Australia 8-day trip

Melbourne, Mornington Peninsula, Yarra Valley, Sydney! I had been longing for a trip to Australia forever... My husband Enrico and I are big travellers, yet he had already explored Australia on his own (long before we met), so sadly for me, it had not been on his “immediate” bucket list.

So I headed to Australia on my own, taking the opportunity to spend some AMAZING - I am pronouncing this word mentally with an Australian accent, it really stays in your head - time with my cousins (one who lives there, the other was also visiting), through fantastic landscapes and wineries, checking out a little part of this beautiful country.

Of course... 8 days in Australia are not enough. And now that I’ve been there, I know I MUST come back for more, and hopefully next time get to see the other regions, as well as New Zealand and Tasmania. But the Southeast Estates (Victoria and New South Wales) still give you a fair sample of the people/culture and part of its nature.

Our “base” city was Melbourne, and from there we planned the other smaller trips. An incredible city with its own architecture, art scene and cafés, it is often considered the culture capital of Australia and the top most livable city in the world.

Read the details of this part of the trip here:
MELBOURNE FOR 3 DAYS

Official Melbourne website:
READ MORE ABOUT MELBOURNE HERE

The Victoria state, where Melbourne is located, is a famous wine region... not to be missed there are both Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley, the latter being one of Australian's top famous. Both places - with their extensive green hills, vineyards and farmhouses - are quite fascinating. Their cellar doors are open every weekend and for most tastings (if a small group) you don’t even need an appointment. The winery restaurants are super sought-after dining destinations outside of Melbourne...!
And not to be missed: some cheese from Yarra Valley Dairy and free tastings at the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery.

You will find details from the Wineries we visited here:
AUSTRALIAN WINERIES

And finally Sydney, a must for any first Australian trip. To get there, we took a short flight... and only stayed for 3 days. Knowing my next trip there might take a little while, we really made the best out of our time there (i.e. my feet are FULL of blisters, and I wore sneakers most of the time!), so I am sharing all our notes/tips and some must-see places we visited.

Read my post on Sydney here:
SYDNEY IN 3 DAYS

Flight:
Qatar Airlines - Sofia/Doha/Melbourne
First time I flew with this airline, very good service. I connected from Sofia in Doha, then flew straight to Melbourne.
Low cost Aussie airline Melbourne-Sydney: JetStar

Tips:
Uber: cheaper than cabs
Tipping: not necessary (included in the total)
Wifi: free and pretty good, most of the time
Visa: mandatory! Quick online application
Driving: left side like in UK
Animals: ...careful when driving!
Prices: be ready to spend a little money. Australia is overall quite expensive :(

Conclusion:

My impressions on Australia? Amazing landscapes, parks, and nature, intriguing animals, fast paced but no-stress cities (how is that possible? Well, in Australia they made it).

Urbanism is top of the notch - everything seems ordered, functional, but in a relaxed manner.
What I saw felt like and upgrade from California, with and European “minimal chic” touch, and extremely courteous people. No one is ever intrusive on our privacy, but if you ever need anything, people seem ready to help with a smile (or a sweet joke to break the ice!).

Worklife seems balanced out with exercising, gathering with friends, sports, health, good food. School kids are obliged to wear hats when playing outside, casinos have memos to think of your family before spending your money “unwisely”, restrooms posters remind you “how to wash your hands properly to play with your family”. In many bars, you wait your own drinks to the table - we thought that was pretty fun.

I could happily live there. Its only con is the distance - quite far and isolated... but maybe this Australia's strength, after all? In any case, what a fantastic country! Make sure you plan to visit for at least 2 weeks... it will be worth it.

Useful link:
https://wikitravel.org/en/Australia

What shoes to pack to Australia?

The right ones for this trip:
Focus on sneakers and super comfortable flats!

Shoes I packed:

Period of the year:
May 10th-18th (Fall/Winter)

Having given you an idea of what you’d see... all you’d need to pack in a trip like this would be the most comfortable shoes: i.e. rubber sole ballerinas (summer), sneakers (urban style or sportier), casual booties... and 1 heel (1 pump or 1 sandal, depending on the weather) for the evening.

Since I love fancy shoes, I picked 2 heels... but I should have brought one more flat for day use - a dressier sneaker or a rubber sole bootie would have been great considering the chilly weather.

What I regret in my packing:

Not having another pair of sneakers/flat.
We walked quite a lot, and alternating for another pair would have saved me the blisters...!
Taking 1 extra heel... People are more casual vs Europe and minimalism is the common dress code. But you do see some younger crowds all dressed up for occasions. During this time of the year, the pump would have been more than enough.
Clothing: I tend to pack light, so I ended up feeling a bit cold... and had to shop for some winter stuff there. Make sure to well check the weather for the cities you plan visiting. It is a big country, and even relatively close cities in geography have quite different weathers.

About this post's featured shoes:

Miu Miu slingback ballerinas

Slingbacks and bows are a current trend for pumps and ballerinas... both fashionable and wearable. Just bear in mind that "patent" has a dressier feel vs plain leather (usually more rigid), especially the first times you wear it. Nice for a "calm" walk, not the best choice for field trips...!
Full price: 490€
MIU MIU BALLERINAS

Nike Sneakers

These were a gift from my sister. They are actually running sneakers and fit like a sock. Not the most fashionable, yet were very comfortable for day use, sightseeing, and winery hopping.
Full price: 130$
NIKE FLYKNIT RUNNING SNEAKERS

Miu Miu Sandals

I loved the fact that these sandals look very cool, have a furry insole (which add to the comfort), and an 8,5cm heel. The satin straps are a bit too thin to my taste, but still ok.
Full price: 650€
MIU MIU FAUX PEARL AND SHEARLING SANDALS

Monse Slingback Pumps

This Monse 6,5cm heel style was launched in the Spring 2018, a collection inspired by references to sports uniforms - footballs jerseys, varsity jackets and track pants. The strap can be played in multiple ways, the plant is actually wider than the usual (loved the fit). Though it covers the arch of the foot quite a bit, I must say it still looks flattering and proportional on.
Full price: 853€
MONSE PUMPS