Australia D4 - Go Suburbs

Good Morning Blog,

Fourth day in Melbourne, and there are still so many things and places I have not seen... Anyway, I intended to spend the first three with my friend Sf and the last three with my Australian friend WC. Fortunately, Sf and WC do not mind making new friends, so Sf will not be alone in the city while I am away with WC.

WC will be coming to our hotel to pick us up.

I was wondering what and where we would be going next. The fourth day was spent visiting the suburbs where WC lived to gain a general understanding of how the locals live.

I wanted to go for one last swim in the morning, but I needed to rest. I could have gone for a quick swim...

First and foremost, we returned the car to the loaner and thanked you for your cooperation in transporting us safely throughout the trip. Thank you, Sf, for driving; it was no small feat, and he can now rest his feet.

The first time I had McDonald's in Australia, the prices were slightly higher than in Singapore. At the very least, something to keep our stomachs full.

I decided to get an opal ring to surprise my mother, so I returned to the same stall and selected a stunning ring. Isn't it pretty? I believe that opal is more beautiful than a well-cut diamond because it contains a mini-universe within itself. I was also assisting G in obtaining a bracelet; at the very least, I was able to persuade one more person to share my enthusiasm for opal.

It was time to check out; thank you, Pegasus Hotel.

WC came to pick us up! We have not seen each other since our last meeting in November 2024. It is wonderful to see you when I can keep my promise.

Our first stop was Brighton Bathing Boxes; WC knew I love the beach, so he suggested we go here, which is only 30-40 minutes from the city.

So, are those bathing boxes? Very colourful, but can we actually bathe in it? I have no idea about it.

(Credit WC) Unfortunately, my phone did not blur my background as I preferred, so I used a fake one.

I did not have time for the colourful bathing boxes, so I just looked at the beach.

The sand at this beach is unique; it may not be soft, but it certainly has a substantial quality that I greatly appreciate.

A group photo featuring various types of spectacles.

Look in the distance – Melbourne is waving to us.

Check out that clear and clean water!

Take a closer look; I am not sure what these noodle-like things are, but there are some oysters in between them.

Anyway, I wanted to strip down to my trunk and enter the sea! But I cannot... First and foremost, I am not a demigod, and secondly, the water contains many sharp and edgy stones that are dangerous to walk on barefoot.

(Credit WC) I just got some pics of me at this gorgeous beach!

Last pic of a dried stingray. I hope you were not purposefully placed here while you were still alive....

(Credit WC) One of the most popular bathing boxes among the rest, with a long queue behind the photographer. I believe you understand why.

(Credit WC) WC used his phone's technical capabilities to merge all of us into a picture by taking turns standing inside the scene, and the result is incredible.

Gazania linearis (maybe; I'm not sure whether I got it right), also known as the treasure flower. It is so lovely! I did some research on this plant; if you have no time to water and can afford full sun, this plant is ideal and will bloom for you, as it prefers to be dry rather than wet.

Anyway, our main goal for today was to explore Melbourne's suburbs and, if possible, learn about how locals live their lives outside of the city, as not everyone is interested.

Before that, WC wanted to treat us to lunch at his uncle's vegetarian restaurant in Box Hill. It is interesting that when I looked at the maps, it turned out to be a box-shaped perimeter zone that contained many Asians; the street is reminiscent of Chinatown, with Chinese signage and themes.

Simple restaurant, and thanks for the treat, WC.

Some familiar and delicious foods that my stomach may have missed, which could explain why I was constipated for days? Haha

I was still trying to take the best road photos throughout my trip, but this one comes close. I told WC I was looking for the perfect photograph of a road, which perplexed him about my unusual interest.

Ah, something that has always intrigued me: how the locals shop in the suburbs. WC took us to one of their largest malls, Chadstone Shopping Centre. I like the architecture of this mall, especially the spiralling ceilings, which make it easy to get lost inside. Believe me, despite being only two stories, this mall is massive! There are many branded goods for sale here, but I am a poor person and cannot afford to buy them all... There are so many things to look into. But I do want to see a smaller mall. Anyway, I will not get into too much detail here.

Due to time constraints, we drove down to a location that even WC is unaware of or rarely visits.

We were going to Cardinia Reservoir Park to see some kangaroos.

Sunset already, and it was after 5 p.m. So fast!?

WC recalled that his parents had brought him here when he was younger, so it was nice to return.

It is a reservoir, similar to the Singapore reservoir, with no high-rise buildings visible from a distance, just a large man-made lake.

I decided to use my drone once to take a group shot. I should have used my drone more.

It seemed like a long walk; where can we find some kangaroos?

(Credit WC) Glad we were here; perhaps in the future (if there is a chance), we will come in the morning and go for a good walk.

Nice view, but I doubt we can see any kangaroos here.

Perhaps they can be found in the woods below the reservoir.

So WC drove us down, chasing the car ahead of us, as if that driver knew where he was going, and we followed.

Yes! There is a large, open grassy area where visitors can picnic and see kangaroos. Where are they? I expected an open safari, but it does not look like one, nor does Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve.

Before we gave up, I saw something from afar. I zoomed in on my phone and saw some kangaroos!

We decided to get close to them and used a 10x zoom. Many visitors tried to photograph them but were scared away.

But I felt we should follow them, so we went to the Kangaroo Viewing Trail. Have we had any success there? There was no sign of them. Feeling disappointed, we returned to our vehicle, but I sensed another pair of eyes somewhere. OMG! WE FOUND THEM!

A kangaroo family! They were very curious about what we were doing (we were trying to get closer to them by lowering ourselves to get better pictures). Fortunately, we were the only ones there. They eventually lost interest and began moving deeper into the woods. These are my best attempts at capturing them on my phone. Good night, kangaroos.

The reddish sky was absolutely perfect. Open space and no light pollution are ideal for stargazing, but... I know... Not Sf and WC want to stay... I really wanted to see the night sky and lie down on a grassy area to admire and study it. Oh well... I can't be selfish...

Let's go back to have dinner.

WC introduced us to Everdale Cafe and Gelato, which serves vegetarian burgers. Oh my, I have had a long-standing desire for a vegetarian burger! It is a very relaxing place, but it is not in a hot-spot location. This gem is in a fairly basic setting and is slightly difficult to find.

Best of all, they contain no onion or garlic, and if you look at their menu, it will be the most expensive in Singapore, but it is more affordable here.

I must say, the patty in their burger is quite substantial and filling, offering a warmth that truly touches my heart.

WC, thank you for introducing us to this place. We also had the opportunity to speak with the owner, who humbly wants to improve and seek new approaches, so I began showing him what Singapore has to offer as a reference, and he expressed a strong desire to explore. We also learnt how he started his business with ice cream gelato before adding burgers to his menu; the journey he took, the challenges he faced, and how he does not want instant success by engaging influencers; instead, he believes in gaining popularity through word of mouth and building a foundation. Admirable. You can check out their Instagram and Facebook accounts. I was too bloated and fat (just look at my group pic and see how fat I was and am now) to get ice cream from him, but that did not stop me from eating the entire burger because it had the 'heart'.

We drove to WC's new home after a delicious dinner. The newer and cleaner his house was, the sooner he would be renting it out. So we are his first and possibly only guest. I noticed it was fully carpeted, and now I know why: a cold floor will be torture, especially in the mornings.

My collection for today includes a set of Uniqlo hoodies (I am a hoodie lover) and a pair of affordable formal shoes.

My idea of a suburb didn’t feel suburban enough to be. I really want to see more, or maybe my imagination or understanding of how locals live in the suburbs was off. Generally, the locals rely on vehicles for getting around. There’s nothing particularly unique about their markets for daily necessities—it’s just spacious shop houses or malls, unlike Singapore.

Jeff