小杰与小吉——JZ World Travel

Shanghai → Melbourne

The departure was a bit rushed. Although we had the whole day, 27th September, to prepare, it wasn’t easy to finish packing as we were still caught up with unfinished work in Shanghai.

With only one piece of luggage each, we finally boarded the plane to Melbourne — the first trip to Australia for both of us.

The overnight flight was a good choice, giving us a full day ahead once we landed. The flight left a bit late, arriving with about an hour’s delay. Immigration was quick, and soon we were on the SkyBus heading into the city. (Actually, the price wasn’t much cheaper compared to taking an Uber for two people, but the double-decker English-style bus offered a different perspective than a taxi.)

The bus dropped us at Southern Cross Station, and although our hotel was just a 10-minute walk away, we discovered that Melbourne’s city center has a tram free zone. That made it so easy to get around without worrying about tickets or fares.

Exploring the City

We started exploring in the mid-afternoon after check-in and a quick lunch. Thanks to the hotel’s central location, our first stop was Degraves Street, Melbourne’s iconic laneway lined with cafés and street art.

I grabbed a quick flat white and Jerome an espresso at a random café — only to realize later that it wasn’t one of the city’s famous coffee shops (Melbourne is known as one of the world’s best coffee cities).

Just around the corner, the historic Block Arcade transported us back to the city’s Victorian days, with a touch reminiscent of Parisian arcades.

We then wandered into Chinatown. The market wasn’t open as it was Sunday, but we could still sense the cultural heritage shaped by generations of Chinese immigrants.

Further north, we arrived at the State Library of Victoria, a vibrant place where locals read, work, and study alongside tourists. Inside, the La Trobe Reading Room on the 3rd floor is a must-see — but it was the 6th floor that drew crowds, with its perfect bird’s-eye view, an Instagram favorite.

By the Riverside

Being late starters, it wasn’t surprising that we missed visiting museums. Near the Yarra River bank, both ACMI and NGV were on our list, but we decided to leave them for another time. Instead, we enjoyed the sunset by the river, which felt calm and refreshing.

As night fell, we had dinner at a riverside restaurant. The meal portion was large here, which perfectly explains why from time to time, big Aussies strolled past — decent local vibe.

After a full meal, a riverside walk was the perfect way to digest and take in Melbourne’s evening atmosphere.

First Impressions

Melbourne gave us our first glimpse of Australian life — artistic yet relaxed. The city struck us with its astonishingly high Asian population, youthful energy, and chilled pace. The weather was however so changeable: T-shirts by day, down jackets by night.

A single day can’t capture the whole city, but our first impression of Australia was very positive. We couldn’t wait to see what the next day would bring.