Business Trips to Melbourne
Many years ago I made trips to Melbourne Australia. On my first visits I was not happy with the hotels Melbourne had available. After two trips I stayed in a new hotel. It was the Hyatt on Collins. If the Internet had existed at that time I would have been quite happy to look up www.punthill.com.au and let one of their excellent apartment hotels. Looking at their website I believe my choice would have been at Flinders Lane. That would have saved me money, as the Hyatt was certainly not inexpensive, although it is a really great hotel.
Driving in Melbourne
Melbourne is one amazing city. There is one complaint that I have, which you may find rather amusing. Being an American I am used to driving on the right side of the street. However, no worries, my Aussie friends told me to just remember and keep the center line next to me at all times, especially when turning.
Okay, fair enough but the problem is, that advice almost got me killed on the streets of Melbourne. In any other country in the world, that I have been in, if you want to turn across traffic, to either the left or right – depending on what side of the street they drive on in that country – you approach the traffic light, wait for the light to be green and then cautiously make your turn. That is not how to make a turn in Melbourne.
In Melbourne you come to the intersection and rather than waiting in the right lane to turn, you pull to the far left lane and stop. Then when the light turns red you pull out and turn to the right across all lanes of traffic. Well I did it the way I was used to. To my total shock, as I turned the back end of my car was struck by a Melbourne trolley bearing down the tracks inlaid in the center of the street. Obviously, I survived and gave the rental company a piece of my mind for not having any warning notices about such a significant difference in traffic rules for the benefit of visitors.
Hotels Melbourne Style
Later that night the young lady who represented our company in Melbourne showed me many great sites of Melbourne. We had fish and chips near the port and ate Greek specialties in the food court at the Hyatt on Collins. We spent one entire evening enjoying a half bottle of amazing Port wine in a coffee house near the Hyatt. I went back many times and enjoyed the food and friendly people of Melbourne every time.