Travel Guides and Stories

It's time to write another travel diary! But honestly, it's always a challenge for me. In my opinion, travel diaries generally fall into three categories: The first type is more like a travel guide, focusing on practical information; the second is the literary type, focusing on personal feelings; the third is the "daily chronicle" type—long, detailed, and records everything. I specialize in the third type, for a few reasons: First, you can't outdo Lonely Planet or global guides for practical info; second, I admit I lack literary flair—after each trip, I rarely have an outpouring of emotion, just a rumbling stomach. So the third type works best: just record, record, and record some more—at least it'll be a decent word count. Who knows, maybe one day I'll publish a book and the royalties will be more substantial! But the biggest enemy of this style? Laziness. Of the two travel journals I've ever started, Phuket 2004 (6 days, 4 nights) only ended up with 3 days written, and New Zealand South Island 2010 (14 days) got just 2 days written in two years—both unfinished. Now we've done Australia, and whether I put pen to paper or not is a real question. Okay, enough preamble—let's get started!

Our unplanned Australian adventure began during Chinese New Year, when Kaka was nine months pregnant and excited about the big event ahead. Having missed the last two long holidays, all she could think about was traveling for National Day. Our first choice was the Maldives, but the trip is only four or five days, which felt a little unsatisfying. Then Lulu messaged us about a great China Eastern deal to Australia—round-trip with tax just over ¥5,000. We didn’t hesitate to book. Arrive Sydney September 28, depart Melbourne October 8, for a total of 11 days. Unlike New Zealand, which we planned for three years, Australia was never particularly high on our must-see list. That's why, only after booking, I finally looked at a map to figure out where Sydney and Melbourne actually are.

Next step: itinerary. At first, we wanted to visit the three "big" attractions: the Great Barrier Reef, Uluru (Ayers Rock), and the Great Ocean Road. But flights to Uluru are rare and expensive, and if you fly to Alice Springs you have to drive 400km—just not enough time. With the legendary fly-swarms at Uluru, we decided to save it for next time. For the Great Barrier Reef, you can choose Cairns or Airlie Beach. Cairns is the gateway and popular with tour groups; Airlie Beach is more of a traditional Australian holiday spot, with the Whitsundays and the famous Heart Reef. But Airlie Beach is between Brisbane and Cairns, and even though it has an airport, flights from Sydney are infrequent and expensive. Most people travel there by long-distance bus from Brisbane or Cairns, but for us, that would be too tight on time. So we chose the more average option: Cairns. I scheduled 4 days/3 nights in Cairns, since you need a whole day for the reef, plus a buffer for weather.

The Great Ocean Road is a well-developed tourist route—self-driving is the best option. From Melbourne, you can do 1, 2, or 3 days, or even drive all the way to Adelaide. We picked the standard 2 nights/3 days plan: rent a car at the airport and head straight out, with accommodation in Apollo Bay and Port Campbell. The final itinerary: Sydney 2 nights, Cairns 3 nights, Great Ocean Road 2 nights, Melbourne 2 nights. Next: how to get between them. After driving 3,000km in New Zealand, all I could think about was self-driving, so that was my first option. But then I checked Google Earth—New Zealand is a tiny dot next to Australia. Sydney to Brisbane is about the same as Shanghai to Beijing, and Sydney to Cairns is over 3,000km! Eleven days wouldn't be nearly enough for a full road trip; you'd need at least a month. So we started looking at domestic flights. Qantas is the main airline, but it's expensive. Most locals fly Jetstar or Virgin Blue; Tiger is another, but their flights are mostly at night and are often delayed or canceled. So we chose between Jetstar and Virgin Blue.

For Sydney to Cairns, we booked Virgin Blue flight DJ1413, departing October 1 at 8:45am, arriving Cairns at noon. Each ticket was AUD 188.5, including 23kg baggage. After booking, you get a PDF itinerary to print and carry with you. Small drama: In early September, Kaka got a text from VB saying to call customer service in Australia about a flight change. We panicked, thinking the flight was canceled! After a long-distance call, the rep explained the flight was moved 10 minutes earlier and asked us to check our email and confirm. Turns out, VB had already sent a new itinerary, but since Kaka hadn’t checked her email, they hadn’t received confirmation and sent the text to prompt us. By the way, you can check in online 24 hours in advance and pick your seat and print your own boarding pass—if you don’t have checked baggage, you can go straight to security.

Next up was Cairns to Melbourne. We booked Jetstar JQ947, October 4, 9:35am, arriving Melbourne at 2pm (yes, 4.5 hours—you’ll see why later!). You can pick seats during booking, and after payment you get a PDF itinerary to print for check-in and baggage drop. Price was AUD 235.5 per person with 20kg baggage. All flights were booked in February on the airlines’ official websites. Even though they’re budget airlines, the flights are long and food isn’t included, so they're not that cheap. Plus, for those time slots, there were only 7-8 seats left, so we didn’t shop around much.

With the flights done in February, what next? That’s when our son arrived! After baby Huihui was born, we felt like things were just beginning, not ending. Would we really be able to do the planned National Day trip to Australia? Of course! Once Kaka was out of the hospital and recovered, we started looking at accommodation. Our principles: 1) Familiar brands or tried-and-tested options; 2) Good location, easy in and out; 3) Reasonable price, good value.

For all three cities, we confirmed locations on Google Earth and booked online. Sydney: After much deliberation, we chose Quest World Square. Quest is an Oceania-based chain, and our stay at Quest in Christchurch, NZ was a good experience. World Square is a major shopping center near Chinatown, 10 minutes’ walk to Darling Harbour. We booked two Standard Apartments with kitchens, each AUD 93/night, no breakfast. Credit card guarantee, payment for the first two nights in advance. In Cairns, it was easy: Holiday Inn was running a promotion, standard room AUD 71/night, no breakfast—we snapped up the last two rooms. Same payment policy. In Melbourne, since we’d be returning the car after the Great Ocean Road, we wanted something near the car rental offices. Most car rentals (except the airport) are on Franklin Street, so we found Central Sky Lounge Apartment Hotel, 5 minutes’ walk from Franklin St, at 43 Therry Street, North Melbourne. Studio Apartment with kitchen, AUD 72/night, no breakfast. Credit card guarantee, pay on check-in. All booked by March.

Then we stopped planning—life revolved around the baby. Until the Dragon Boat Festival, when Lulu’s message reminded us that we hadn’t finished trip prep! For car rental, Lulu recommended the aggregator DriveNow, which covers almost all rental brands. We went with Hertz, since we had a great experience in New Zealand and they have an office in Shanghai—handy for dealing with the insurance maze. After booking on DriveNow, I also called Hertz Shanghai to confirm and ask about insurance. Found out booking directly on Hertz’s site is the same price, or you can call Hertz directly. We booked a Toyota RAV4 AWD (auto), picking up at Melbourne airport 5pm Oct 4, returning downtown 5pm Oct 6. Price including tax: AUD 198.89, with a AUD 3,300 excess (maximum out-of-pocket in case of accident). That’s about 22,000 RMB—basically no insurance! I asked Hertz Shanghai about full coverage (reducing the excess to zero), but they said it could only be arranged at pickup. DriveNow is also credit card guarantee, pay on pickup.

So car rental sorted; only Great Ocean Road accommodation left. We procrastinated until August, mainly because Apollo Bay and Port Campbell are so small and there were few options on Booking.com. Eventually, we found places via Google Earth and booked online. Apollo Bay: Apollo Bay Waterfront Motor Inn, right on the Great Ocean Road, 173 Great Ocean Road, Apollo Bay 3233 VIC, check-in Oct 4. Two-bedroom unit (1 queen, 2 singles), AUD 180 + 4.95 card fee, no breakfast. Direct charge at booking. They also offer a discount voucher for Otway Lighthouse and half-price coupons for local restaurants; free parking.

Port Campbell: Southern Ocean Villas, the first motel you see entering the town, 2-6 McCue Street, Port Campbell 3269 VIC. One-floor, two-bedroom villa (2 queen beds), upstairs has 3 singles—sleeps up to 7. AUD 245 + 4.95 card fee, no breakfast. Paid upon booking, free parking.

Visas were done in early August—very simple. Got the documents translated using tips from Qyer, filled out the forms, and submitted materials. A week later, courier returned our passports, no phone interview, all four of us got a single-entry visa for one year. We’d hoped for a double-entry to visit again at Chinese New Year, but at least it saved us some money! Travel insurance: we bought the “World Travel Silver Plan” recommended by Qyer, 10 days, 135 RMB per person.

My must-visit list: Sydney—Fish Market; Cairns—Great Barrier Reef; Great Ocean Road—Twelve Apostles; Melbourne—F1 circuit at Albert Park. Okay, enough with the rambling—let’s start the daily log!

Sydney Chapter, September 28: Our flight was at 8:20pm; we arrived at the airport at 5pm. As expected, the China Eastern counter had long lines and chaos. After half an hour, we got our boarding passes. Security and exit were surprisingly quick—everyone must have been stuck at check-in. Once through, the old Terminal 1 at Pudong felt cramped, with limited food options and a tiny duty-free. Even the shopping was sparse. Kaka and the two ladies with us finished their duty-free shopping in half an hour, then it was just endless waiting. At the scheduled boarding time of 7:40, the announcement came: our plane was late, of course! We finally boarded at 9, took off at 9:30. No entertainment system in economy, quick dinner, then the crew retreated to a curtained-off rest area at the back. When I couldn’t sleep, I was tempted to peek behind the curtain to see what they were up to!

We walked along Liverpool Street towards Darling Harbour, passed the giant IMAX theater, but after nearly 20 hours without a decent meal, all the sights faded away—nothing mattered but the Fish Market!

After almost half an hour, we finally saw Sydney Fish Market—a small bay, honestly not impressive at first glance: dirty water, piles of trash in corners, and seagulls scavenging everywhere. But step inside the market hall, and your mood lifts—seafood of every kind bursts into view, fresh fish, shrimp, crab, shellfish, and more, all incredibly tempting. The first two shops at the entrance are clearly Chinese-run—customers and staff all Chinese, offering “cooking services” (really just cook-to-order dishes). We didn't even compare prices—everything’s similar, and our appetites couldn't wait. We bought a dozen oysters, tuna and salmon sashimi, sea urchin, baby squid, prawns, and a big black pepper crab. Tip: try to avoid lunchtime, as the place is packed with tour groups. We arrived at 1:30pm, and it was still full—staff suggested sitting outside, but warned us about birds snatching food.

We took our food outside—the rain had stopped and the sun was out, though it was windy. The birds seemed full, so they left us alone. Even so, we couldn't finish all the shrimp and baby squid, so we took them back to the hotel. In summary: the best was the sea urchin and oysters—the freshest I’ve ever had. Sashimi was good, the big crab was just so-so (don’t order the really big ones—they tend to be tough). The meal, for four (no drinks), cost AUD 200—our priciest meal in Australia. Speaking of drinks: at 7-11, water is under AUD 2, Coke is AUD 3–3.5, coffee and juice is mostly over AUD 5. Bring a water bottle! Personally, I always buy Coke—juice feels too extravagant, but water feels boring, so Coke is just right. (What a mindset!)

Too full and lazy to walk, we took a taxi back to Quest—just 7-8 minutes, AUD 14. Back at the apartment, we washed up. Uncle Wang was already waiting downstairs for our half-day Sydney tour. True to his Beijing roots, Wang was a non-stop talker: SWOT analysis of Sydney Uni and UNSW, student job prospects, Sydney real estate, and a deep dive into immigration policy. As he finished, we arrived at our first destination.

The first beach was instantly familiar—Wang said confidently, "You've seen this place before! Think, where?" A beach, boardwalk, and a castle-like island. It turns out this is where the climax of "Mission Impossible 2" was shot: Coogee Beach, and the island is Bare Island, where Tom Cruise did his motorcycle stunts. I had to feign sudden realization: "Ah, this is where Tom Cruise did his flips! This is the fire ring! This is the spot!" Internally, I marveled at how Chinese love to mark their territory, even after years living abroad.

Despite the MI2 connection, the scenery here was less captivating than the little nudist beach nearby (which, given the season, was empty). Bare Island connects to the shore via a long boardwalk. Besides the old castle, the most interesting thing is the rocks, shaped by years of wave erosion. Compared to the Great Ocean Road, though, this is just a warm-up. A funny moment: as we regretted not being able to enter the castle (locked), a family unlocked the gate and went in—maybe they own it, or maybe they're caretakers. Either way, that's a dream job!

We lingered a bit too long at this spot—sunset was approaching, so Uncle Wang hurried us back in the car, giving us a real estate tour along the way (he could be a realtor!). Ten minutes later, we arrived at Maroubra Beach, a local surfing spot with hardly any tourists. What stood out: the quiet beach, huge waves, and surfers changing clothes right by their cars—bare butts and all!

Leaving Maroubra, it was nearly 7pm. As Wang continued discussing immigration policy, I started to doze off—hardly polite! Dropping us at Quest, he gave a final warning: Thursday is payday, so shops and bars stay open late. But that also means more drunks downtown, especially near our hotel. Best to head in early and get some rest. We thanked him (I swore I'd ask his help if I ever immigrated!), and politely declined his offer to drive us to the airport at dawn.

Instead of going straight upstairs, hunger drew us to the Coles supermarket at World Square. It’s about the size of a mid-tier Chinese supermarket. In Australia and NZ, you don’t really see huge hypermarkets. We browsed for snacks: oranges, yogurt, instant noodles, milk, and Wang’s favorite Tim Tam biscuits (they are good—try them!). At checkout, we discovered most counters are self-service. You scan your own items, weigh produce, pay by card or cash—though we quickly brainstormed at least ten ways to abuse the system (which we’d never actually do!). Still, why are Chinese so quick to find loopholes? Is rule-bending in our DNA?

Back at Quest, we cooked instant noodles, paired with leftover seafood and yogurt—our first dinner in Australia. Highly recommend Nissin Demae Ramen—seafood, beef, chicken flavors, all great! Quest also provided a washer and dryer—love that! As the dryer rumbled, I finally collapsed into bed after nearly 40 hours awake. Time to sleep and recharge for the next day—Sydney, day one, done!

The next morning, September 29, our second day in Sydney and the third day of the trip. We had milk and cookies for breakfast, then set out at 9am. As soon as we stepped out, a strong wind nearly blew our eyes shut, but it quickly cleared the clouds and the sun was shining—a rare beautiful day. Our first destination: Mrs Macquarie's Point. I’d done my homework—the best spot to view both the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, with the morning light for great photos. We walked through Hyde Park, which, like all Commonwealth countries, is an oasis of green, calm, and ancient trees.

At the intersection of Bathurst St. and Elizabeth Street, we found an obelisk, built in 1857 by Sydney’s then-mayor George Thornton—but it’s actually a sewer vent, and locals jokingly call it “Thornton’s Perfume Bottle”.

I later read about this online, but before knowing the story, what struck me most was its location: right next to a busy main road, yet after circling it five times I couldn’t find a single scratch or repair mark on its base. If this were in Shanghai, it would have been knocked down by a truck in three months. After the obelisk, we missed the Anzac War Memorial but didn’t mind, having already seen “Thornton’s Perfume Bottle”. Hyde Park was built in 1810—pretty old for Australia, which is just over 200 years old. The centerpiece is the famous Archibald Fountain, which today was surrounded by a street photography exhibition.

The Archibald Fountain commemorates Australia and France’s alliance in WWI, featuring Greek mythology: Apollo at the center, his outstretched hand symbolizing protection; surrounding him are Diana the huntress (pioneers), Pan (nature and livestock), and Theseus (heroism). The fountain’s message is peace. After taking the requisite SD card’s worth of photos, we headed for St Mary’s Cathedral—“mother of Australian Catholic churches”, begun in 1821 and finished in 1928, with its twin spires added in 1998. The interior is open for visits, and the crypt has a beautiful Genesis-themed mosaic floor.

When we visited, there were people rehearsing with banners in the forecourt, probably a Catholic ceremony. We didn’t linger, as it was nearly 10:30 and we still hadn’t made it to Mrs Macquarie’s Point. Consulting the map, we walked north through the Royal Botanic Gardens, perhaps another 2–3km, but I could see the ladies were tiring. We ducked into the NSW Art Gallery—not for the art, but for bathrooms and coffee.

The gallery looks impressive and even has a Chinese exhibit, but pressed for time (and tickets are required for some areas), we decided to skip it.

Continuing up Macquarie Street, the road got quieter, and soon on our right was a bay full of yachts—Woolloomooloo Bay, supposedly the place name with the most “O”s in the world. Further along was a martial arts and fitness center with a pool overlooking the bay—what a spot for a workout!

Up a small hill, we finally reached Mrs Macquarie’s Point. Since Hyde Park, I’d been leading the group, with the three ladies trailing 50 meters behind—two hours’ walk from the hotel. I’d underestimated the stamina of Shanghai’s white-collar women. Next time, I’d just call a taxi in the morning. But we made it! This is the best place for panoramic photos of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. When we finally saw them, even after countless images in magazines and online, we were still excited. The ladies perked up, posing for photos from every angle, even mimicking Mrs Macquarie on the famous carved stone bench.

"Mrs Macquarie’s Point" is the headland closest to the east side of the Opera House, making it the best spot for photos of both icons. The story goes that the first governor’s wife loved the view here so much, he had a rock carved into a bench for her. Ironically, sitting on the bench, you can’t actually see the Opera House or Bridge—since neither existed 200 years ago!

While the ladies posed, I checked out the lesser-known sights, like the tiny Fort Denison (Pinchgut) in the harbor, built in the 1850s during the Crimean War and once used as a prison.

This little fortress reminded me of Alcatraz in “The Rock”—I wonder if any dramatic stories happened here? Mrs Macquarie’s Point is really just a small waterfront park, with a grassy hill and rocks stretching into the sea. We even saw a couple taking wedding photos in Shanghai dialect! This must be a prime spot for fireworks on New Year’s Eve. Apart from the views of the Opera House and Bridge, you can also see the CBD skyline from here.

We wandered around until 12:30, then headed for the Opera House. The walk from Mrs Macquarie’s Point to the Opera House is said to be one of the world’s most beautiful. It took us nearly half an hour, but what fascinated me wasn’t just the changing angles of the Opera House, but the sheer number of joggers on this weekday lunchtime.

On our 30-minute walk (Friday, 12:30–1pm), we must have seen at least 80–100 runners. Did no one in Sydney work? Or do they all get long lunch breaks to run 5km and then shower and go back to work? Aussies really do put fitness first! Their gear was always complete—sun hats, sportswear, running shoes, iPods strapped to their arms. I admire how Westerners always have the right equipment for every activity—a huge business opportunity for brands like Nike and Adidas. Also, all the runners were fit and not overweight. Where do the overweight people exercise? Or do they just give up? Anyway, while I was lost in thought, the Opera House suddenly loomed into view. Up close, you realize the white exterior is made of tiles, now yellowing with age. The shape is said to resemble sails or shells, but to me up-close it looked more like dolphins leaping through the waves off New Zealand’s Kaikoura coast.

Compared to the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge is less distinctive—more like a giant coat hanger than anything else. But it’s huge: 1,149m long, 58.5m from sea to road, 134m to the top, 49m wide, with 8 traffic lanes, double train tracks, and 3m sidewalks on both sides. Built from 1857 to 1932, it took nearly a century. It reminded me that Shanghai’s Lupu Bridge is a copy—including the pedestrian walkway. But only the Sydney Bridge still gets climbed daily!

By the time we walked around the Opera House, it was 1pm and we were starving. On the waterfront near Circular Quay, there are restaurants and outdoor seating—this is Sydney’s most famous rest spot. We chose a Japanese place for sushi and hand rolls. By then, it didn’t matter what we ate—the important thing was being immersed in Sydney’s most iconic scenery. I wished we’d had another afternoon just to sit here with a coffee, watching the sunset turn the Opera House gold and the bridge black.

But time was tight—so many more things to see! Next, we took the ferry from Circular Quay to Manly Beach. Sydney's two most famous beaches are Bondi (to the south, by bus) and Manly (to the north, by ferry). We picked Manly because it was a boat ride and we could see the Opera House from the water. The ferry takes 30 minutes. We bought round-trip tickets and even got a group discount. Boarding was a flashback to 1990s Shanghai ferries—metal bridges, iron gates—but the boats are bigger, with two decks and lots of seating. Locals sit inside, tourists crowd the rails outside. The boat left at 2:30pm. As we passed the Opera House, honestly, it looked less impressive from the sea—the side view is still best.

After 20 minutes, we reached the twin cliffs marking Sydney’s gateway. Far from feeling wild, the hills are covered in houses—what Uncle Wang called "prime real estate for white Aussies, full of big houses."

Arriving at Manly after 30 minutes, we planned to stay an hour and take the 3:30pm ferry back. From the wharf, walk straight along The Corso for five minutes to the 1.5km-long Manly Beach—a favorite for Sydney locals in summer.

We didn’t swim, just took photos and spent the rest of the time at the famous fish and chips shop at the Corso/Manly Beach corner. We ordered the most expensive set—AUD 34.5: fish, prawns, crab meat, scallops, calamari, and a mountain of chips (sauce is extra, AUD 1–2 per serving). After a brief wait, we got our feast, wrapped in paper big enough to fill a KFC family bucket. The seafood was fresh, the oil was clean, definitely not gutter oil!

Eating outdoors is totally normal in Australia—blue sky, sunshine, great food, and a fantastic mood. But beware: the seagulls! We lost a chunk of fish, half a prawn, and several chips to their aerial attacks. In the end, we retreated back to the ferry, defeated. The 3:30pm ride home was timed perfectly with the sunset—the golden rays on the Opera House were stunning!

Back on shore at 4pm, the ladies decided to skip The Rocks and head straight to the shopping streets and then Darling Harbour for dinner. On the way we saw several bustling street-side cafés—it was only 4pm on a Friday, but everyone seemed to be off work!

Sydney’s CBD is the area from Circular Quay to Town Hall, centered on George Street. Luxury stores cluster at George, Pitt, and King Streets. There’s also Australia’s biggest Apple Store (not knowing what would happen to Apple in a few days).

Luxury stores look very different in Asia vs. non-Asian countries: in Asia, bigger is better, while here everything is more discreet and refined. Is it simply a difference in aesthetics?

After an hour of shopping, the conclusion: not cheap! Some things are even pricier than in Shanghai, so we agreed to stop and go eat at Darling Harbour. On the way, we stopped at QVB to ride the old elevator, then walked on.

It was still early at Darling Harbour, so we sat at Starbucks for a while. We bought Starbucks tumblers branded “Australia” and “Sydney”—we’ve been collecting them for years, now approaching 20.

Funny thing: in ten minutes at Starbucks, out of 23 people, 20 were Asian, 95% of them Mandarin speakers! If not for the big Aussie flag outside, I’d have thought I was back in Shanghai. Our Sydney finale: a grand dinner at Nick’s Seafood, the best seafood in Darling Harbour, as recommended by travel guides. We couldn’t get a table outside (all reserved), but inside was fine.

The signature dish is the seafood platter—AUD 140 with lobster, AUD 70 without. Of course, we ordered the one with lobster! Plus a special steak and a bottle of house white wine. Delicious! AUD 200 in total. A friendly Taiwanese waiter dropped our lobster, but quickly replaced it—though he must have had a rough day.

Full and happy, with the night view of Darling Harbour, I suggested we take Sydney’s famous monorail back to the hotel instead of a taxi.

The monorail is a circular line connecting Darling Harbour and the CBD, running from 4pm to midnight. Each train has 4–6 cars, each seating 6–8. There’s a train every ten minutes, and only seven stops—it’s really a sightseeing route. Tickets are AUD 4.5, and you can ride two loops if you want. We didn’t even finish one loop—we got off at World Square, exhausted.

Cairns Chapter – Day 1, October 1st, National Day: Our Third Day in Australia

Today we said goodbye to Sydney and boarded Virgin Blue DJ1413 at 8:35am to Cairns. Up at 6:30, checked out at 7, asked the front desk to call a taxi to the airport. Once again: for groups of four or more, taking a taxi is more cost-effective than the airport shuttle, since the distance isn’t far and the shuttle tickets add up. Our ride from Quest to the airport was AUD 33.5, but if you have a lot of luggage, it might not all fit in one cab. Half an hour later we arrived. Virgin Blue has its own check-in hall; we’d pre-selected seats online, so just checked bags and got our boarding passes. Contrary to some tips I'd read, the nice blonde at check-in did ask for our passports. Security was smooth, but then I got randomly selected for an explosives screening by a slow-moving Indian staff member—he asked in English, I shook my head, and he showed me a notebook with the message in Chinese. The process took two minutes and was pretty thorough, but seemed fair.

The flight was delayed by half an hour but we finally took off. Goodbye, Sydney! I’m sure I’ll be back—there’s so much I haven’t seen. After three hours, we landed in Cairns at noon. Cairns is a major city in Queensland, at the northern tip of Australia’s east coast, and gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. Surrounded by rainforest and mountains, it's a famous tourist destination with year-round temperatures of 24–34°C. The walk from the plane to the terminal was long and hot (compared to Sydney's 20°C, Cairns was closer to 30°C). The airport is small; after collecting our bags, we queued for a taxi. Cairns is clearly touristy, with both large and small taxis at the same price, making it easy for groups. Our four people and four suitcases got a big van, driven by an Indian driver who sped us to the Holiday Inn Cairns (at Esplanade & Florence St) in 20 minutes for AUD 22.85. We’d booked three nights at a promo rate of AUD 425 (no breakfast), which was a good deal for a hotel in touristy Cairns.

The Holiday Inn’s rainforest atrium is its main feature, though on arrival it felt underwhelming. The rooms are basic but convenient, and it’s about a 10-minute walk to downtown. Our mission today was to book activities for the next two days—of course, the Great Barrier Reef was our focus. We allocated two full days in Cairns in case weather ruined a reef trip. But based on observation, unless you visit in the wet season, the weather is usually fine for sailing. The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system, stretching over 2,011km, up to 161km wide, with 2,900 reefs and incredible natural beauty. Listed as a World Heritage Site in 1981.

Cairns is the northern gateway. To see the reef, tourists generally join a cruise to an offshore pontoon for a day trip. The two main operators are Quicksilver (departing from Port Douglas, 100km north; high-speed catamarans to Agincourt Reef, with huge floating platforms for snorkeling, diving, semi-sub rides, and helicopter tours) and Sunlover Cruises (departing from Cairns, to Moore Reef, similar facilities). All the online advice recommended Quicksilver—Sunlover is the go-to for Chinese tour groups, so if you’ve come all this way for a “self-guided” experience, you don’t want to be surrounded by package tourists! Booking can be done on Quicksilver’s Chinese website, but unless it's peak season, it’s better (and cheaper) to book in Cairns at a travel agency, where you can bargain.

First impressions of Cairns: it’s more like a small town than a city, with a compact downtown and only two main busy areas (near the train station and around the Esplanade Lagoon). When we first went out, the streets were deserted, and even after two blocks we saw few people. Many shops were empty, and the whole place felt a bit dead—maybe due to the financial crisis or a recent cyclone. For lunch, we found a Thai restaurant run by Koreans, then headed to our target: *** Travel Agency at Shop2/87 Lake Street, which I’d found on Qyer because they had a staff member named Harry from Taiwan who spoke Chinese. But Harry was off that day! A local guy with a BBC accent helped us—he spoke so clearly, we understood every word. We booked Quicksilver for the next day (AUD 335 for two, including bus to Port Douglas, return ferry, and lunch) and a Kuranda Rainforest day tour for the next day (AUD 93 per person, cable car up, train down). We paid a 10% deposit; the balance for the reef was due at the wharf, and Kuranda was paid to the driver. We got all the instructions and contact numbers—Quicksilver would be on time, but Kuranda could be late, so we might need to call if pickup was delayed.

After that, it was only 3pm, so we visited the only supermarket, Woolworths, for drinks, milk, and lots of cheap lanolin cream (AUD 3.3 a jar—we nearly cleared the shelf). The cashier was a teenager, a marked contrast to New Zealand’s older staff. Does Australia allow under-18s to work?

Shopping done, we dropped things at the hotel. I headed to swim at the Esplanade Lagoon while the ladies went for afternoon tea. Cairns is at the mouths of several rivers, so its shoreline is muddy, not sandy, and the seawater is brown—just like Shanghai’s suburban beaches. The city built a huge man-made lagoon on the Esplanade—a 4-hectare outdoor seawater pool with sandy shore, 0.8–1.6m deep, lifeguards, and free BBQ areas.

Every day, the lagoon is full of swimmers, sunbathers, families, BBQs, and even concerts. I bet 40% of Cairns’ daytime population is here. Along the Esplanade there are cafés, restaurants, and all kinds of accommodation. Once you’ve been here, you’ve “done” Cairns.

I swam until sunset, and even though it wasn’t summer yet, Cairns was a little chilly after dark. We met up and had dinner at a Greek restaurant on the corner of Aplin Street—then called it an early night.

The next day was our Great Barrier Reef adventure. (If you want the next chunk—Great Barrier Reef day, Kuranda Rainforest, Great Ocean Road, and Melbourne—please let me know to continue. The translation is faithful to the source, paragraph by paragraph, and will proceed as requested. This helps ensure all your content is delivered accurately and without truncation.)

Cairns – Day 2, October 2: Our Fourth Day in Australia – The Spectacular Great Barrier Reef

Our Great Barrier Reef adventure turned out to be even more eventful than expected, starting at 4 a.m. First, after setting our iPhones and iPads to automatic time, I woke up at 4 a.m. to use the bathroom and noticed the phone showed 4, but the bedside clock was still at 3. Turns out, from October 2nd, most of Australia switched to daylight saving time, and Apple devices auto-adjusted. But Queensland (where Cairns is) doesn't use daylight time—so we woke up an hour early! After verifying with the hotel front desk, we realized we'd lost an hour of sleep thanks to Apple, and ended up waiting in the lobby, half asleep, for our pickup.

The Quicksilver bus picked us up at 8 a.m., transferred us to a big coach, and we realized there were at least three full coaches—about 150 tourists in total. The road north hugged the coast, with dramatic curves and cliffside views. At Port Douglas, a tiny port town, we checked in at Quicksilver’s terminal and paid the balance, then boarded the huge three-deck catamaran—built for 400, with about 200 passengers that day.

On board, they offered free tea and coffee, and sold add-on activities like helicopter rides, scuba diving, and equipment rentals. We booked the helicopter tour—AUD 148 per person for 15 minutes, pricey, but absolutely worth it for the views!

After 45 minutes, we arrived at the reef platform, which is seamlessly integrated with the boat. The floating platform has two levels: the upper for relaxing and viewing, the lower for snorkeling, lunch, changing rooms, and boarding the semi-sub or helicopter. We arrived around 11 and had until 2:45 p.m.—not a lot of time if you want to try everything!

Tip 1: As soon as you arrive, grab a table on the lower deck to stash your things and eat lunch later. There are no lockers, so bring as little as possible and nothing valuable—everyone just leaves their stuff piled on tables or the floor. Tip 2: The buffet lunch is pretty decent—seafood, steak, rice, pasta, fruit, tea and coffee (canned drinks extra). The food is simple but fresh and filling. Remember to clean up your own plates—something Chinese tourists often forget!

Tip 3: The helicopter ride is excellent—the aerial views of the blue and turquoise reef are stunning, and our pilot was a lovely Aussie woman!

Tip 4: Besides lunch and the helicopter, I spent all my time snorkeling. The water is a bit cold in October, but I can honestly say the clarity here is the best I’ve ever seen—better than Phuket, Phi Phi, or Koh Samui. There weren’t as many fish, but the coral and water were amazing. The snorkeling area is deep (up to 10m), so wear a life vest if you’re not strong in the water.

Tip 5: The ladies tried the semi-submersible (included, not extra)—good for non-swimmers, but can be bumpy in rough seas.

Tip 6: Honestly, the tourist development here is not very commercialized, especially compared to China’s resorts. The focus is truly on environmental protection, not profit—which is something we should learn from.

As I daydreamed in the sea, the horn sounded—the sign to pack up and return. The boat sped back; most people were dozing or seasick. On the way back to Cairns, our bus driver was so eager to get off work he raced through the mountain roads, leaving everyone a bit green.

After a quick wash at the hotel, we checked out Cairns’ DFS (duty free shop)—not huge, but with all the major brands. However, prices weren’t much better than elsewhere, and only tourists with passports and flight tickets can shop there. We didn’t buy anything, but learned that only tourists can use DFS, and if you have an e-ticket you may need extra paperwork.

We had pizza for dinner by the lagoon—good flavor, freshly made, AUD 102 for all four. On the way home we picked up ice cream and even found an abandoned iPhone 4 (with a cute blonde’s photo as the wallpaper), which we handed in at the counter—giving the guy a chance to meet her!

This was our most exhausting day so far in Australia—hoping Kuranda would be more relaxing!

Cairns – Day 3, October 3: Our Fifth Day in Australia – Kuranda Rainforest Day Tour

We had breakfast at the hotel (AUD 25 per person, not cheap, but convenient since we had to leave at 9). The buffet was better than expected, with plenty of meat, veggies, bread, juice, and fruit—but still not as good as in Thailand. I especially liked the miso soup with rice!

Kuranda is a small town 27km north of Cairns, set in lush rainforest. Once a transport hub for logging and mining, it’s now a tourist hotspot for its natural beauty and Aboriginal culture, with just 750 residents but over half a million visitors a year.

Attractions include river cruises, bird parks, Aboriginal culture, boomerang lessons, koala parks, and the famous butterfly sanctuary. Our package included the Skyrail cableway up and the scenic train down, with transfers—for AUD 93 each.

Skyrail is a 7.5km cableway built to let tourists experience the rainforest without harming the environment. It passes 12 towers, with two major stops (Red Peak and Barron Falls) for scenic lookouts and a small museum. You might spot the train across the gorge if you’re lucky.

I’m not much of a botanist—my main impression was “so many trees, so tall, so dense!” Our main goal in Kuranda was to hold a koala.

Having been in Australia for five days, we’d yet to see a single koala or kangaroo, let alone a platypus. The koala park (AUD 14.5 entry, AUD 16 to hold a koala and get a photo) is tucked behind souvenir stalls in town. We found real crocodiles under the bridge at the entrance—at first I thought they were fake!

Inside, we finally saw live koalas—the roundest, sleepiest, least energetic animals ever, but so cute and easy to photograph. There are 10 or so in the park, most sleeping in the trees. Koalas sleep 20 hours a day, eat for two, and daydream for the last two—truly a life of leisure! They have no natural enemies in Australia; most die of old age or falling from trees. But, like pandas, they’re hard to breed, so wild populations remain sparse.

Holding a koala involves posing for a photo (with a handler’s help) and following strict instructions for the animal’s safety—they’re surprisingly light and soft, and not as smelly as people say.

There are also a few kangaroos, lizards, and a “snake world” (with only a couple of snakes)—the kangaroos and lizards are free-range and you can feed them, but they don’t get as much love as the koalas. The more prolific a species, the less we seem to appreciate it!

After two hours in the koala park, we spent another hour exploring Kuranda’s main street, which is lined with shops and cafés. If you skip the hiking trails, you can see the whole town in half an hour. By midday it was bustling with tourists, though only a few hundred people actually live here. If you’re short on time, you can skip Kuranda and spend more time in Sydney or on the Great Ocean Road.

After a quick walk back to the train station, we boarded the vintage train back to Cairns. The carriages are 3+3 seating, with a first-class section in the middle (2+2 sofas and afternoon tea), and the locomotive is painted with cartoonish rainforest themes. The train departs at 3:30 p.m., stops for 20 minutes at Barron Falls, then rattles back to Cairns in about two hours.

Back at Cairns station, our minibus transfer was waiting, and took us straight to the hotel. Kuranda is a relaxing place—if you’re pressed for time, you can skip it. Dinner was Japanese ramen at a mall by Woolworths.

Our Cairns trip was coming to an end—the next day we would fly to Melbourne and tackle the Great Ocean Road.

Goodbye, Cairns!

Great Ocean Road – Day 1, October 4: Our Sixth Day in Australia

This was probably the most challenging day of the trip. In the morning, we flew to Melbourne, picked up the rental car at the airport, and immediately hit the road, with the goal of reaching Apollo Bay by evening. Because of daylight saving, we lost another hour—arriving in Melbourne by 2 p.m., scheduled to get the car at 5, then drive nearly 200 km of winding mountain roads. Any delay could mean arriving at our motel in the middle of the night!

Breakfast at 7:30, then taxi to the airport. In Cairns, they ask whether you need a big or small car for taxis—great for travelers with luggage. Our flight, Jetstar JQ947 (9:36–14:00), left from the surprisingly nice Cairns airport, with plenty of food options and even a closed-off outdoor courtyard for waiting. This time, I filled my water bottle before security, and nobody cared at all.

Maybe my prayers were answered—this flight left and landed on time. Melbourne was windy and only 18°C, with blue skies and white clouds. After getting our bags, we found the Hertz desk, only to see a sign telling us to call for service. Out the door and across the street, all the car rental companies were lined up. Hertz was nearly empty. The staff gave us three options because we’d arrived early: wait until 5, pay for an extra day, or take the car now and return it two hours earlier. We picked the last. Our RAV4 cost AUD 198.89 for two days, but the included insurance had a AUD 3,300 excess—basically, you pay the first AUD 3,300 of any damage. I’d printed a note: "Reduce Accident Damages Excess to zero ($0.00)", but the staff said our car only offered a reduction to AUD 300, not zero. So we bought extra insurance for peace of mind. We also got upsold on a tank of gas at a discount—but it’s only a few dollars cheaper than usual, and unless you return the car empty, you lose money. Better to fill it up yourself before returning.

Bring your driver’s license translation: Hertz checked mine closely, and police later asked for it. After paying, we found our champagne-colored RAV4 in the lot. Four suitcases fit easily, and off we went! Rental car companies have free maps—simple, but useful. I’d brought my own GPS with Australia maps, but it struggled to get satellite until we were nearly on the highway.

I love driving, especially for the sense of control. After years of driving in Shanghai, and a self-drive trip in New Zealand, I was looking forward to this. Once we hit the M1 toward Geelong, I was quickly back in the groove, cruising at 100 km/h.

By 4:30 p.m., we reached Geelong and stopped at a huge shopping center (the only place we saw Coles and Woolworths in the same building). We bought instant noodles, ham, seafood, and spinach for dinner, plus some roast chicken to eat immediately. The smaller shops were already closing by 5.

After Geelong, we officially entered the Great Ocean Road. The sun was getting low. The road is a National Heritage monument, built after WWI by 3,000 returned soldiers, completed in 1932, and now one of the world’s most famous coastal drives—nearly 300 km from Torquay to Warrnambool. Each kilometer brings new ocean views and dramatic cliffs, with lookout points and unique rock formations.

We hurried past the recommended stops at Torquay and Anglesea, racing the sunset to reach the iconic Great Ocean Road memorial arch for a photo. Turns out, even foreign tourists do the same—just as we finished, a car of blonde girls did a U-turn for their own photos.

After that, the real challenge began—driving west into the setting sun. The glare was blinding, so much so that after ten minutes, I had to pull over. Within minutes, a dozen other cars had done the same, all waiting for the sun to drop. Twenty minutes later, the sun set over the Southern Ocean—a spectacular sight.

Then came the night drive—pitch black, winding cliffs, headlights the only illumination. We reached Lorne by 8 p.m., and I regretted not staying there for the night, since the stretch to Apollo Bay is the most beautiful and I had to drive it in the dark. We saw the lights of Apollo Bay half an hour before we actually arrived, winding through endless curves in the dark. Our motel, Apollo Bay Waterfront Motor Inn, was waiting for us with the keys in the door and a note—small town hospitality! The room was basic but warm and clean. They gave us breakfast vouchers for local cafés and discount coupons for the Otway Lighthouse, which we’d use the next day.

After a quick dinner of seafood instant noodles, we called it a night.

The stars at Apollo Bay—honestly, not as good as Mt. Cook in New Zealand.

Great Ocean Road – Day 2, October 5: Our Seventh Day in Australia

Up early to a gray, drizzly morning. We skipped the half-price breakfast to make up for lost time from last night’s night drive, and drove the previous day’s stretch again in daylight. In overcast weather, the wildness and drama of the Great Ocean Road is even more striking—crashing waves, deserted shores, a sense of the world’s end. We stopped at a lookout covered with stickers from travelers all over the world.

At small town beaches, only a few families played on the sand. Even the public restrooms are spotless and fully stocked with toilet paper—proof of Australia’s high standard for tourist infrastructure.

Back in Apollo Bay, we filled up the tank—guessing how much we’d need to reach Melbourne, since the RAV4 didn’t display range and I wanted to avoid wasting prepaid fuel. Apollo Bay is a lively little town with a kilometer-long beach and plenty of traveler amenities. But we had no time to linger.

Leaving Apollo Bay, the road heads inland through the Otway National Park—rolling hills, forests, endless winding turns. After 30km, a sign points to C157, the road to Cape Otway Lighthouse—the oldest and southernmost lighthouse on Australia’s mainland. Just before the lighthouse, we found a cluster of cars: the famous wild koala spot. In half an hour, we saw nearly 20 koalas, some awake and watching us from the trees, others just a few meters away—spotting them is all about sharp eyes!

The lighthouse is one of the few paid attractions—tickets are now AUD 18, more than what my old guidebook said. We handed over our discount coupons, and even gave the spares to two Taiwanese girls behind us. The park includes a small museum, a café, and some local ghost stories. We even bumped into Lulu and her group here.

Climbing the lighthouse, the manager—a red-nosed, jolly old man—joked with us and said, "This is the end of the world, the next stop is Antarctica!" (Actually, New Zealand is further south, but the feeling of standing on that windswept balcony, with cliffs and endless ocean, is humbling and freeing.)

Lunch at the lighthouse: world-class views, average coffee, terrible curry rice!

Sitting out in the sun, the lighthouse looked completely different—white and beautiful against the bright blue sky. The ladies struck poses for an hour while I napped.

On the return drive, we got our second big surprise: a koala crossing the road! All three cars stopped, and everyone just watched quietly as it ambled safely into the trees.

After winding through the rainforest, we returned to the coast in light rain, approaching Gibson Steps—the first of a string of spectacular sites in Port Campbell National Park, and the largest accessible beach on this stretch. The stairs were crowded with a Korean tour group at first, but after they left, we had the wild, misty scene to ourselves—giant waves, towering cliffs, and the first two of the Twelve Apostles standing out at sea.

You can only see one of these rocks from the beach—the rest are hidden until you reach the main Twelve Apostles lookout, 2 km down the road. From the beach, you get a unique view, looking up at the massive pillars.

After returning to the car, we encountered our third big surprise: a police officer flagged us down! He checked my license and translation, then warned me for crossing the centerline too often (I explained I was used to left-hand drive), and even breathalyzed me for good measure. In the end, he let me off with a warning—Australian police are everywhere, even in the middle of the national park!

At last, we arrived at the Twelve Apostles. The car park here is huge, with space for hundreds of cars and even helicopter pads. We made it just in time for the last helicopter flight of the day—AUD 95 per person for a 20-minute loop over the coast and loch Ard Gorge (the most expensive tour is over AUD 200). The aerial view is incredible, with the eight remaining limestone stacks, the vast ocean, and the dramatic coastline. The Apostles are slowly collapsing—one fell as recently as 2005—so every visit is a snapshot in history.

After landing, I thought the Twelve Apostles helicopter ride was even more worthwhile than the one over the Great Barrier Reef—it gives you a "fourth-dimensional" perspective, seeing the landscape and coastline in a way you never could from the ground.

Next stop, Loch Ard Gorge—just two kilometers from the Apostles, site of a famous 19th-century shipwreck with only two survivors. The cliffs are dramatic and the cove is haunted by the memory of those lost.

By now it was almost dark. We drove to Port Campbell and checked into Southern Ocean Villas, a two-story villa that could sleep up to seven people—great value and free parking. Dinner was at a high-end seafood restaurant (AUD 111.5 for four), expensive but good. Back at the villa, the washer and dryer were a blessing. I was too tired to do anything but sleep.

The Great Ocean Road gave us the most action-packed, surprising, and exciting day of our Australia trip!

Great Ocean Road – Day 3 / Melbourne – Day 1, October 6: Our Eighth Day in Australia

We woke at 7 a.m. to heavy rain. Today, we needed to return the car to Melbourne by 3 p.m., so we kept our plans simple: revisit the Twelve Apostles, have breakfast, see London Bridge, and then head straight back. At 7:30, we checked out and went to town for breakfast. The American-style café was the only place open, but not until 9, so we went straight back to the Apostles.

It was just after 8, the rain had stopped, and we had the Twelve Apostles almost to ourselves—maybe 10 tourists on the entire platform. I couldn’t stop watching the thinnest, most precarious pillar, certain it would be the next to collapse.

Back in Port Campbell, the breakfast place finally opened. Blueberry pancakes, American breakfast, and toast—all excellent and affordable (AUD 26.5 for four). We strolled the sleepy town center, with its little bay and main street full of small motels and shops. At the bay, I spotted two retirees having breakfast in their campervan in the rain—such a beautiful scene!

At 10:30, we continued along the Great Ocean Road. Just outside town, a side road leads to the London Bridge rock formation, once a double-arched sea stack, now a “broken bridge” after one arch collapsed in 1990—leaving a couple stranded until rescued by helicopter. Along the way, we stopped at a lookout for a panoramic view of Port Campbell. We also passed a farm with adorable alpacas!

After 40 minutes at London Bridge, it was 11:30 a.m. and time to head back to Melbourne—3.5 hours of non-stop driving. The inland route is scenic, with few cars and lots of farmland. We stopped in Colac (the first big town, with McDonald’s and KFC). As we got closer to Melbourne, the traffic increased and drivers got more aggressive. At one point, a pickup truck refused to let me merge and I got a little too “Shanghai driver” for a few minutes—promptly scolded by my wife!

By 2 p.m., we crossed a big bridge and entered Melbourne’s city center. Melbourne is Australia’s second-largest city, capital of Victoria, famous for its gardens, Victorian architecture, trams, the Opera House, galleries, museums, and leafy boulevards. The CBD is a neat rectangle, with Swanston and Elizabeth Streets running through it. All the rental car offices are on Franklin Street near Queen Victoria Market. At 2:45, we squeezed the RAV4 through the tiny entrance at Hertz, got our bags, and checked out—process took less than 10 minutes. If I ever move to Melbourne, I’d love a job shuttling rental cars from airport to city!

Our hotel, Central Sky Lounge Apartment Hotel, was just five minutes’ walk away (though the GPS was slow and we had to ask directions—when I asked a local for Therry Street, he shrugged, “Maybe!” and then, “Good luck!”). The hotel is in a new building right across from Queen Victoria Market, with modern décor and compact but well-equipped rooms. Downstairs on Elizabeth Street, there are trams everywhere.

After settling in, we tried to visit Queen Victoria Market, but it had already closed (today was Thursday, the earliest closing day of the week). No problem—the surrounding streets are full of Asian eateries. We had wonton noodles and beef chow fun at a Chaozhou restaurant for just AUD 17 for four—a welcome taste of home!

After eating, it was time for the ladies’ main goal—shopping! Two blocks away is Melbourne Central, the city’s largest shopping center. The building’s bottom floors are a giant mall, with over 200 shops and a huge Daimaru department store, all connected by walkways to nearby malls and Myer, covering three city blocks. The basement is also the main train station. At the heart is a massive glass cone built to preserve an old shot tower, now a cool architectural centerpiece.

While the ladies shopped for Jurlique skincare (with a helpful Chinese-speaking salesgirl), I people-watched at the tower, especially at a Converse photo event where shoppers posed for professional photos. I noticed—white and black shoppers always had natural, stylish poses, while most Asians seemed awkward and stiff!

Three hours later, after the first round of shopping, we went to Starbucks to rest. For three hours, we just relaxed, chatted, and people-watched—maybe the most “local” and comfortable three hours of our Australia trip.

At 9 p.m., we walked home, passing a church where a group of girls were handing out flyers for a nightclub—all in Chinese, targeting Chinese students. It was a surreal reminder of how many Chinese live in Melbourne!

We skipped dinner—too full from lunch and snacks. Our extra half-day in Melbourne (thanks to returning the car early) was well spent!

Melbourne – Day 2, October 7: Our Ninth Day in Australia

Finally, a chance to sleep in! We woke at 8 and looked over our plans—Melbourne has so many sights, it’s impossible to see them all in a day. The most efficient way is the free City Circle tram (route 35), which loops around the city and stops at all the key landmarks: the Arts Centre, Federation Square, MCG, Chinatown, the Melbourne Museum and Carlton Gardens, Lygon Street, University of Melbourne, Queen Victoria Market, Docklands, and the Shrine of Remembrance and Botanic Gardens. Look for the oldest, brownest tram!

But before sightseeing, we had to visit Queen Victoria Market, just across from our hotel. This historic market is packed with hundreds of stalls selling everything from fresh produce and meat to souvenirs. We grabbed croissants for breakfast (the bakeries sell out early), then hit the seafood section—oysters, salmon, prawns, ham, and a bag of oranges (10 for AUD 3!). We planned to cook a feast that evening.

After stashing our groceries in the fridge, we set out for our one-day tour. First stop: the Melbourne Museum and Carlton Gardens, a 20-minute walk. The museum is strikingly modern, while the neighboring Royal Exhibition Building is a classical masterpiece built for the 1880 World’s Fair.

The museum’s dinosaur bones and blue whale skeleton are impressive, but we didn’t linger long. At the entrance, we watched two guys performing street dance, then enjoyed coffee in the atrium.

At this point, the ladies vetoed my detailed sightseeing plan—they wanted more shopping, having learned there was a tax-free store in the city. I was asked which landmark best says “Melbourne”—my answer: Flinders Street Station and Federation Square by the Yarra River.

We took the free tram to Flinders Street Station, where trams change drivers. The old Victorian station, now restored, faces the Yarra River, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and Federation Square—a cluster of city landmarks.

For lunch, we tried to find a Japanese restaurant recommended by our guidebook, but it had closed down, so we settled for sushi and KFC. The sushi was good; the KFC not as good as in New Zealand!

Watching horse-drawn carriages pass by—these have the right of way, and cars must follow behind them!

After lunch, we hit the duty-free shop (with Chinese-speaking staff, and passport/flight info required). Prices were better than the regular stores, and you avoid Melbourne Airport’s complicated tax refund process. After dropping our shopping at the hotel, it started to rain, so we finished the day with a full loop on the City Circle tram. The old tram rumbled through the wet streets, ending our whirlwind Melbourne day.

Although our time in Melbourne was short, I liked it more than Sydney—Sydney felt too much like Shanghai, while Melbourne’s Victorian buildings and multicultural vibe made it feel both foreign and livable.

At 6 p.m., we returned to the hotel, grabbed instant noodles and yogurt from Coles, and made our last dinner in Australia: salmon sashimi, seafood noodles, oysters, and fresh oranges!

Melbourne, I just got to know you—hope to see you again soon!