Melbourne ( My Maiden Oz 2011 Backpack part 3 )

(click photos to enlarge)

(Hi semua, foto aku tampal kat sini sikit je, sini aku lebih kat cerita je, lain seribu foto tu nanti aku upload kat blog www.deafeningforever.blogspot.com)
So this is my backpacking experience in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane to coincide with catching Iron Maiden playing in these locations. My schoolboy dream came true late in life. I had began 'painful in the pocket' planning and research on this since the tour rumours began in the middle of 2010.
Its killing two birds with one stone , travel + seeing Maiden, so with this I had travelled to four Australian cities ( including Perth in 2008 ) and its mostly possible due to the motivation to see Maiden play live.


Like I say many times, Australia is the only location I find near and financially sustainable to backpack and see Maiden at a few locations at minimum spending due to the budget flights to and from different parts of Australia to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. I tried out Virgin Blue and Jetstar on domestic flights and got the tickets in advance and at the cheapest cost I can find.
On average the tickets to each Maiden show that I attended in Australia is about AUS$150++ each so basically its the Maiden concert tickets (front standing) which is the killer and need a long time of $tomach tightening measure$ to get it ready. My backpack is so much lighter than other 60L ones as it has minimum metal frame parts, but still it ends up to about near to 7KG but seems its not a problem to bring it on the plane with me at all flights plus an additional small sling bag for camera and passport.

- First thing I saw on arriving in Melbourne Airport at around midnite from Kuala Lumpur taking Air Asia flight is this Prayer Room.

IRONIC as I read somewhere people say Australia is " Tanah Kafir ". Lagi elok panggil Bumi Allah pe. Ngan sejadah, waktu sembahyang kat lain2 kawasan Australia, ngan tempat angkat air smayang lagik..
( Aku secara peribadi Heran la ada melayu suka guna label kafir mengkafir ni semua. Tapi mungkin aku ni pengetahuan agama sangat cetek dan kurang...)
I slept at the Airport on arrival, waiting for early morning to start my sightseeing of Melbourne. The skybus to the city runs 24 hours but I just play safe at least for the first day and night.


Took the skybus to the city (SPENCER STREET) and this bus runs 24hrs. No worries. To save money, buy return trip for $26AUS both ways.
At the bus terminal in the city, you have 24hrs huge lockers to store your stuffs. I did not stored mine, I carried my bag, but its something important to share with for budget travellers.
Immediately I notice this place has got a lot of trams on the streets.

So you have trams and cars, trams and bicycles...

trams and horses... Seems there are many avid joggers around too...even at noon.



First Thing I did in Melbourne city central was to get a PRE-PAID SIM card.
THIS WILL SAVE YOU LOTS OF MONEY.
Imagine, for the next seven days, I call and sms to Singapore and Malaysia and there is still credit left from original AUS$10 value.
To call out or send sms is
001165xxxxxxxx.... for Singapore lines...
0011603xxxxxxx.... for KL desk lines...
00116016xxxxxx..... for Msia ( Digi ) mobile lines...

First sekali aku terus jalan kaki gi Market Place..tapi Damn!, hari aku pergi tu pasar ni tutup.. Aku nak tengok suasana pasar ni...Aku pernah baca pasar ni best dan besar, ada buah2an, sayur2an, ikan2, dagings of all type...
aku cuma dapat petik gambo ni je...


Macam aku cakap perbelanjaan aku kat Melbourne kosong untuk pergi mana2 tempat.
Cuma tiket konsert Maiden, tiket Skybus, duit makan, dan satu malam backpackers lodge je....


From about near 7am till check in to keep my bag and take a shower at about 1pm, I spend that 6 hours walking around Melbourne city with my bag but its fun.
I really feel like a Rusa Masuk Kampung and I realise the locals dont really understand my Phua Chu Kang Spoken English. Its a bit embarassing, but I have to bear with it.

Jadi aku jalan je la, ngan beg berat giler...jalan ambik gambo, jalan ambik gambo selama 6 jam haha. SEJUK GILER ah.. aku ingat aku tak pernah rasa sejuk cam gini...ni siang, kalau malam lagi giler sejuk dia...dah la aku tak bawak baju tebal2.. smua tshirt Maiden. Tapi best, peminat Maiden semua jumpa tegur2 senyum2...nanti ah aku cerita lagik.

Flanders Street Station..

In Melbourne city streets, you will come across posters at junctions announcing about Maiden gigs, unlike in Sydney as these are the only two places Maiden did additional arena shows on top of headlining Soundwave Festival all across Australia.




This is not what to do when a bird shits on you!!!
The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner :-)




Aku tanya seorang baik hati ni yang sanggup jadi kawan Maiden aku dan tolong pastikan aku ada tiket untuk semua show aku pergi, ( legendary taper yang rakam 1986 Belgrade in full ) memang dia ni legend giler... nanti aku cerita dia punye gadgets...
Aku tanya dia kenapa Melbourne ni macam rock capital Australia ke?
Deep Purple rakam Total Abandon dvd kat sini, KISS buat Symphony nye stadium show DVD pun kat sini, Maiden 2008 Rod Laver terus sold out, tambah lagi satu malam sold out lagik.
Dia cakap memang Melbourne macam tempat muzik..
dah tu dia cakap dia suka Melbourne pasal Melbourne ni feel dia macam European city, very artistic nye tempat.


Walk and walk and walk till blisters.. Spencer Street -> Queen Victoria Market -> Central Station -> Block Arcade -> Degraves St -> Flinders St -> Crossley St -> Parliament House etc etc...

Yarra River is so beautiful...and clean..

As you can see, the sports area which is where Hisense Arena is also situated is not far from the city...

Pigs May Fly..

Its a Wednesday morning, and you can find street performers with the audience cheering them on...

On the way to see Maiden at Hisense Arena, by walking of course, I had to cross a bridge and check out their railway lines..
I like this photo , because a lot of blue involved.


This is sort of their Bukit Jalil , with many stadiums and sports arenas lump together, and its just a short walk from the city..
Its fantastic really to have all these facilities in one place and conveniently located.



Night and in the early morning, Melbourne city is safe from my observation.
Aku lagi gi kedai beli semangka malam2 buta, dan jalan kaki tembus bandar Melbourne to dari satu hujung gi satu hujung pasal nak naik bas gi airport pagi2 buta, ok je la, takde trouble.





Kalau ada rezeki aku post travels aku kat Sydney lak... lawa giler...dan kalau pandai budget, tak mahal pasal banyak pun tempat boleh jalan kaki dan free je.




But next post I am going to share some of my photos of Maiden live on stage that I took in Melbourne... Its very inspiring to finally snap photos of Maiden although not as good as other fans but still something I will cherish and remember... Very the half cooked Ross Halfin wannabe.