Aussie 2013: Melbourne Graffiti-lined Lanes

Melbourne's graffiti-lined streets are extremely photogenic, and I imagine that it may be most photographers' definition of heaven. There's just so much to capture - the gorgeous vivid colours, the creative artwork, the fine details, the vibrancy of the the spaces, and the occasional sighting of a graffiti artist at work. Like I said, a feast for the camera.

Hosier Lane, Melbourne 2013

Aussie 2013: Melbourne Brother Baba Budan

It's coming to the end of the year already. In another two weeks' time, it'll be yet another new year. It feels like I've not done much in the past year or so, but one thing I'm glad happened was that I got to travel quite a fair bit. Though I'm not heading anywhere again for the remainder of the year, I've already got my next trip booked and I'm very (VERY) excited about it. February, please come faster.

I have just two (one) if you include this post left for my Melbourne travels (I realise that most of my Melbourne posts have been focused on cafe hopping haha). I just upgraded my comp memory space (or RAM or whatever you call that - I'm def no technie and anyway it was my bro-in-law who did the hard work for me heh) and had to re-download the photo editing programs (again, kudos to the bro-in-law) into my comp, thus had been unable to start editing any of my Japan travel photos. What with all the year end activities, cross fingers I'll squeeze in some time for it.
 
Anyway. Just around the corner of Manchester Press is Brother Baba Budan. A quirky lil spot with an unconventional design.

Brother Baba Budan

Aussie 2013: Melbourne Manchester Press

Did a T-25 session during lunch yesterday and my thigh muscles are currently screaming at me in pain. Tried wearing some heels to meet some girlfriends for dinner after work today and oh man, it wasn't a pretty sight. Let's just stick to no heels for a week ya.

Another Melbourne spot. The food and drinks were pretty forgettable, we were cafe-hopping that day, and nothing really jumped out at me, not to say that everything was bad. The cafe was pretty popular, it was one of the few cafes we dined at that had a queue. The staff took names, and scribbled it on a wall at the cafe entrance and call the names when there were avail seats. A wall-written wait list - interesting queuing system.

Manchester Press

Aussie 2013: Melbourne Auction Rooms and Twenty & Six

I love how most of the Aussie cafes have the habit of opening very early in the morning. That means we can start our day early with a good cuppa (Aussie) coffee.

Auction Rooms

Aussie 2013: Melbourne St Ali

My current goal is to finish my Aussie 2013 posts by the end of 2014. I really should increase the frequency of my blogposts just so I can clear most of my backlogs. *cross fingers that I can accomplish my goal*

St Ali, Melbourne 2013

Aussie 2013: Melbourne Chez Dre

Looking through my Melbourne photos makes me want to head back there again soon, cos there were some seriously good eating spots.

Chez Dre, Melbourne 2013

Aussie 2013: Melbourne Mart 130

Was on sick leave for the past two days, and I really should be in bed now cos it's back to work tomorrow. Damn but I really do hate being sick.

Following my previous Brighton Beach post, I thought that I could share what we ate earlier that morning before we made our way down to the beach. Melbourne has no shortage of good eats, and we visited a few interesting spots during our vacation. One of them has got to be Mart 130.

 Mart 130

Aussie 2013: Melbourne Brighton Beach

Since I'm not hopping onto a plane anytime soon, I reckon the next best thing would be to post some travel photos to console myself right? Right.

I'd better finish up my Aussie 2013 posts so I can actually start on my 2014 travelogue. It's almost end 2014 and I have 5 trips worth of 2014 travel photos to work on. I might find it tedious to sort through the hundreds of snapshots, but I do enjoy the editing process. Can't wait to start on the Cambodia ones especially...

Anyway, back to the Aussie travelogue, we spent the last leg of the Aussie trip in Melbourne. Mostly brunching cos hello, major coffee culture right there. Seriously missing the unique Aussie brunches and coffee we had there.

I reckon I should start with a non-food post, so here's some shots from where we visited Brighton Beach. There's nothing much to do there honestly, but it's worth a visit, even if just to squee at the colourful bathing boxes and take multiple selfie shots. Ha. (At least I'm honest.)

 Brighton Beach, Melbourne 2013

Aussie 2013: Brissy

I'll always have a soft spot for Brisbane. After Cairns, we popped by our ol' city for a quick catch up with friends through old favourites and new joints.

 Riverfest 2013, Brisbane

Aussie 2013: Great Barrier Reef

I want to be on vacation again. It's been about two months since my last vacation and I'm experiencing withdrawal symptons. *sheepish look*

I guess I was lucky enough that I traveled almost monthly from January to June earlier this year, thus July and August seems a tad miserable in comparison. Continuing from my travelogue posts, I shall now start on my Aussie 2013 trip.

It was my first visit back to Oz after my graduation in 2009, and I was excited, of course to be back there. I made the trip with my cousin, who also studied in Oz, so it was sort of a nostalgic trip for us both. We took a plane from Singapore to Gold Coast, followed by a domestic flight to Cairns, next to Brisbane, thereafter to Melbourne, before flying home.

I was quite excited to head to Cairns, cos it was my first trip to the Great Barrier Reef. We were going snorkeling! Yes yes, for those who know me well, me, who can't swim (yes, I know. *rolls eyes*) is able to snorkel (and survive to tell the tale).

Pardon the lousy meagre shots today. I didn't bring my DSLR with me on our day trip out to the reef, cos we'll be snorkeling and I didn't want to leave my camera behind on the boat and all, thus whatever you see here, it's taken using my iPhone 4S. I must say, being constantly behind lens, it was kinda refreshing to just be focused on the vacation time and not be concerned with snapping loads of photos for memories' sake. Though I won't have much photos to look back on for remembrance, at least whatever few I have, I can look upon fondly.

Cairns 2013