I could live in Melbourne

I flew into Australia with HEAPS of American sports journalists headed there to cover tennis — the Australian Open.

I was headed towards the Sunburned Country for a series of gymnastics conferences.

I had fond memories of my only other trip to Melbourne in the early 1990s when I spent time daily in the fantastic Royal Botanic Gardens.

This time, I was housed close to wonderful St. Kilda beach.

original – flickr

Each day I luxuriated in the St. Kilda Sea Baths: huge salt water jacuzzi pool and fragrant steam. They would make an ideal movie shoot location.

Cosmopolitan, multi-ethnic, what I like best about Melbourne are the thousands of eclectic restaurants and coffee shops. Food is not inexpensive, but it is excellent and diverse.

Gymnastics Victoria is located in the Chapel Street Precinct. I had a fine salmon at one of the many curbside restaurants. In St. Kilda district I sampled delicious Aussie lamb.

This city of 3 million has excellent public transport and good cycling routes.

The biggest story in Melbourne, however, is the 10-year-long drought. A map of the current grass fires is front and centre each day in the news. Global warming has not been good to this part of the world.

Have you invented a cost-effective desalinization process the Aussies should know about?

It seems a shame that a sea port should be so starved of H2O.

My photos of Melbourne on flickr.

Next travelogue on this trip >> “if yer grandad was a convict …”