Happy First Day of Summer!

I originally titled this post "Longing for Melbourne" but have extended it in thinking that, truly, I am longing for a visit back Down Under. (Read all the way through and you will understand the title of this blog post.)

My partner and I traveled to Australia for the first time in March, 1996, to discover what the Sydney Mardi Gras was all about. We made travel plans a year in advance, and stayed in a hotel on Oxford Street, which is the main route of the Mardi Gras parade. I recall that we bought fresh fish earlier in the day from a vendor at Bondi Beach, and came back to our hotel which had a kitchenette. I prepared dinner, and my partner and I sat on the hotel balcony to eat and watch the parade.

Wow, what a show! We were very impressed, especially because they actually started on time and kept it moving -- so unlike gay parades in the U.S.

After the parade, we went out in our leather and walked to the grounds where an all-night party was held. We did a lot of man-watching, and enjoyed the whole affair. Every Aussie we spoke with was pleasant, friendly, helpful, and gracious. We got back to our hotel fairly early (as things go), about 2:00am. When we arose and looked out onto the street about 9am, we saw several people still staggering back from the party.

We thought Sydney was cool, but to be honest, we found another city in Australia captivating -- Melbourne. After Sydney, we rented a car and drove south. We stayed one night in the Australian Capital, Canberra, which is a deadly boring city -- much unlike Washington, DC. They roll the sidewalks up at 5pm sharp. Honestly, we could find only one restaurant that was open after 6pm for dinner.

We arrived in Melbourne the next afternoon, after a breathtaking drive on the Hume Highway. That's where I saw my first (but not last) mob of Kangaroos out in the wild. (Photo not from the road, but at a sanctuary in Queensland taken on another trip.)

Melbourne is a fascinating, wonderful city. It is laid out well, and easy to navigate. For me, that's a big deal because I get lost in a paper sack. We stayed with a friend who lived in a suburb east of the city.

We took our first drive on The Great Ocean Road that runs along the southern coast, and were constantly amazed at the breathtaking scenery.


We learned that Melbourne has such a good public transportation system that we really didn't need a car. We returned the "hired car" early, and bought day passes for the trains and trams. My partner is a "tram-aholic". We rode and rode and rode all over that wonderful area, and saw many things.

The Melbourne Zoo was terrific, as when we arrived, an Emu greeted us and took us on a personal tour. I saw my first platypus at the Platypusary. The Fairy Penguins were adorable, both at the zoo and one night when we saw them in the wild.

We enjoyed a visit to the Laird, a local leather bar full of fun guys. They made us feel very welcome, and wouldn't let either of us buy a drink all night. We met many very fine men who were very interesting to speak with, and nice to look at, as well.

Subsequently, we have gone back to Australia seven times. Each time we went, we would pick out a new place to visit, as well as return to Melbourne. We just love the place. The people are very friendly. The town is clean, well-maintained, and the public transit is outstanding in its huge service area, its frequency and affordability.

Regretfully, the last time we were there was in 2004. That visit included an absolutely unbelievable train trek on The Ghan from Melbourne via Adelaide to Alice Springs. Then we hired a car and drove to Uluru (Ayers Rock) then flew on to and Townsville, Brisbane, and then home. Right after that visit, my partner had his first of several surgeries on his hips. Now he is unable to travel by air. He just cannot sit in a plane for a long ride, even if we travel in the Business or First Class sections. Further, he was so humiliated when we returned from IML in Chicago in May, 2007, by being subjected to a thorough, personally invasive search at security because his prosthetic hip set off the magnetometer, he refuses to consider being subjected to that treatment by the TSA again.

As the weather chills here in North America, and as I see visitors to my blog from Melbourne and my blog pal Sue from Brisbane drop in for a check, my heart longs to return to that magical, wonderful country and its southern city of Melbourne with its great vistas, wonderful friendly people, and great things to do and to see. After all, today is the first day of Summer in Australia! Hmmm... I can imagine my gorgeous partner in a Speedo at the beach ... but I digress!

My Aussie friends remind me that "your seasons are timed according to the astronomical calendar instead of using meteorological seasons, and are backwards." But our Aussie friends excuse us because we are upside down and therefore cannot think as clearly as they can since they are on the "right" side of the Earth.

Life is short: keep the dream alive! Happy first day of summer to my friends and blog visitors from the Great Land of Oz!