My parents were our first visitors in Australia! January/February is the northern hemisphere's July/August equivalent, which makes it convenient to trade winter for summer. After a long journey from the U.S. East Coast, they arrived Friday morning in early February. In an attempt to thwart jet lag, we lunched at the Park Hotel. On the walk back, my mom enjoyed perusing the local grocery stores.
On Saturday, I introduced my parents to Melbourne's public transit system. We took the train into town and explored the South Bank, strolling through various parks and gardens. They enjoyed the history museum inside the Shrine of Remembrance. German lunch at Hop Haus, and special welcome dinner at Smith and Daughters.
On Sunday, the four of us used a carshare to drive east to the Dandenong Ranges. From the Coles Ridge car park, we hiked the Eastern Sherbrooke Forest Walk--a 6.7-km loop popular for birding. The lyrebird is a large songbird known for its elaborate tail and its excellent mimicry, capable of imitating almost any sound. We were fortunate to cross paths with a wallaby!
On the way back, we stopped for a tasting at Yarra Valley's Morgans Winery and Distillery. During my parents' trip, we experienced two mini heat waves with 38 degree days; still a welcome change from the Northern Hemisphere's winter.
During the week, my parents were on their own while Tom and I worked. Highlights include several trips to the Abbotsford Convent, plus a city river cruise and Great Ocean Road day trip. In the evenings, Tom and I were spoiled with homemade dinners.
After our trip to South Australia (next post), we grabbed a pre-dinner pint in town at Hofbrauhaus. My German cousin Christina and her partner Michael are globe trotters and were passing through Melbourne on Valentine's Day. They met us for Chinese dumplings at HuTong.
For my Dad's birthday, I took my parents to Docklands and introduced them to my bike shop crew at Trek. We also visited the Friends Experience: the One in Melbourne.
On our final Sunday together, the four of us drove 1.5 hours south to the Mornington Peninsula. We made the short hike to Bushranger Bay near Cape Schanck. It was fairly busy and buggy, but absolutely stunning.
For dinner, we met my dad's friends, Rob and Michelle, at Kirks in Mornington. The peninsula has heaps to explore by way of hikes, beaches, and wineries; we are very keen to spend more time here in the future!
