'Victoria: The place to be'

Despite almost missing our flight from Darwin to Melbourne because of a huge thunder storm and a spot of flash flooding, I skipped onto Victoria soil with excitement. The Airey clan would be arriving at the very same airport in four days time.

"It's all the best parts of London," we decided as we spent the first day exploring the nooks and crannies of this beautiful city. The hidden lanes, gorgeous architecture, world class museums and quirky neighborhoods all combine to make Melbourne an instant hit. Magnificent Tudor and Victorian buildings and gorgeous iron lace balconies graciously reflect the city’s colourful history, while impressive skyscrapers and other buildings by world-renowned architects boast the city’s prosperous present.

'Victoria: The place to be' is the slogan that festoons the car number plates. I wouldn’t disagree. We lost hours wandering the strange and labyrinthine system of laneways and arcades that make Melbourne so distinctive before heading to the beautiful, beachside Barwen Heads, just south of Geelong, to visit friends we made on one of our treks in Nepal. Damo and Sarah treated us to a delicious barbie, beers and some beach time while we reminisced about Nepal. Thanks guys!

After a sweet taste of Aussie domesticity, it was back to the city to take on Melbourne's greatest challenge: the hook turn. We picked up the hire car that would take us to Sydney, I learned how not to drive an automatic, and took on the 'hookie'. If you want to turn right in the city centre, you have to go into the left lane. Then, it seems, wait for the split second while the lights are changing from green to red, hold your breath, hope there isn't a tram coming down the centre and slam your foot on the accelerator as you swing across to the other side.

Needless to say, from then on, we planned our route so we could use entirely left turns.