Today, we woke up a little late around 8AM to pack our bags and check out before 10AM. After that, we left our bags at the hotel to go on a last day trip to explore the city center of Melbourne before returning to pick up our bags in the evening and heading to the airport for our flight back to Bangkok on China Southern Airlines at 10.30PM.

After checking out and leaving our bags at the hotel at 10AM, we walked 200 meters to catch the Tram No.57 towards Flinder Street Station, which was eight stops away. The journey took us around 15 minutes. Our first destination of the day was the street art in Hosier Lane, located near St. Paul’s Cathedral. Once we got off at Flinder Street Station, we strolled through the station and past St. Paul’s Cathedral for about 200 meters (the same spot where we boarded the tour buses for the Great Ocean Road and Phillips Island). We noticed a lane on the left-hand side with many tourists taking photos, and the walls of the lane were full of graffiti art – this was the famous Hosier Lane street art.

Melbourne is known as an Art city where art enthusiasts love to visit, as it features old, modern, and contemporary art, as well as alternative art. Therefore, visitors to Melbourne never miss the chance to see its famous Street Art. You can observe tourists enjoying this art along the entire street. We recommend visiting in the morning when there are fewer tourists, making it easier to take photos.

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We found several cool spots to take pictures with the Street Art. We only spent about 20 minutes here as it was a short street. After that, we walked back to Flinders Station to catch the Tram Line No.16 and headed a little bit outside of the city area to go to the Shrine of Remembrance. It only took about 5 minutes on the Tram, which had several lines passing through Flinders Station, such as 3, 6, 16, 64, 67, and 72. We arrived at the Shrine of Remembrance around 11 o’clock.

The Shrine of Remembrance is a memorial that pays tribute to the soldiers who served their country during World War I. The building was designed by Phillip Hudson and James Wardrop, both of whom served in the war. It was designed to resemble an ancient Greek temple and is decorated with an interior architecture that emphasizes quiet and respect. The shrine and the surrounding area cover 32 acres and have been open to visitors since 1934. Visitors can enter for free every day from 10AM to 5PM.

Inside the Shrine of Remembrance, exhibits showcase the equipment and supplies used in World War I, as well as the history of important figures of that era. Meanwhile, outside the shrine is a large grassy field, and because the shrine is situated on a hill, visitors can enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of the city of Melbourne from the front of the building.

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The panoramic view of Melbourne from the front of the building  

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Royal Botanic Garden near to the Shrine of Remembrance

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We spent about 2 hours exploring both inside and around the Shrine of Remembrance. About 1.30PM, we started to feel hungry (we didn’t have much for breakfast, just some bread and coffee, which had worn off by then). So, we headed back to take the Tram from Shrine of Remembrance to Flinder Station. We had planned to find lunch beforehand as there was a Buddha Day celebration going on and there were many Asian food vendors along the Yarra River. We walked around and picked out some delicious food when we were really hungry. In the end, we settled for Nasi Lemak (coconut milk rice) and Taiwanese fried dumplings for lunch, which filled us up nicely 😋

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After our meal, we took a leisurely stroll by the picturesque Yarra River, which had lush green grass on both banks, dotted with some riverside restaurants. It was a great spot for people who enjoy dining alfresco while enjoying the scenery. Occasionally, boats would sail by, adding to the tranquil and simple atmosphere that perfectly matched the views of Melbourne.

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After that, around mid-afternoon, we walked back into the city to do some shopping before heading home. Our main goal was to buy food supplements, vitamins, creams, and lotions because they are known for being of good quality and much cheaper than in Thailand. Brands such as Blackmore were much cheaper than they are in Thailand (but be careful not to buy too much and risk getting caught by customs or having to pay taxes). These types of stores are called “Chemists” in Australia, which are like drug stores or pharmacies, and can be found almost everywhere in the city. We compared prices and found what we needed at our convenience. 

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We spent about an hour shopping, both for items we had intended to buy and for items that others had asked us to purchase. Then, at around 3.45PM, we said goodbye to the city of Melbourne and headed back to the hotel where we had left our bags earlier in order to pack and prepare for our return flight to Bangkok later that evening. After collecting our bags, we left the hotel and headed to Southern Cross Station to catch the Sky Bus to Melbourne Tullamarine Airport. Shopping had taken longer than we expected, but we were still on schedule to make it to the airport in time for our flight.

We arrived at the airport around 6 pm, more than 4 hours before our flight departure. We went to grab something to eat before checking in at the China Southern Airlines counter. However, when we got to the queue, the staff told us that our tickets were overbooked and asked us to wait. If there were no seats available, they would move us to a Thai Airways direct flight. We waited for about half an hour, and they finally gave us boarding passes for both the Melbourne-Guangzhou and Guangzhou-Bangkok flights. We then passed through security and immigration and sat at the gate. Ten minutes later, they announced our names, asking us to go to the exit to board the plane. The staff informed us again that our seats were really overbooked and that we had to move to Thai Airways. However, they asked us to walk back and retrieve our baggage at the China Southern Airlines counter before checking in again at the Thai Airways counter. Finally, we got the Thai Airways boarding pass and boarded our flight. Despite the inconvenience, China Southern Airlines took full responsibility for their mistake and found us a timely alternative flight. 

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Today, we actually planned to stroll around and chill, exploring parts of Melbourne we haven’t been to before and doing some relaxed shopping. However, we came across a situation that was memorable before boarding our flight back home. It was a fun day for us and a valuable life experience, as we learned what to do if we were overbooked for a flight and how to demand accountability from the airline. Overall, our 7-day trip to Australia was worth the time and investment. We tasted every flavor, saw things we’ve never seen before, experienced a unique atmosphere, and made decisions beyond our usual life. We recharged and gained new energy for life, had a travel experience in the world’s most liveable country, and lived a meaningful life because we always believe that “Moving is Living” 🌅

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Written by : SHIPY SIWARIT TIASUWATTISETH
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