Hello,
My next (cycling) trip is in just over a week - from Seymour to Wangaratta via rail trails. However, went down to Melbourne for Easter and strangely enough a few things happened....
Public Transport
On the trip to Melbourne, waiting at Wangaratta station for the train saw a 10 year old kid in pajamas and bare feet with his mother. Not sure whether he got on the train but he is off to a good start in life.
Just looking at my Vline ticket I noticed for the first time it says not to expose the ticket to heat or sunlight. It must be really sensitive paper. Might be difficult to comply with in Summer as I don't have any control over the weather, the sunlight thing might be a bit of a challenge too. I wonder whether it's a defence to say to the conductor I would love to show you my ticket but I can't show you it because I am not allowed to expose it to sunlight.
On a suburban train in Melbourne my ears were physically assaulted by two train geeks standing behind me discussing trains and timetables (what's worse it appears they worked for Metro too). Well, it actually was more like shouting at each other than a discussion. They are either deaf (because of the trains?) or are station announcers. On the same train somebody came on at Parliament with an ice hockey stick. On another occasion at Hoppers Crossing station saw some people taking selfies of themselves:"here I am at the train station".
Attending the Soccer
One of the things I do when I come to Melbourne is go and see the soccer (I am a Melbourne Victory member). The last match I attended there were a few more things going on around me in the crowd than there usually is. There was the person in front who was looking at his mobile phone for the entire match. I don't think he was interested in the match. Then there was the group of people next to him who were more absorbed with eating and drinking and greeting their friends. It's not as if it was a boring match.
From the soccer I usually catch a taxi back. Most of the times the drivers are excellent. However, this last time I think I had the holder of the "Worst Taxi Driver of the Year" award. It didn't start off well as he kept asking whether we should take a particular exit off the freeway which was nowhere near the destination. Then he thought he would be clever avoiding the traffic lights on the main road by taking a side street. Unfortunately for him his plan backfired when we were held up by a car trying to park on the narrow side street. Then a bit further into the trip, I told him that we had to take the next right at the lights. He then asked whether whether I wanted to turn right from the left or the right. It took me a minute to figure out what he was on about: he wanted to know whether to take the right or left lane (there were two lanes to turn right). Probably to his surprise I said I didn't care. The final instalment in this adventure was when we had to make a u-turn to get to my house. He missed the turn I indicated, saying that there was a "keep left" sign. Then he took the next turn and we ended up in the football ground car park. I indicated to him that we are in a car park and that we should be on that road (me pointing in the correct direction). He finally got on the right road and I said to him we have been making that turn for years and he said he was not like everyone (that's true). At this point it threatened to escalate but it calmed down quickly as my house was only a short distance away. To his credit he charged me $3 less and we left on a good note, wishing me happy Easter.
Soup Kitchens
I have seen a few of these in my travels recently. In Canberra the Salvation Army operate a breakfast one that was clearly for homeless and/or poor people. By contrast the one that operates on Flinders Street, in the evenings, seems to attract anyone that wants a free home cooked meal that happens to be in the city at that time.
Events at Bright
Always a lot of events happening at Bright. One recently was an off road motorcycle event. While I was at the Bakery there were a number of the participants there. I am not sure of pies and sausage rolls for breakfast.
Lots of people here at Easter and now in the school holidays. The main caravan park was packed. I am not sure it would be my idea of a holiday from city life to come here with half a ton of camping equipment and set up a tent half a metre from another tent. It was more like a shanty town than a camping ground.
I am getting a bit concerned at the upsurge of crime in Bright. The bus driver related the story of an attempted robbery from the bus (I was shocked too, those things occur in Myrtleford, not here). The bus to Wangaratta arrives, waits a few hours then goes back. On this occasion some people turned up early and asked the driver whether they could leave their luggage in the luggage bays under the bus while they did a few things (it comprised of a small and very large bag). He said fine. Shortly afterwards he saw a young person with both bags, but struggling with the larger bag. The bus driver (who is not very athletic) just stepped in his way. The young person tripped over him, fell down, then got up and ran away.
Positive Points
Reflecting on my last walk (see previous blog) - don't worry I am over it - there are some positives:
My next (cycling) trip is in just over a week - from Seymour to Wangaratta via rail trails. However, went down to Melbourne for Easter and strangely enough a few things happened....
Public Transport
On the trip to Melbourne, waiting at Wangaratta station for the train saw a 10 year old kid in pajamas and bare feet with his mother. Not sure whether he got on the train but he is off to a good start in life.
Just looking at my Vline ticket I noticed for the first time it says not to expose the ticket to heat or sunlight. It must be really sensitive paper. Might be difficult to comply with in Summer as I don't have any control over the weather, the sunlight thing might be a bit of a challenge too. I wonder whether it's a defence to say to the conductor I would love to show you my ticket but I can't show you it because I am not allowed to expose it to sunlight.
On a suburban train in Melbourne my ears were physically assaulted by two train geeks standing behind me discussing trains and timetables (what's worse it appears they worked for Metro too). Well, it actually was more like shouting at each other than a discussion. They are either deaf (because of the trains?) or are station announcers. On the same train somebody came on at Parliament with an ice hockey stick. On another occasion at Hoppers Crossing station saw some people taking selfies of themselves:"here I am at the train station".
Attending the Soccer
One of the things I do when I come to Melbourne is go and see the soccer (I am a Melbourne Victory member). The last match I attended there were a few more things going on around me in the crowd than there usually is. There was the person in front who was looking at his mobile phone for the entire match. I don't think he was interested in the match. Then there was the group of people next to him who were more absorbed with eating and drinking and greeting their friends. It's not as if it was a boring match.
From the soccer I usually catch a taxi back. Most of the times the drivers are excellent. However, this last time I think I had the holder of the "Worst Taxi Driver of the Year" award. It didn't start off well as he kept asking whether we should take a particular exit off the freeway which was nowhere near the destination. Then he thought he would be clever avoiding the traffic lights on the main road by taking a side street. Unfortunately for him his plan backfired when we were held up by a car trying to park on the narrow side street. Then a bit further into the trip, I told him that we had to take the next right at the lights. He then asked whether whether I wanted to turn right from the left or the right. It took me a minute to figure out what he was on about: he wanted to know whether to take the right or left lane (there were two lanes to turn right). Probably to his surprise I said I didn't care. The final instalment in this adventure was when we had to make a u-turn to get to my house. He missed the turn I indicated, saying that there was a "keep left" sign. Then he took the next turn and we ended up in the football ground car park. I indicated to him that we are in a car park and that we should be on that road (me pointing in the correct direction). He finally got on the right road and I said to him we have been making that turn for years and he said he was not like everyone (that's true). At this point it threatened to escalate but it calmed down quickly as my house was only a short distance away. To his credit he charged me $3 less and we left on a good note, wishing me happy Easter.
Soup Kitchens
I have seen a few of these in my travels recently. In Canberra the Salvation Army operate a breakfast one that was clearly for homeless and/or poor people. By contrast the one that operates on Flinders Street, in the evenings, seems to attract anyone that wants a free home cooked meal that happens to be in the city at that time.
Events at Bright
Always a lot of events happening at Bright. One recently was an off road motorcycle event. While I was at the Bakery there were a number of the participants there. I am not sure of pies and sausage rolls for breakfast.
Lots of people here at Easter and now in the school holidays. The main caravan park was packed. I am not sure it would be my idea of a holiday from city life to come here with half a ton of camping equipment and set up a tent half a metre from another tent. It was more like a shanty town than a camping ground.
I am getting a bit concerned at the upsurge of crime in Bright. The bus driver related the story of an attempted robbery from the bus (I was shocked too, those things occur in Myrtleford, not here). The bus to Wangaratta arrives, waits a few hours then goes back. On this occasion some people turned up early and asked the driver whether they could leave their luggage in the luggage bays under the bus while they did a few things (it comprised of a small and very large bag). He said fine. Shortly afterwards he saw a young person with both bags, but struggling with the larger bag. The bus driver (who is not very athletic) just stepped in his way. The young person tripped over him, fell down, then got up and ran away.
Positive Points
Reflecting on my last walk (see previous blog) - don't worry I am over it - there are some positives:
- I didn't set myself and/or my tent on light with my stove
- I didn't get lost (that's happened before)
- I didn't have to set off my emergency beacon
- I didn't have to be rescued and be embarrassed in the media (unlike Tim Fischer: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/former-deputy-prime-minister-tim-fischer-spends-night-lost-in-victorian-bush-20160329-gnts2z.html)
Anyway, here are some photos from the Canyon Walk - a short walk along the Ovens River, about 5 minutes from the centre of Bright:
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