Solo Australia Part 8: Melbourne's Phillip Island
The day after returning from Canberra, I went to Melbourne. Preparations included: booking a hotel in central Melbourne on WOTIF.com for 3 nights at AUD 295.50; booking round-trip flights directly on JETSTAR for AUD 195.99 including a AUD 0.99 information fee and AUD 17 handling fee; and booking three tour products: a half-day Phillip Island tour, a Great Ocean Road day tour, and a Goldfields town day tour through Hongcheng Chinese tour groups for a total of AUD 204.
On June 27, I woke up, packed my things, and took the 10 AM flight to Melbourne. The train ticket to the airport was AUD 16.80 one way, with no weekend/off-peak discount — really expensive. As planned, after an hour and a half flight, we landed at 11:30 AM. Melbourne is south of Sydney, so it was 3-5 degrees Celsius colder; there was even frost on the windows.
I had checked beforehand: right outside Melbourne Airport, there is a SKYBUS that goes directly to SOUTH CROSS Station, and from there a free shuttle to the hotel. The one-way fare was AUD 17, and it took about 30 minutes. When I got off, I checked the time: 12:10 PM. Rather than waiting for the small bus to take me to the hotel, I decided to walk to the hotel to check in. It was a good decision — about 15 minutes later I arrived at the booked hotel and checked in. I quickly went into the room, dropped my luggage, packed the things I needed for the afternoon half-day tour into my backpack, and boiled some instant noodles to eat. I was really fast; by the time I finished eating and got ready, it was only 12:40 PM when I stood at the door waiting for a taxi. The taxi I called hadn't arrived yet, and it was almost time for the 1 PM Phillip Island half-day tour departing from Chinatown. I started walking towards Chinatown while keeping an eye out for a taxi. After walking about seven or eight minutes and crossing an intersection, I finally saw someone getting out of a taxi. I rushed over and flagged it down. Since we were in the city center, we hit several red lights. After about 10 minutes, the Indian driver found the spot I'd indicated. With sharp eyes, he spotted a tour bus with Chinese characters and pointed it out to me. I finally smiled, gave him AUD 10 including tip, thanked him profusely, and dashed towards the bus. After confirming my registration details, I had just sat down when the tour guide/driver started the engine and we set off. Whew, that was close! I considered myself quick, because I heard the guide calling to remind two other people who had arrived from Perth, checked into their hotel at 12:30, and were on their way. But we couldn't wait for them any longer.
On the way, we passed a zoo and took a stroll inside. There I saw a white kangaroo — very rare, actually just a kangaroo with albinism. There were also Tasmanian devils, which are considered relatively ferocious carnivores in the Australian wild. Also koalas, parrots, free-range peacocks, and geese.
Phillip Island (spelled PHIILIPS ISLAND in the original) is southeast of Melbourne, about a 1.5-hour drive from the city center. The main attraction is watching the smallest species of penguins return from the sea at night after feeding, waddling ashore and back to their burrows. When we arrived at Phillip Island, it wasn't dark yet. The guide told us to first enjoy the sunset. Across the sea is Tasmania, Australia's largest island and its southernmost point; beyond that, 3,000 kilometers away, is Antarctica. Antarctica is colder than the Arctic, but I wouldn't have known why without the guide's explanation: Antarctica is a continent, while the Arctic has no land — the flow of the Arctic Ocean carries away some of the cold.
While waiting for nightfall, I had a AUD 9 hamburger at the visitor center — really not to my taste. Then I visited the little penguins' nests. On Phillip Island, people have built many artificial nests for them. You are not allowed to photograph the penguins, especially with flash. A strong flash can temporarily blind them, causing them to lose their way home.
At the beach, there are special chairs facing the sea. Everyone sat quietly, listening to the sound of the waves, feeling the cold sea breeze, searching in the dim light. Finally, the first penguin came ashore, followed by six others — the first group was seven penguins. Penguins go out to sea in groups and return in groups. Eagles, seals, sea lions, sharks, etc. are their natural enemies, so some penguins never return. On the beach, there were also seagulls waiting to steal their food. Watching them ride the waves and come ashore, getting pulled back by the surf several times before finally climbing onto the beach, the leader waiting for the others, then forming a line to hop onto the rocks, cross the bush, recognize their mates' calls, and return to their own nests — survival is truly hard. Humans are really fortunate. After sitting for half an hour and seeing about a dozen groups of penguins come ashore and go home, I left Phillip Island. I was back in Chinatown a little before 9 PM. On my way back to my accommodation, I passed a Korean supermarket and bought instant noodles, eggs, meat, and other food. Since my place had a microwave, cooking my own meals would save a lot of money, and more importantly, I simply couldn't stomach any more hamburgers or sandwiches. After eating and preparing food for the next day, I called home, set the alarm, and went to bed past midnight.
Solo Australia Complete Series
Solo Australia Part 27: Shopping
http://you.ctrip.com/travels/australia100048/1885842.html
Solo Australia Part 26: Strolling Around
http://you.ctrip.com/travels/australia100048/1885841.html
Solo Australia Part 25: Sydney Taronga Zoo
http://you.ctrip.com/travels/sydney236/1885160.html
Solo Australia Part 24: Paddington Markets
http://you.ctrip.com/travels/sydney236/1885838.html
Solo Australia Part 23: Sydney Bondi Beach
http://you.ctrip.com/travels/sydney236/1884686.html
Solo Australia Part 22: Sydney The Rocks Markets
http://you.ctrip.com/travels/sydney236/1884684.html
Solo Australia Part 21: Wollongong
http://you.ctrip.com/travels/sydney236/1884683.html
Solo Australia Part 20: Sydney Blue Mountains
http://you.ctrip.com/travels/australia100048/1884682.html
Solo Australia Part 19: Gold Coast Sunrise, Koalas, Q1 Building
http://you.ctrip.com/travels/goldcoast456/1884681.html
Solo Australia Part 18: Gold Coast Movie World
http://you.ctrip.com/travels/goldcoast456/1885391.html
Solo Australia Part 17: Gold Coast Sea World
http://you.ctrip.com/travels/goldcoast456/1884680.html
Solo Australia Part 16: Queensland Capital Brisbane
http://you.ctrip.com/travels/brisbane323/1884679.html
Solo Australia Part 15: Gold Coast Whale Watching
http://you.ctrip.com/travels/goldcoast456/1884678.html
Solo Australia Part 14: Gold Coast Rainforest 4WD
http://you.ctrip.com/travels/goldcoast456/1884677.html
Solo Australia Part 13: Gold Coast Glowworm Cave
http://you.ctrip.com/travels/goldcoast456/1884676.html
Solo Australia Part 12: Port Stephens Dolphin Watching
http://you.ctrip.com/travels/sydney236/1884675.html
Solo Australia Part 11: Melbourne City
http://you.ctrip.com/travels/melbourne312/1884672.html
Solo Australia Part 10: Melbourne Gold Panning
http://you.ctrip.com/travels/melbourne312/1885390.html
Solo Australia Part 9: Melbourne Great Ocean Road
http://you.ctrip.com/travels/melbourne312/1884671.html
Solo Australia Part 8: Melbourne Phillip Island
http://you.ctrip.com/travels/melbourne312/1884670.html
Solo Australia Part 7: Canberra
http://you.ctrip.com/place/canberra321.html
Solo Australia Part 6: Parks, Markets, Zoo
http://you.ctrip.com/travels/australia100048/1885275.html
Solo Australia Part 5: Sydney City
http://you.ctrip.com/travels/sydney236/1884668.html
Solo Australia Part 4: Integration
http://you.ctrip.com/travels/australia100048/1884667.html
Solo Australia Part 3: Transportation & Communication
http://you.ctrip.com/travels/australia100048/1884875.html
Solo Australia Part 2: Arrival
http://you.ctrip.com/travels/australia100048/1884873.html
Solo Australia Part 1: Preparation
http://you.ctrip.com/travels/australia100048/1884664.html
