The Melbourne Report

Boy, have I been lazy around here… was in Melbourne over the weekend for Nathan’s wedding, but before that, a few growls:

• Argh, Qantas is supposed to be a full-service airline right? So why do I not get a choice of meal, or some other snack, if the only meal offered contains something I’m alergic to? I can understand them not having alternative meals unless specifically requested – though I’ve never had a problem before – so I asked for a snack, some pretzels maybe, instead, they said “Ok we’ll get it for you from the back.” No acknowledgement later that any such request was made. Even Jetstar gives you better service than that.
• Melbourne’s looking a lot… browner than I remember. It’s been raining fairly steadily up here, and the lawns are green, so maybe that’s a factor, but it was the other way around just 6 months ago.
• Melbourne also feels more… European, especially around the new Southern Cross station (I like it; it’s fresh and open). Pleasant surprise that makes me a little bit more favourably disposed to it =) Pity about the weather.
• Melbourne drivers…! Gah! Give way fercryin’outloud! Sydney’s roads may suck, but at least people know how to behave on the road.

On a more pleasant note! Nathan’s wedding was excellent. Scary to think of friends getting married, but it was a great evening that wasn’t bogged down in any major formalities (yay!). The location was perfect (apart from being an hour and a half away from the city), the dinner excellent, the bride beautiful (it’s like weddings have this special halo that makes the bride & groom look especially flash). Nathan should put up photos at some point, so I’ll link to it, but y’all really did miss out =P

Nathan did however point out that we were coming up to 5 years out of school. Did not want to dwell on that. (Did you ever make goals to tick off? I’ve got through half of my 5-years-out-of-school goals – a job and to have travelled – but a new car and girlfriend, sadly, remain unticked. Halfway to the new car though!)

And then afterwards – making it back to the city in doublequick time! – went to a long-delayed 21st and caught up with a bunch of people from CompSci/SoftEng. Everyone’s in jobs, which is cool because there’s no awkwardness, and we were able to pick up nearly where we left off.

All in all, a good trip that was much too short for the fact that I missed out on meeting so many other people =/ Will try to come down one more time before heading off to London, if possible – an excuse would be great ;)