The Australian Open and St Kilda

Been away from blogging for far too long! And though I have plenty to write about from our family’s more recent travels, I thought I’d resume with a throwback of photos from a trip that I, my hubby, and some tennis friends, made a few years ago.  You see, this walk down the memory lane cropped up when a friend asked me a couple of days ago whether she should visit Melbourne on her first trip Down Under…

 Ours was primarily to see the Australian Open, the tennis grand slam of Asia and the Pacific.  Out of the seven days that we were there, we watched tennis for five days and only two were left to explore the rugged beauty of Victoria, the state where Melbourne is the capital.

We stayed at Hilton Melbourne South Wharf, which I understand is now Pan Pacific Melbourne.  It was not in the busy city centre but still a convenient location, being just a short tram ride to the tennis courts.

I can remember the spirited but relaxed atmosphere in the stadiums.  Definitely one of the best crowds in the world of tennis!

Cheers erupted when Rafael Nadal walked into the Rod Laver Arena and I recall muttering something like, “Whoa, immortal!”

The charm of Maria Sharapova was undeniable.  Her focus was palpable, and her grit, oh her grit could be felt with every first-pump and 100-decibel grunt she made.

The presence of Roger Federer was unrivaled.  Electrifying!  Every movement of his racquet was magic; deadly and graceful at the same time.

I fondly remember sitting on my hubby’s shoulders to have a closer look at the great Roger Federer whom we stalked at the practice courts.  This man was the reason that we were in Melbourne!

And of the two days that we decided to take time off from tennis, one happened to be the match between Roger and Rafael.  Noooo!!!! And no matter how much we begged for tickets, there was nothing, and resale was not available. Ugh!

That was the day that we visited St. Kilda, Melbourne’s seaside playground.  It was a stone’s throw away from the city (6 km) and which we reached via the metro train.  St Kilda was the place to be!  Everyone not watching tennis seemed to be getting their tan out there.  Check out the pics!  We had a sumptuous lunch at this restaurant called Donovans which served outstanding seafood and had a great view of the beach.  My hubby quipped that the humongous fish he devoured is still *ahem* fresh in his memory.

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And the other day that we were away from tennis?  That was when we explored the rugged coastlines, dramatic rock formations and quiet towns along the Great Ocean Road. Stay tuned! Will write about our Great Ocean Road tour next…

Meanwhile, here’s a feast for the eyes for y’all tennis fans out there! Enjoy the gallery!

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-xoxo-