A Tram and Some Minty Houses

Friday August 14 2009

AM

Least: At about 11:45am, I was evaluating my feelings toward tram travel in Melbourne. On the vaguely interesting side is that they are 'so Melbourne' and a little quaint, however on the negative side there sits a grim litany. The tram from Bourke Street to Clifton Hill had a few major flaws. It was hopelessly indirect, weaving through and doubling up on other routes. It stopped at every possible point along the journey. It had an unidentifiable, but unpleasant and uninteresting smell. The bogan electronic voice told me that while I was speaking on my phone, I was not as alert as otherwise. Odd.

Most: The walk to Oakleigh station from about 11:00am until about 11:15am became interesting, if only for the number of weatherboard houses painted mint. All were of similar design and all were in similar states of decay. It was difficult to tell whether people had chosen slightly different shades of mint, or the sun had simply been more cruel to some.

PM

Least: Sometime after 5:30pm, I sat on a graffiti covered seat in a suburban train. The whole carriage in fact, looked like an over made up teenager after a big night on the tiles. Most of the tags were still slightly visible despite the best efforts of the hapless cleaners. White marker on electric blue fabric appears to be a most stubborn stain.

Most: Near enough to 3:00pm, Rosie and I stepped into the 'A Day in Pompeii' exhibition at the Melbourne Museum. The rooms were filled with incredible artifacts from Italy and packed with ooing and ahhing people. The most interesting and haunting pieces were the plaster casts of the victims of the vast pyroclastic flow that engulfed the town nearly 2000 years ago. Scientists think that Naples with be next.

The Traveller and the Attendant

Thursday 13 August 2009

AM

Least: By 10:20am, I was marvelling once again about the longness and straightness of the Hume Freeway. The land on either side is so flat and lacking in changing features that it often feels like the car is on some kind of treadmill. The McDonalds at Glenrowen was slow as usual. Also as usual was the over made-up bottle blonde chugging on a Muggacino. Amazingly, I saw her in the PM in an incredibly uninteresting shopping mall in Melbourne.

Most: Sometime close to 8:00am, I was being driven through on of the highest roads in Australia. Mt Hotham was covered in wet, dirty snow and cloaked by very thick cloud. Despite the incredible views of Mt Feathertop and Mt Buffalo being obscured, it is this part of the five hour drive from Omeo to Melbourne that makes it bearable. It is incredible to think of the contrast between this remote area and the vast sprawl of Melbourne.

PM

Least: At about 2:20pm, I overheard a woman at Oakleigh Station ask the attendant "Does the next train stop at Southern Cross station?" The attendant groaned back "I don't know". This brief is not in the least bit interesting because it probably happens every day. The customer is too lazy to look at the schedule and the attendant is bored witless by his job. It is also uninteresting to tut tut and compare Melbourne's and Osaka's public transport system so I will end here.

Most: Not too long after 6:30opm, I sat with friends and family at an excellent Italian 'straunt in Brunswick. The company and La Bussola delivered the goods. I had been thinking about this particular pizza and veal scallopini for a number of months. The veal was tender and the pizza outstanding. Well worth the long journey from Japan. It is surprising that not more people escape Japan simply to obtain acceptable Italian food. Pizza and pasta in Japan is often very strange and inexplicably covered in corn kernels. Something should be done.