Monday 08/01 (2/2)
We arrive in Melbourne at 1:30pm. We first put everything in the Airbnb apartment (and we leave the kids there) and we go to return our Wicked camper. Not fully convinced by the experience but we’ll have to wait for a “real” camper before stating our position definitively. We come back by bus. We go to Woolies near the apartment and come back to the apartment around 4pm. We eat a sandwich.
The apartment is great; it’s in fact a serviced apartment. It’s on the 26th floor, in a modern area (Southbank) with plenty of buildings. It’s very modern. It’s so good to feel at home again, after 6 nights of camping. We can organize our things in the cupboards! And we can do a big laundry. Kids have spent nearly the whole day on their screens.
I prepare pasta for dinner.
Isabelle prepared the visit of Melbourne while I catch up a bit with my ‘to do’ list, until 1am.
Tuesday 09/01
As usual when we are in an Airbnb, we do 2 homeschooling sessions in the morning.
Isabelle prepares the visit of the city (places to see) while I focus on the restaurants. I usually try to find the best burgers in town, the best place for pizzas and one trendy restaurant for Isabelle and me), great ice creams shops, one activities for kids (movies, e.g) and one market. This time, I also try to find different places specialized in poké bowls.
After a salad, around 2:30pm, we go for a walk (‘Arcades & Laneways’ city walk of the Lonely Planet), in the center of Melbourne. Central Melbourne is a warren of 19th-century arcades and cobbled bluestone laneways featuring street art, basement restaurants, boutiques and bars. We see the nice Block Arcade (built in 1891, based on Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II arcade) and street art (in particular in Hosier and Rutledge Lanes).
We also do some shopping (school supplies for the kids). I go and see the food court of the QV Melbourne; nothing special. The weather is nice but not too warm; perfect to visit a city. Kids can choose their “treat” of the day: Florence patiently waits for the ice cream (at Gelateria Primavera, at the end of the walk), while Jules takes immediately a slush and Ludivine a healthy juice. We walk until 7pm (12/13 km).
We eat a burger at Betty’s Burger, recommended by Alexis. Very nice burger. Isabelle and I chose the option ‘without bun’ and our burgers are served in salad leaves; nice! Great burger. Thanks Alexis!
We come back around 8:30pm at home. Kids are in bed at 9:30pm and fall asleep immediately.
We work until 1am. Isabelle works on her vlog and I continue to find places to go in Melbourne.
