Walking ’round the rainy city

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This was about my eight visit to Melbourne (as far as I can remember/work out) and I’ve finally worked out the zen of the city.  This time was different, I had a car and was able to drive around the city.

Melbournians seem unware of the impact that geography has on their perceptions of their own city and desire to look outside it.   One thing I noticed was that the distances that I was travelling were tiny by Perth comparisons but similar travel times.  Everything seemed close and easily reachable.  Melbourne being a large city also has everything.

Being able to see this is difficult if you are only travelling on foot or public transport.  It is reflected in the nature of the roads and traffic of the city.

I’ve got a lot more rants about Melbourne driving, but I’ll spare you ..

I left today and drove to Albury.  Saw the cultural change the moment I crossed the bridge over the Murray.

Really enjoyed my time at IV.  The Berlioz was special, the Brahams a wonderful challenge.   Looking forward to AIV and the Rachmaninoff Vespers.

I’m onto the next major phase of my trip – the meandering via Canberra and Sydney up to Brisbane.  Looking forward to that too. Need to catch up on some of the administrivia of life over the next couple of days post IV.

Climbed one mountain.

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Had the concert for the 63rd Intervarsity Choral Festival peformance of the Berlioz Requiem on Saturday night.   It was a great sing and it did literally feel like I sung my lungs out.  It will go down in my memories as one of my favourite concerts ever.

Dragged C along to the PCP where he provided medicinal cider for my vocal chords and was told to join MonUCS by one and all.

Attended the AIVCC meeting on Sunday.  Why do I keep doing this to myself?   Apart from that, the meeting went well.

Monday, I, like the rest of the choir, have hit the wall of exhaustion.  Rehearsals for the Brahams is going to take a lot of willpower to climb that next mountain.   I’m knackered so I’m going to try and get what little sleep I can.

The Big O

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Had the first orchestral rehearsal with the orchestra for the Berlioz last night.

At one point, the hairs on my neck stood up and my knees began to melt. A truly special musical moment.

Any folk in Melbourne who miss the performance tonight in the Town Hall are going you feel sorry fit themselves. (More details about tickets at http://www.miv.aicsa.org.au/

Anyhow, off to the dress rehearsal.

Tradition!

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Currently sitting here whilst people sing pub songs (one of the great intervarsity traditions).  Currently they are singing Gaudate, it may go on for hours.  For the non-choral folk, think like “….. Best” but a bit more educated.

My two other favourite IV traditions have just passed – the film night and the revue night.  

The film night is where old film and video recordings are shown of the previous festivals.  The earliest films date from the 1960s.  Seeing bits of Australia reminds how quintessiantly cities don’t change.  The usual most important film is of the previous festival.  This years was great. I’m part of that tradition
as I’ve edited several, I didn’t do this years but it is great to see the tradition continue.

The Revue night is a typical camp revue, but with people who can sing and have a tendancy for filking choral works.  I like it because it is very much a community thing.

Anyhow, I should go to bed as I need sleep … more updates from IV later.

It’s cold outside…

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Have arrived safely at choir camp for the Intervarsity Choral Festival.  The drive out of Melbourne from Caulfield was not as complicated or as stressful as I had anticipated.  It was very strange having passengers in the car again.  The back seat was packed tightly with people making corners and potholes fun 🙂

The welcome party for the festival was in the costume theme,  “Ice Age”, and there were a few good outfits.  Lots of people struggled with the theme to get a good outfit.  I came wearing a wolfs mask, the anonymity of the mask was fun although it did freak folk out a little bit.

It was cold overnight and below zero outside.  My car had not just frost, but a layer of ice on the outside.

It is being a very different IV for a few reasons, all positive.  I’m reminded of the Sydney University motto (roughly translated as “Stars may have changed but we remain the same”) on their crest, however, this time it is me that has changed and it is good.

And so it begins….

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Have arrived at the Queensbury Hotel for registration for the 63rd Australian Intervarsity Choral Festival.  The delightful madness that is the intervarsity chorister is infectious.

It has been a year since the last festival.  Both myself and this crazy bunch of people have changed.   I think a lot of my changes are positive and given the loud racket this mob is making as they say hello to each other again, I think that much is equally true for them.

This years festival is about twice the size of the last one with almost 200 registrants, with over 60 freshers.   The SUMS freshers have already discoved the answer to the question 🙂 Lots of old familiar faces too. 

Signing out from registration …. Mark

Flinders Street Station – All stop!

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Reached that point in travelling yesterday where being away from home hits.  Yesterday, was a very cold day in Melbourne and missed hugs and company.

In the evening visit St Paul’s Cathedral for ringing.  Tower stairs make me dizzy!

I’ve spent most of today on tasks and errands, some small progress made, but not much.   Some things seem very difficult to accomplish in Melbourne as opposed to Perth.   I’m needing to spend tomorrow making sure I’ve got adequate supplies ready for IV.

 

Watching out for that big red ball of wool …

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Arrived in Melbourne yesterday.

Achievements unlocked:  Driven the Great Ocean Road, Driven on a toll road

Caught up with some of the MonUCS for dinner, then headed off to my friend R’s place to sleep.

This morning visited the Shrine of Remembrance.

Melbourne this time around is proving familiar.   This is not unexpected as I’ve visited several times.   I’m finding on this trip that I’m getting a strong impression of how each capital cities culture translates to what a visitor experiences.  The thing I think Melbourne lacks is a driver to better things – Perth is its isolation, Adelaide not wanting to be Melbourne, Sydney wanting to be first, Brisbane to be big.   I’ll have to compare it with London when I eventually visit.

She sells sea shells by the seaside

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I’ve arrived in Apollo Bay.  This is my last stop before arriving in Melbourne tomorrow.

The coast line between Port Fairy and Apollo Bay is spectacular.   It reminds me heavily of the Greatwinter trilogy by Sean McMullen.  I was worried that I didn’t have my tether attached and I would be drawn into the Great Southern Ocean.

The drive was also fun in the forest with lots of windy corners.

I’m spending the evening lazing in front of the television, checking the email (with more to be responded to tomorrow) and attending to looking after oneself tasks.

In the interests of brevity and the need for further samples, I’m saving the world from my rant about dodgy plumbing in cheap accomodation.

Crossing the border

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I am now in Victoria, and am only a few days from the start of the Melbourne Intervarsity Choral Festival (MIV).

Crossing the border was uneventful.  Didn’t even need to use the passport 😛    Was amused to see the stobie poles stop and then change to regular wooden power poles.

Tonight I’ve stopped in Port Fairy.  Had some very lovely Thai Green Curry from a resturant called Lemongrass.

In other news, found my lost SD card.   It now has a fresh alpine scent after putting it through the wash and then taking it out of the dryer *sigh*   It appears to have survived (SD card at least) intact.  Now to make some hasty backups.