Here we are in Melbourne. Not being city folk, we still decided to make the most of it all. We headed out on our first day to catch up with our friends, Trung and Belinda and their three children. What better way to see the sights than to drive over an hour to the other side of town in Melbourne traffic!!
SPRINGVALE – VIETNAM IN MELBOURNE
We had a great catch up and, after lunch, Trung and I started to reminisce about our time in Vietnam. We had first met Trung in Vietnam back in 2006, and he took great pride in showing me around his country and introducing me to their many, Vietnamese customs. Included in these is one where it is frowned upon for males and females to walk hand in hand down the street but, it is OK for a bloke to put his hand on your knee and squeeze it gently; (but that is another story).
Anyway, Trung decided to take me on a trip down memory lane to Springvale, a nearby Vietnamese community. This place was as close to the real deal that you were going to get. I thought we were back in Nam. The shops were identical even down to the plastic chairs outside them, where the men would gather outside, sipping coffee and playing chess. The menus were the same, the cutlery the same, the layouts all the same; the only difference was there were cars and not mopeds. We had a Cafe Sue Da(a popular vietnamese delight. It was a great cultural experience, so if you are in the area and want a taste of Vietnam in Melbourne, this was the place.
A DAY IN THE CITY
The following morning was my birthday and, although I’m almost past the celebrations, the kids are not. Waking at ‘sparrow-fart’ was all part of the deal for this forty-something, old man. It turned out to be an educational day for the kids as we explored the city by public transport. The expressions on their little faces were priceless as they took in all the new sites and sounds. Cars, buses, trams, people of all different nationalities, tall buildings . . . . . . . .
Henry was in his element, and started flirting with three ladies sitting at the back of the bus; (no idea where he learned that from!!!) After a full day in the city, the kids were exhausted and we hurried back to Honky so we could leave in time for the morning trip on the boat to Tassie.
OFF TO TASMANIA
Thinking we had plenty of time, we didn’t bank on the storm that hit and the GPS playing up. The half hour trip managed to take us just on an hour but, we made it; gingerly steering Honky up the narrow gangplank onto the huge decks of the Spirit of Tasmania.
Honky on the Spirit of Tasmania
It was amazing to see how many cars and trucks they can fit on that big boat. Safely on board, we made it to our rooms and prepared for the trip to Tasmania.
[sc:Honky ]
