the Christmas holidays in Sydney. Since I knew the Melbourne from 5 years ago and she knew the current city, we took each other on a city trip where I showed her around my old campus, while she showed me around St Kilda where she was living and I hadn’t spent that much time previously.

Being back in Melbourne was a different experience though, Carlton had changed into one big building site and didn’t feel like home anymore. But it somehow also still felt the same. QV market was as vibrant as ever and I realized how much I had missed that place. The market vendors extolling the virtues of their goods (STRAWBERRIES, 2 FOR 5 DOLLARS) and the weirdest range of products from live chickens to cheap kid’s toys from China. The rest of the weekend we spent eating dumplings, which I had actually tasted for the first time in Melb and had instantly become my no. 1 favourite food ever, chilled on rooftops, walked along the beach and had an hilarious night out. (It’s probably a good thing we didn’t go to my golden olden favourites Turf & Perseverance.)

Overall, being back in Melb, was still a good experience and I had a great weekend together with Charmaine, but it wasn’t like the old days. I definitely used to prefer Melbourne over Sydney; its artistic street arty style, its European hipster vibe. But now, I don’t know, I guess I really start to appreciate Sydney in all its diversity; from the many, many, different beaches to all the different neighborhoods with their unique vibe. But they say it’s the people that make the city and I completely agree. Most of my friends from my time in Melbourne left and the city just isn’t the same anymore…

One glorious sunset and short flight later and I was back at the town I happily call home now: Sydney. Back to that city, I actually did go back to before my 25th. Funny, how things can change.