I'm going to Melbourne! At last!

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
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LiveJournally, sorry, but I’m just so happy I had to share.

I spent a year in Oz 1998-9 on a working holiday visa, and then another month there in 2000. Did the Gold Coast and usual backpacker trail, then ended up in Melbourne four months in. Where I stayed for the rest of the year. I can’t describe how I felt when I first walked up Elizabeth Street with my backpack the morning after arriving - like I’d come home. I had the best year of my life there, made some wonderful friends, and cried the whole way home when my visa ran out and I had to leave. (Lost 7 pounds in a week too because I was pining so much, but after dozens of dollar pots and La Porchetta steaks probably just as well.)

I’ve been trying to get back ever since. It’s been the only place I could ever imagine wanting to settle. I’m usually quite restless, and am on long term meds for depression, so this was quite a big deal for me. But the Oz government is very strict on who they let in to the country, and I never had enough points to emigrate. 3 degrees, no criminal record, but no chance. It’s been a standing joke among my friends for years that I’ll end up marrying an Australian. :slight_smile:

So then I thought, well, if I could just go again for a few months and get it out of my system…it does sound pretentious I know, but I’ll never settle here unless I finally know I won’t settle there and that it’s out of my system. Or not, because I could decide to stay. I’ve never wanted anything in the past 9 years but a casual relationship, or a temporary job, because I’ve always been thinking I’ll be in Oz. But I could never afford it. I don’t have a credit card (see temp job stuff above), and by the time I saved up enough to buy a ticket outright the prices would be too high to manage it. It’s almost a grand for a return ticket to Australia from Ireland/the UK, and that’s booked in advance.

Then I was made redundant from my job in June, and now I’m freelancing, mainly editing and ghostwriting. It’s very hit and miss - there are times I literally don’t even have a couple of quid to my name - but one client asked me a few weeks ago to write a biography for him. And paid me 1/3 of the price upfront. Which was enough for a ticket to Melbourne! I leave on Feb 4. And I managed to get a year long visa!

I almost literally don’t believe I’m finally going at last. Happy happy happy. Any Melbourne Dopers - you want to meet up for a pot? (You know anyone who needs a bio written let me know as well. :))

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

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Hey, welcome home! And a good time of year to come, the summer’s been late to start this year, and so should still be lovely and warm when you get here. It’s amazing when something so unbelievable happens, and I hope you enjoy your year. But promise me - no more La Porcetta - hie yee to Lygon Street for some real Italian food…

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Hee hee, fair enough. I ain’t much of a foodie, and La Porchetta was only up the road from my bar…

Thanks :slight_smile:

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February! It’s gonna be hot! Feb/March/April are the hottest months of the year.

I agree with you on finding home. That’s how I felt when I moved here from NZ - I have never felt more comfortable in a city before. It just feels right.

I briefly moved to Sydney for a year, due to work commitments, but I did not like it there at all. Sydney is just not me.

I plan to never leave Melbourne long-term ever again.

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Congratulations on successfully grabbing a year-long Visa. I know exactly which La Porchetta you’re talking about because it sounds like you were in my neck of the woods (near the Queen Vic Market right?) If so, tell me you tried the spicy lamb boreks from the Vic Market!

There are only a couple of restaurants I like on Lygon - I think it’s become much of a tourist trap with a lot of overpriced and mediocre food with surly service. There’s apparently a nice family-run Italian place a couple of doors down from La Porchetta. It’s not open on weekends though.

If you like Chinese food I highly recommend Rose Garden on Elizabeth street. It’s a Chinese restaurant that has really great food at cheap prices. Their cooking even impresses my Chinese parents. If you walk down Elizabeth towards the city on any night you’ll find it by the line of customers waiting out the door.

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“Any Melbourne Dopers - you want to meet up for a pot?”:eek:

What a top line for international misunderstanding!:stuck_out_tongue:

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Hey, that’s what ‘pot’ means in Gaelic! :stuck_out_tongue:

Ta for the tips all. Oh Og I can’t wait!

ETA: And yep, was right across from the Queen Vic market. And yep, tried pretty much all the food there!