Austadiums Travel Thread

Jeffles · Post by **Jeffles** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 2:30 pm

HMS Cheesemaker wrote:Well, after a day in Melbourne I'm in a wee spot of difficulty.

I really can't decide.

Who are crazier:

Melbourne Drivers or Melbourne Pedestrians?

It is the Paris of the southern hemisphere (so they tell us).

yob · Post by **yob** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 2:57 pm

sandyhill wrote: Pedestrians are crazier - they don't have going for them in any hard physical altercation with a car.

I also had trouble coping with Melbourne trafiic when i first arrived from the bush It was then all explained to me by a local - given Melbourne's European culture, we don't have road rules as such - they're merely guidelines so just do what you see fit, but use your best judgement to avoid death or injury. So far I've suceeded.

The first time I drove in Melbourne I had a crack at the hook turn. Of course, being scared shitless and trying to turn across 6 lanes of traffic, I ended up doing one almighty powerslide through the intersection

Egan · Post by **Egan** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 3:15 pm

yob wrote: The first time I drove in Melbourne I had a crack at the hook turn. Of course, being scared shitless and trying to turn across 6 lanes of traffic, I ended up doing one almighty powerslide through the intersection

I was freaking myself out majorly just watching it...Im not that much of a daredevil to ever want to attempt it.

hot_dogma · Post by **hot_dogma** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 5:29 pm

Jeffles wrote:
HMS Cheesemaker wrote:Well, after a day in Melbourne I'm in a wee spot of difficulty.

I really can't decide.

Who are crazier:

Melbourne Drivers or Melbourne Pedestrians?
It is the Paris of the southern hemisphere (so they tell us).

Perhaps by architecture but culturally Sydney has the Paris of the south sewn up. Redfern and Macquarie Fields being shining examples of Sydney's Franco millieu.

Cheesie-the-Pirate · Post by **Cheesie-the-Pirate** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 9:07 pm

OK... photo time. I didn't take very good photos, I never do.

But I'll share them anyway.

First... the XPT I caught up and down. Not bad I must say. Plenty of Melbourne-based fans going home from a certain event on Wednesday night. Including the fellow next to me who had a good snore.

Just for Sandy. The red flag (not in shot I'm afraid) was a nice touch. Although I thouight the CFMEU and ETU buildings that flew Eureka flags but no Australian flags were a little naughty. Bad flag etiquette!

Lexus Centre

Vodafone Arena

Olympic Park Stadium

World Gymnastics Championships.

Very impressed. Especially the 18 plasma televisions for scores, big replay screen, and at least 7 cameras for Channel 7.

Also from the WGC. I realise the photo is crap (taking a picture into the lights), but the challenge is for you to identify the white flag between the Swedish and Ukrainian flags.

Various photos from the Rialto Observation Deck. I meant to take a few of the Eureka Tower, but didn't on account of being an idiot.

A few exterior photos of the MCG.

Made me smile.

Um... I can't remember why I took this photo. Something about the new Olympic Stand not being called that anymore. Or something. Refer to above idiot comment.

Victorians claiming the Don. Or not. Whatever, made me smile.

I've been meaning to ask: did anyone actually call the G this or is it simply a marketing

?

A few pictures from the MCG tour. You can see them gluing the rubber track down to the asphault base. Also, a picture from the coach's box at the MCG.

A few random thoughts:

1. If that is the result of a 700 million improvement, I really don't want to know how bad Spencer St was before hand. I realise they're not finished yet, but it looked like an eyesore to me.

2. Three car commuter trains... wtf?

3. My working theory on crazy Melbourne drivers is because there's so little traffic they have the oppurtunity to chuck u-turns wherever and whenever they want. I admit, it's a theory that's only at its very beginnings. I don't understand why Melbourne drivers just sit there and let pedestrians walk out in front of them. Come on folks, use the horn! Also.... Toyota Avalon taxis?

4. No map/flag shop (at least none that I found). Poor form.

5. I went down to St Kilda but when I got there a stupid people conference (triathlong competition) was in progress so I was outta there.

6. Where the hell are your Asian immigrants? Inner-city fast food shops without Asian staff? Poor form.

7. What's with all the Mexican food in Melbourne?

8. I now know why the Herald Sun outsells the Daily Telegraph. It's a much, much better paper. Two thumbs up.

More thoughts later.

sandyhill · Post by **sandyhill** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 10:47 pm

Great shots, thanks Cheesie - loved the ones on the 'G and Docklands from the Rialto. And also the captions/comments

HMS Cheesemaker wrote:Just for Sandy. The red flag (not in shot I'm afraid) was a nice touch. Although I thouight the CFMEU and ETU buildings that flew Eureka flags but no Australian flags were a little naughty. Bad flag etiquette! .

You even captured all the posters in the Trades Hall windows!

HMS Cheesemaker wrote:Also from the WGC. I realise the photo is crap (taking a picture into the lights), but the challenge is for you to identify the white flag between the Swedish and Ukrainian flags.

After very careful examination and research - NFI.

A comments on you few random thoughts:

1. If that is the result of a 700 million improvement, I really don't want to know how bad Spencer St was before hand. I realise they're not finished yet, but it looked like an eyesore to me.

A sore point for many. The old station was not pretty, but functional. Now it seems its neither.

2. Three car commuter trains... wtf?

Only for off-peak and weekends. Otherwise its six.

3. My working theory on crazy Melbourne drivers is because there's so little traffic they have the oppurtunity to chuck u-turns wherever and whenever they want. I admit, it's a theory that's only at its very beginnings. I don't understand why Melbourne drivers just sit there and let pedestrians walk out in front of them. Come on folks, use the horn! Also.... Toyota Avalon taxis?

Wider roads allow for U turns. No comeback for Toyota Avalon taxis though. Same punjabi taxi drivers as Sydney.

4. No map/flag shop (at least none that I found). Poor form.

What are they?

5. I went down to St Kilda but when I got there a stupid people conference (triathlong competition) was in progress so I was outta there.

Weather was a bit too cool on the weekend anyway.

6. Where the hell are your Asian immigrants? Inner-city fast food shops without Asian staff? Poor form.
Back-backers just as cheap.

7. What's with all the Mexican food in Melbourne?

Bloody Canadian.

8. I now know why the Herald Sun outsells the Daily Telegraph. It's a much, much better paper. Two thumbs up.
What? You didn't buy The Age??

More thoughts later.[/quote]
Good stuff.

Egan · Post by **Egan** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 10:55 pm

The Herald Sun was rubbish when I bought it...bloody hell theres only so much Aussie Rules news you can take.

I liked the Age better, but it was harder to read.

Don't worry Sandy I already won.

It was Chinese Taipei or Taiwan as most people call it.

Jeffles · Post by **Jeffles** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 12:24 am

A bumper sports section is one of the fundamentals iof a good selling tabloid. More power to them. The Herald Sun also seems to have more news than the Tele.

I thought Spencer Street was nice-looking, just dirty. $700m - that's a lotta dough.

Mexican food for the Mexicans

I think RLA looks in good shape for the WGC.

Map shop - http://www.mapland.com.au/

Flag shop - http://www.foxflags.com.au/

I'll find the origin of that flag.

Love the shots Cheesie.

yob · Post by **yob** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 12:51 am

I can't believe Egan beat us.

It's the Taiwanese (chinese taipei) Olympic flag.

Jeffles · Post by **Jeffles** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 12:53 am

Here's how I guessed it. Looking at the flags from left to right, the appear to be going in alpahabetical order. Then looking at http://www.gymnastics.org.au/2005worlds/pdf/mag_sd1.pdf I saw that Chinese Taipei is between Sweden and Ukraine on the list of competitors. Cross reference this with http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Chin ... c_Flag.png and BINGO

yob · Post by **yob** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 12:57 am

I googled "olympic flag"

(page 3)

Egan · Post by **Egan** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 2:17 am

I can safely say as a Flag enthusiast when I was a little boy, before sport rocked my world...that I guessed it straight away

No need to research...

Cheesie-the-Pirate · Post by **Cheesie-the-Pirate** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 6:04 pm

OK folks, time for more advice.

Me and the boys are going to go on a wee (three night) road trip to Melbourne and back. Why? Just for the hell of it.

I'm thinking it'd be ideal to do each trip in two stages. Right now the plan is stay Wangaratta night 1, Melbourne night 2 and Wagga Wagga night 3.

Any ideas/suggestions/vitriol from Egan that I've gone to Victoria twice in six months?

Waz · Post by **Waz** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 10:08 pm

I think an austadiums meetup (piss-up) should be arranged some time in Melbourne... I used to visit the place all the time, but have slowly stopped visiting as much (read: stopped seeing a chick I used to know who moved there

)

Must get back there soon...

Egan · Post by **Egan** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 10:50 pm

Well if we are going to have it in Melbourne, I reckon the Boxing Day Ashes Test match is the ideal time