Hong Kong, Melbourne

Hong Kong
I stopped over in Hong Kong for a night before I flew back to the south hemispheres. My bags have increased to almost 20 kg now. It was a bit difficult to carry them around in HK, but hey I deserved it :$, I guess. The hospitality at my friends place has again been incredible. The father took us out for hot pot and also took me to the closest MTR the next day morning at 6:30am!

Summary

• No shopping... bags are too heavy to tempt me to buy more stuff
• Food: Hot Pot、金銀蛋瘦肉粥、蘿蔔糕 (finally after looking for it everywhere, I had it in the airport for breakfast)
  

Melbourne
My first impression of Melbourne wasn't great. Stupid custom, stupid long long queue and silly me carrying all my bags rather than taking the trolley :(. Oh! Exchange currency at airport wasn't great, either!

However, the city eventually changed my mind about it the next day. Melbourne is a really nice city. It's big and better than Auckland in many ways, but most importantly it's still manageable (London was so big that I found it too overwhelming). However, it was too HOT for me! I guess I have been travelling in winter for 6 and a half weeks, so it took me awhile to adjust to summer.

Summary

• The long queue wait at custom almost killed my back
• Strolling around the city all by myself got me really excited as it brought back the backpacking feeling.
• Melbourne is a really neat place with many cute alley ways and shopping is great here too. So many variety :)
• Victoria Market: It's probably one of my favorite places in Melbourne. There were so many cheap fresh fruit, which I know he would so love it. It was so dangerous though as I was surrounded by clothes, bags, shoes etc. I don't know how I managed, but I stayed strong and walk out of them without buying anything! I was so tempted though!
• Walking around Chinatown and many department stores made me so tired that I took not one but TWO naps on the sofa of the mall - Australia on Collins became my favorite napping place in Melbourne.
  
• St. Kilda
• She took me out for bag shopping in the morning and then I met up with him for LCD TV shopping. No Bags and of course, no LCD TV yet. However, I did promise them if I got one back in NZ, I'll have to take a picture. I can't believe that he talked me into buying a LCD TV in the end.
• Botanic Garden, Shrine Of Remembrance
• Jazz Bar: I don't normally like trumpet, but this guy is really good. The band wasn't playing my kind of Jazz music, but I can really appreciate their talent! Thank you for showing me the cultural part of Melbourne.
• Meetings: They both went really well. However, career isn't the only important thing in my life and there are other different considerations need to be taking into account for such major change. I will have to see what comes along in the next 6 months
• Australian Centre for the Moving Image
• Video: Black Sheep, Bavarian Invasion
• Food: Vietnamese food, Fresh fruit from the market (Nectarines, strawberry), not so good Tiro juice, Seafood pizza, Tim Tam cheesecake, Poached eggs on toasts at Degraves, Tia Maria with Coka, lasagna, Juicy dumpling, fried dumpling, dumpling, green tea 麻糬 ice cream, watermelon crash, Japanese food (Prwan rice paper rap, pancake, deep fried soft crab), eggs and becan roll, eel benton box, green tea ice cream