 Reader Irene Cheong, 32, fell in love with travelling when she was studying in Western Australia. Since her first flight abroad when she was 19 years old, she has been to more than 20 cities spanning Asia and Australasia. She now travels with her husband and two-year-old toddler son. Melbourne is a city full of traffic traps! The sign on the highway that leads us to the city centre was so small and insignificant that we missed the road. Also, the road is not easy to drive, as there are many traffic rules and trams all over the city centre. When we got back to Singapore, we had to pay the car rental company an extra administrative fee of A$100 apparently because we were fined there. Parking is costly as well. If you are staying in hotels, ensure you have a free parking lot. If not, it may be better to get a service apartment (the townhouse kind), which will have a garage for you to park your car. If you bring prams or strollers, there are parking lots reserved just for you. You can take your time to load and unload your kids. Do bring along a sweater or a polar fleece even if you visit Melbourne in the summer. The weather can be so drastic that you probably can?t do without something warm. Food
For Asians who like Asian food or Asian markets, go to Richmond (the Vietnamese street) and Box Hill for Chinese ingredients. The Tasmanian oysters at Box Hill looked really good and a dozen costs less than A$13. It?s really worth the money. You can get fresh salmon sashimi there too! Go to Box Hill at 4pm in the afternoon and the fruits (depends on the season) will be so cheap you can?t resist. We bought two really sweet tasting rockmelons for less than A$1.50 each. And as the clock ticks, the price soon dropped to A$1. Shopping
Chadstone shopping mall is really huge and has lots of things to offer. They have good Gelato ice cream too, with totally different flavours from what we have here. One thing to note if you are going to Collins/Bourke street area to shop: we had a hard time looking for a toilet. We managed to find one at Target Building (near Myers) after walking ?miles? though, but we could only get there using the cargo lift. Ladies, please go with some company as it does not look too safe? Other places to go Mornington Peninsula
Visit the Sunny Ridge Strawberry Garden. Pick your own strawberries but remember not to eat them on the spot ? you have to wash them first. Smallest strawberries are the tastiest and sweetest!- Philip Island
During summer, do not go there too early if you want to see penguins. Penguins won?t be out till sunset, which is around 9.30pm. If you?re visiting in winter though, the penguins will be out quite early. - Yarra Valley
A trip to Domain Chandon or Green Point Vineyard is a must! Try their wines, and attend the free tour of wine making where you?ll get a chance to taste the grapes. It?s sour though. - Puffing Billy Railway
This train ride was really an experience. But the weather was really chilly and I suggest not bringing toddlers along, as they may not be able to take such cold. The one-hour to-and-fro ride was quite a torture with a 2-year-old toddler in tow. - Geelong / Torquay
You will pass by Geelong if you are heading to Great Ocean Road. The waterfront is a must visit. As for Torquay, stop by surfwear factory outlets that carry brands like Oxley, Billabong, Reef and Ripcurl and shop till you drop! - Point Cook
We drove there purposely to see the nice houses. It?s a relatively new residential area with lots of developments going on. * * * * * Melbourne is Australia?s second-largest city and the capital of the state of Victoria. Located on the southern coast of Australia, the city is a fusion of lively cosmopolitanism and suburban culture. For more information, log on to www.thatsmelbourne.com.au Getting there: Daily flights from Singapore to Melbourne on several airlines * * * * *
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