Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Arrived in Melbourne

Photobucket

Well, that was the last picture taken in Sydney. I really had a nice time there, but was ready to see Melbourne. I left a few articles of clothing and various free items from the Air New Zealand goody bag behind. I didn't want to have another issue with my luggage needing to join Jenny Craig before heading to the next destination. So, I left the lovely "Pink Bag of Fabulosity" back at the hotel. I'm sure the cleaning gal will enjoy that and the variety of small lotions/body washes/and travel tips that were inside.

Photobucket

The Sydney airport was really nice, with lots of people traveling in/out from all over. You even see wee travelers (like the one below with his little Super Mario Bros. backpack) around with their families. It's always fun to see so many people of all ages dragging their luggage around from palce to place, like me. My luggage passed its weigh-in and promptly scarfed down a snickers bar as it disappeared down into the luggage abyss.

Photobucket

I got to my hotel after a little bit of inner-city rush hour traffic and pulled my luggage through one of the doors, which promptly took me right through a main bathroom, then into the bar (it's a bar/hotel). My first thought was..."Hmmm...main entrance is through a bathroom...can't wait to see my room.". But, it turned out that I had entered a side door (whew!) and the main entrance was actually on the other side, which I had rolled right by....

Photobucket

My room is actually pretty nice. It's got kind of a rodeo/lodge feel to it, but it's upstairs, pretty large, has a TV, free wirelss internet connection, nice wood furnishings and a view over the back patio where the kids socialize. So, it's not too bad at all. The bar even has a "Star Trek: The Next Generation" pinball machine. It's not working, but it made me feel welcome just knowing it was there. The shared bathroom situation should be okay...bathroom is in one room and shower/sink in another. Both have lockable doors and appear to have been cleaned recently. Plus, they are both right around from my room, so pretty convienient all things considered.

Then...I met the Possum.

Photobucket

As I was downstairs telling the bartender about how I was hoping never to encounter those large Hunter spiders from Sydney, he said "Oh, have you seen the Possum?". I said that I had not, but that they didn't really bother me. He took me out back to the patio and there it was, up in the rafters of the patio cover...it looked more like a raccoon than our standard Los Angeles dog-sized possums with the scary long snouts and teeth. This one is a "local" here and you can even feed it peanuts ("Peanuts!"). It carefully hangs down, reaches out and takes the peanut from your hand, then goes back up into the rafter and eats it.

Photobucket

It is actually very cute and I just was about to try feeding it for myself (of course I watched the bartender feed it first), when he said "Oh, just don't irritate it or it might scratch or piss on ya'".

Piss on me?!

I thanked him for that advice, casually dropped the peanut back into the cannister and promptly went back into the bar and got another beer...

And stayed there until I was sure that the possum had headed off into the night.

5 comments:

Vampire Hours said...

Thanks for the recommendation. I'll definitely check that out while I'm here. =)

Unknown said...

While you were explaining how the possums in Los Angeles are terrifying huge rat like creatures with the disposition of drunk teamsters, did you mention that "Piss on you" is considered a suggestive overture to an evening of pleasure in some local circles? (see Faultline) Ah, the personal enrichment brought about by cultural exchange.

Anonymous said...

Gather my armies and follow them into the forest... leave no one alive... tonight, we destroy the resistance! ... Oh, whoops, wrong window... What I meant to say was, spend a day strolling around Yarraville, Ken. It's the "Short North" of Melbourne, Mate.

Vampire Hours said...

You do have a point there Roland. If anyone here gets some enjoyment out of being pissed on by the possum, I'll let you know. Hopefully I won't have the chance to find out. I'm planning to check out Yarraville this weekend for sure, Joel. Has someone been doing some online research on the interbots (in between plotting to overthrow the dark warlods of Gichy Goomey, of course)?

gonoles84 said...

Possums....so that's where Dame Edna gets it from. It's part of their local flava!