Local markets in any city show the true underside of any city. It cuts through the fluff of what the city is made of, showing it’s true heart and the best and sometimes worst of what a city has to offer. Continue reading
Author: Nigel D'Souza
Passion Play 2013
Every year in Melbourne during Easter, various organisations put on a play that re-enacts the Passion of Christ. I was fortunate enough to be involved in one of them for the past few years. Having never been part of an outdoor play, it was exciting to go see one being performed.
Happy Easter 2013
I won’t be able to make today’s post as long as I wanted to. So instead I will endeavour to either complete 10 x 50 word posts or 5 x 100 word posts. In coming up to the Easter long weekend, this seems like as good a time as any.
It will also reinforce my daily writing habit, which I must admit is slowly starting to get embedded into my morning routine that I honestly believe that I could do this as a serious side hobby. Can’t believe that all it took was a few days of continuous practice!
Till the next post. Have a great long weekend & a Happy Easter!
Ovo
Ok, ok, it’s not in fitting with my overall theme of cheap things to do in Melbourne but, this is Cirque Du Soleil people! I’ve watched their shows on TV whenever they’re played. And admittedly, I found them inspiring but not compelling enough to see them live. However, when I had the opportunity to fulfil someone’s dream of attending their show, I bought 2 tickets for their birthday and hoped that I would have been taken. And yes, I did. I went to their show on 14/3.
2013 Updates
We often dream of the things we want to achieve, reveling in the endorphins released in imagining the “what could be”. But where most people struggle is the actual execution. I know I am not going to get better or reach my goal of being an author (and/or editor) just by dreaming. I recently contacted one of my idols and he is now holding me accountable. For the next 30 days (ending on the 9/4), I have been challenged to post here once a week. And something substantial (more than 500 words) and he might even be reading this!
If you are Max, I am jumping in and seeing where this dream leads. I will be publishing a post every Thursday during this period on my blog.
Onwards and upwards in 2013!
Moomba Parade 2013
No one could say that they have truly visited Melbourne if they haven’t been to the Moomba parade. Admittedly, I’ve attended the water skiing events and even the birdman rally in the previous years. But this year, I had to cap off the Moomba festivities by covering the Moomba Parade.
The Great Ocean Road: Day 1
6 days to tour one of Victoria’s most amazing coastal stretches. Having only ever done it as a half day bus tour previously, I kept my expectations low. But coming through the experience I want to relive every single moment of it!
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Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!
This year has been one of firsts. Whether it’s reading nearly 70 books, starting the long awaited novel or this blog, all of it a learning experience! I now know what needs to be done to update a blog & I commit to doing so in 2013. The city of Melbourne has decorated the city with 24 sites in celebration of Christmas. Check out the awesome Christmas map on http://www.thatsmelbourne.com.au for a detailed view on how to get to each & every one of them in one day! I’m covering the Great Ocean Road over the next few days so look forward to some good stories & excellent photos! To all my readers thank you for your support & encouragement along the way. I wish you & yours a very Merry Christmas & a Happy & Prosperous New Year 2013! Stay safe & catch you all in 2013!
Going beyond…
I haven’t been posting as regularly as I would like on all things Melbourne. So to really push it, I plan on taking part in writing a 50,000 word novel in 30 days competition. It’s always been something I’ve wanted to do. Write a novel. But I never had a good topic to cover.
Then it struck me…what about using Melbourne as an outline for the book. So I have got the rest of October to try and get as much material as possible to last 50,000 words. Should it be 30 days in Melbourne or better yet, Melbourne in 30 hours? Or the best of Melbourne in 30 days/hours.
So my goal is to try and start as early as possible, make as much use of an hour that I have during the week and the whole of the weekends to get as much material for the book as possible. I’m excited but also nervous about this kind of experiment. I don’t think I have done one so public before. But I guess, you’ll never learn if you never step out of your comfort zone. So here goes nothing!!
1,667 words a day. Wow. I don’t think I have written that much in a day. If what they say is true, that a picture paints a 1000 words, then all I would need are two pictures to inspire me, right?
Oh wow. I wonder how eloquent I can be? Maybe I should go into the detail of the smells, the vivid contrasting colours and perhaps even the sounds. More is not necessarily better. But somehow I need to be descriptive yet succinct. Eesh. I don’t know about this. I’m excited and nervous. And I haven’t even launched this site properly.
To the end product!! I’ll see you on the other side…
Australia Day 2012
Australia Day 2012
Australia Day falls on the 26th of January. Around the same time the famous Australian Open occurs! This year I took the chance to brave the sun and headed into the city for a great day out.
Given my love of Jazz, I was excited to catch James Morrisson’s show, one of Australia’s best living Jazz export performing a symphony of his hits.
After that show, the crowd was treated to a great variety of shows and included the Roulettes.
Moving through the crowd, hunger got the better of me and I stopped over for some nachos! It was fortunate that I managed to score the last nachos 🙂
I finally ended up at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl to hear the songs & dance of the Scottish & Irish! It was a great treat to see Melbourne’s own Damian Leith come out to perform.
The Metrics:
Transport: $11 for the day (this was back at the start of the year. Now it would have been $3.30)
Food: $7.50
Entry: Free
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Total – $18.50
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Well within our spending limit! My only regret is that I couldn’t get there sooner!
The Domestic Traveller 