Melbourne day one

Arrived last night after an excellent Emirates' flight and even a nice vegetarian meal which I had forgotten I had ordered. My flight was from Wellington via Auckland, where I picked up the Emirates and it was worth the detour, if only to have a feel of international travel again. This was a large airbus and I had a neighbour going on to UK via Dubai. The service and style of the aircraft was impeccable and I saw a few video biopics on the screen, including Scarlett Johannsen and Cate Blanchett, both excellent summaries of their extraordinary lives.

It was raining on arrival at Melbourne and Maisie was right there five minutes after I arrived at our designated meeting spot outside the Park Royal Hotel. It was great to see her again, as ever smart in black and driving her white, now vintage, BMW.

In bed at ten and up at six I decided to take the train immediately to the city to check out the Mac shop as I am planning to upgrade my i-pad and where better than in Melbourne where I am sure to have some expert advice. We are not leaving for the retreat in Ballarat until two pm so I have time for brekkie at Fed. Square, one of my favourite places in town with the ACMI cinema and also looking over the Yarra and the Mac shop is just opposite me in Flinders Street.

At café in Fed Square where the coffee is ho-hum but service is great and an excellent position to a

wait for the Mac shop to open at nine am.

A bit cool in Melbourne but it is autumn.

Well as you can see I gave into yet another coffee experience. I had to really in order to redeem my beloved Melbourne after the first one.  And this was it. As well I had a delicious pain au chocolat in the Royal Arcade on Little Collins at Caffé e Torta. This will really set me off for my séjour in Melbourne as in Ballarat I won't be having a coffee to speak of lol!

A view from my café on to one entrance of the Block Arcade, a legendary arcade in the large annals of Melbourne's  back lanes. 

Good news from the Mac shop in that my iPad is quite OK and if I give in to a new one it may well be the mini IPad which is excellent for travel and has a better camera, and a bit cheaper as well!

Above is Little Collins Street, one of busiest areas of this throbbing and thriving city and is a real reflection of the style and content for which Melbourne has always been justly famous.