12th May to 11th June
Flights Taken: 0
Trains Taken: 0
Buses Taken: 1
Km’s Travelled: 516
Photo’s Taken: 491
Amount Spent Overall: $2047.10 – this includes lots of extra expenses including: iPad Min $377, an extra 4 months of travel insurance $338, flight to Sydney $60, vaccinations and malaria tablets $200, flight changes to our RTW ticket $41
Meaning my overall monthly spend was $1031 for everyday living.
Amount Spent Per a Day: $33.26 (excluding all extra expenses)
Admittedly a lot of my living expenses were covered by tips this month as well as a trip to the Grampians! I must have earned over $250 in tips!
Freezing at the Grampians
This month has felt like the longest month ever, I generally don’t recall what we did at the beginning of the month and had to check my journal before I wrote this month’s summary! At the beginning of the month we were wrestling with the decision of what to do after going to Asia in Sept/Oct. We have the second year visa options but at the same time getting a job that isn’t hospitality has proven very difficult and I don’t want to come back and do the same for another year. After much debating we have made the decision to head back to London in October. Since deciding that we have then changed the dates of all our flights and booked many exciting things but you’ll have to wait for my post about our upcoming plans to hear all that exciting news.
We took a trip to the Grampians this month via a day tour company out of Melbourne, despite being COLD and CLOUDY it was a really enjoyable but long day. We also headed out on the train to Tooranga for an afternoon at BOUNCE… an inside playground full of trampolines for all ages. It was the BEST fun I have had in ages!
As you can see from this month’s expenses those new plans have been coming together nicely, being we were supposed to arrive home on May 31st 2013 with our original plan we had to purchase extra insurance and decided it was time to get any jabs and tablets for Asia. Still the biggest and most unexpected expense was my purchase of the iPad Mini. After deciding I have far too many books and magazines collecting in my Melbourne flat I decided I needed a light and portable way of carrying them around with me. That way is the iPad Mini – plus my smartphone broke. My dad jokingly asked why I had bought a tea tray – he isn’t apple person – but I am yet to find something wrong with the iPad.
BOUNCE!
My Favourite Moment This Month?
The Grampians was great, it was fantastic to get out of the city and the scenery was beautiful. However my favourite moment this month was my trip to BOUNCE. I have never jumped so much and laughed so hard.
Bounce isn’t a tourist destination, nor is it an iconic part of the city. It is just somewhere to go with friends and have fun. Designed for all ages this activity centre is like nothing I have ever been to before. It is a huge warehouse building which has been turned in to a trampoline playground. With a huge free play area, dodge ball court, foam pit and performance section there is ample to keep you entertained for the hour. And trust me you don’t want any longer than an hour, all that bouncing is so tiring. Located in Tooranga which is a few stops out of the CBD, on the Glen Waverly Line.
Totally worth the trip to get there and at a mere $16.50 or $11.50 if you are a student it is a complete affordable day out.
Melbourne in Autumn
The Worst Part?
THE COLD. Yes Melbourne has gotten very cold in the last month. Some days I’m finding myself wrapped up in my (not warm) jacket, scarf and woolly hat and still be frozen. The cold has be accompanied with a lot of rain and very little sunshine. This change it weather and various facebook updates from friends in the States and the UK (occasionally) about their summer heat and sunshine has got me wanting to jet off away from here and find that warm sun. Which brings me to my next point that has sucked this month and that is the feeling of being somewhere too long. I have written before about being stuck in one place for too long and beginning to hate it. It seems I didn’t learn my lesson and now I find myself feeling frustrated with the fact I still have six weeks remaining in Melbourne.
What’s Next?
We have 6 weeks left in Melbourne where we are trying to save every dollar to make sure we have enough money for the next adventure. New Zealand and South East Asia – I will be writing in depth about our upcoming plans and what we will be doing come October very soon. A side from that we plan to head up the Eureka tower and try out the edge experience. Visit as many of the galleries as possible, check out the light in winter festival at Fed Square and get to an AFL game!
It is great to hear you are still enjoying your time in Melbourne, although it is coming to an end. Winter in Melbourne can be quite cold, however it is nice to get wrapped up and just get out anyway to enjoy the city. All the best for your future travel plans!
I liked the way you detailed your living expenses.