Day One

First thing we did was to figure out how to get to our hotel via the skybus and skybus hotel shuttle. Saved us half the money if we were taking skybus instead of a cab! =) it's about $26 per person (return) versus getting a cab for probably about $40-$50.

The hotel was quite strategically located because the tram stop was juz a stone's throw away and all the shops along Bourke Street (equivalent of our Orchard Road) was juz the next street away.




We couldnt check in when we reached the hotel because it was still too early so we went to the hotel toilet with our luggages, washed up and changed. Luckily there was no one in the toilet because we felt damn pathetic and sad to be doing all these in a public toilet =P




Thereafter, dumped our luggage at the porter, and went out to eat our first meal of the day, next to the hotel.

My sis juz captured a grumpy shot of me - due the fact that I havent had my coffee for the day and we only had maybe 1 hour of sleep the night before.



BUT, all's to change once I get my food and coffee! =)


We had a full big breakfast (the full works toast, scrambled eggs, bacon, ham, tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms) - together with latte to keep us awake. I should have order a trip shot latte haha.

And then... HIT THE STREETS!


We came, we saw, we conquered 2 factory outlets on our very first day despite the lack of sleep. Haha. Finished the first DFO (at Southern Cross station) within 3 hours and found our way to the new DFO at Docklands.

While waiting for the tram to the new DFO...




After arriving at the DFO...








Took some pictures along the streets after shopping.


There's a Brunetti's in the city as well! It's a dessert place that my sis was raving about the entire time that she even lugged a tupperware all the way to Melbourne to dapao back to Brisbane...







Thereafter we took the tram to Lygon Street, where it's full of Italian cafes, restaurants, etc.












The initial plan was to eat at this place, Tiamo (recommended by the travel guidebook), but it was so packed and we were kind of starving already so we settled down at a restaurant a few shops down, Universiti Cafe.



Food there was pretty decent. We shared bruschetta, a salad and a pasta. Food porn ahead:





After we finished dinner, we walked along Lygon Street in search of dessert. Along the way, we saw this Original Lolly Shop that was unfortunately, closed (or rather, fortunately).



Followed by dessert at Koko Black! =)













Shiokolateh! We ordered the hot chocolate - sweet and delicious BUT nothing beats Laurent Bernard still.

The first day ended on a sweet note =)