Tram Challenge: Route #35, City Circle

 

The City Circle tram is a W class tram that more or less circumnavigates the free tram zone in a clockwise direction. It was intended as a hop on hop off tourist tram and was free long before the free tram zone came into being. It starts and terminates outside The District shopping centre.

I catch it quite often, at least for bits of its route. It is one of the trams which stops outside my place on the way back from the city. On its way to the city, I catch it from The District, or sometimes from Central Pier if I am heading to Melbourne Central or to the Queen Victoria shopping complex. I often catch it if I am coming back from that end of town and am not in a hurry

I was surprised when it turned up on Christmas morning when I was heading to the zoo. I don't know why I was surprised - I knew the trams were running to a Sunday service but I had just assumed that it wouldn't be running. It was. And it was very busy.

It's nearly always very busy! Tourists love it. It takes a leisurely route around the CBD, with a commentary on what there is around it and where you can visit if you get off at the next stop. 

My only problem with it is that the steps to get on and off are quite steep. It is definitely not an accessible vehicle! So far, I can manage.

I have caught it the whole way round a couple of times now, just for fun.

The Week That Was

I have absolutely no idea why, but when I took the washing out of the machine on Monday morning there was a puddle of water next to it. I sorted out the washing, mopped up the water and then set about investigating where the water had come from. This required that I move the washing machine. It did not want to move! So I woman handled it out of its cupboard and checked the hoses, connections, pipes, draining pipe, everything. Nothing was wet, apart from the floor. So I shrugged my shoulders, pushed the machine back and ran the towels through that I had used to mop up the water.

No further water appeared. A mystery!

My right knee was not happy about all of this. It's been grumpy on and off for a while now. I suppose really, it's been grumpy on and off since I was about 15 years old.  It is especially grumpy after being required to help move the washing machine.

I took it to The Fox on Monday evening for dinner with Lindsey and Ian, a couple of long standing friends of theirs, and Freyja and Simon,  and had a remarkably nice seafood platter.

View from my bedroom window,
as I was on my way to bed

I reached this milestone on Drops
on Tuesday morning

I had ordered a second, larger rug for the lounge room, which arrived on Tuesday morning. I moved the original rug into the bedroom. I laid out the new, larger rug in the lounge room. I assembled the cabinet which had arrived the previous week. I attempted to attach the cupboard inserts which I had also bought. Their assembly completely defeated me, so I put them aside, thinking that I might return them to Ikea. Later I watched a video showing how to assemble them. It didn't seem that complicated. I will give it another go.

Wednesday, I went to work

My knee continued extremely grumpy, despite liberal applications of voltaren, the wearing of my knee brace and even taking ibuprofen. My hip decided to go out in solidarity.

I made an appointment to see a local physiotherapist, but not for a couple of weeks.

On Thursday I accompanied Lindsey to pick something up in the Eastern Suburbs and then we went to the Chadstone Shopping Centre. It is a very long time since I was in the Chadstone Shopping Centre. It was big then. It is ENORMOUS now.

We ignored most of the shops and visited Mini Maru, Daiso, a magnificent Asian supermarket, and had souvlakis in the food hall for lunch.

I was hobbling by the time we got back to the car 😢

I went to work on Friday

I took things fairly easily yesterday. I had to go to the supermarket because I was out of wet cat food and I did not wish to face Feline Fury when there was no tuna mornay for Sunday breakfast. There is never tuna mornay for Sunday breakfast for me, but Brandy and Whiskey seem to expect it. 

Well behaved neighbours on my
stroll to the supermarket

I went to the community vegetable garden for some supplies for (my) dinner, and came back with carrots, two tomatoes, silverbeet, spring onions and thyme

And I made this for dinner:

I had some feta, filo, snow peas and mint in the fridge so used them as well as the garden produce to make this not-spanakopita. I was a bit heavy handed with the mint but otherwise it was delicious. Carrot sticks on the side.

Afternoon view from my dining table

I am heading to the Alphington market in an hour or so. Will be interesting to see how my knee behaves. It's quite happy at the moment - but then again, it hasn't been required to do anything so far this morning

Weekend

We had the predicted cool change on Friday evening. It wasn't a big, dramatic one with thunder, rain and the temperature dropping 20d in 30 minutes. It was nice and gradual, with a bit of wind, a slow drop in the temperature, and no real thunder until nearly 5am on Saturday morning. This did wake me and the cats but I was due to get up at 5:30 anyway so it wasn't much of a disturbance.

Coming into work on a Saturday morning tram was blissful. It took 15 or 20 minutes less than usual. The tram wasn't full. It was all very calm. Although I certainly noticed the drop in temperature as I was walking to the tram stop. There was a tiny hint of rain in the air. And you could smell the smoke from the central Victorian fires.

It was very quiet at work. It often is during January. The phone hardly rang. Pathology was quiet. The doctor finished up 45 minutes early for lack of patient interest. Pathology ran out of victims 30 minutes before closing time. All was calm and peaceful. 

We should have more Saturdays like that!

It was a touch disconcerting on my way home when the tram suddenly turned right towards the tram depot. There is only one tram route that goes from Bundoora to Docklands and I didn't pay any attention to the route number when the tram turned up. I just got on and sat down. Had I paid attention I would have seen that it was an 86A, which means there is a diversion of some sort. The depot is almost the only place the tram can divert, until it reaches the city. I quite enjoyed my diverted journey but it did feel a little as though the tram had just gone rogue. (I checked Yarra Tram's social media later and found that we had been avoiding some sort of accident on Smith Street.)

Yesterday was a glorious day. Warm but not too hot, fluffy clouds, blue sky, light breeze. A perfect summer's day. I didn't go to the Alphington market because I didn't really need much. I don't have enough vegetables to last until next Sunday but I have enough to be going on with. I cleaned the flat instead.

I am aware that I should be careful what I wish for. Very careful! You may remember me complaining, whinging and whining about the carpet in Tani; dull purple colour, impossible to get the cat hair and dust out. Had I stayed, I would have replaced it with hard flooring. I have hard flooring in my flat. It is easy to sweep. It is not easy to get the cat fur up; it blows around all over the place and gets everywhere. The new rug captures it well. There is much less cat fur blowing around. And - bonus - it is really easy to sweep the cat fur up with my soft broom. Given the amount I swept up yesterday, less than a week since the rug arrived, I am astonished that Brandy has any fur left!!!

I might buy a hard brush and see how that works.

My bedroom, Sunday lunchtime.
I am considering buying another
blue and yellow rug for in here

New rug, doubling as a
snooker table for the cats

Yesterday afternoon continued glorious. I was watching the water sparkle in the harbour when it crossed my mind that I could go outside and watch it from the water's edge. I don't need an actual reason to go out and potter around. I can just, you know - Go Outside.

So,  I did.

Victoria Harbour, sparkling
in the sunshine

Looking from the ferry dock
to my place (circled)

Looking towards the library
and the new tower blocks
(Still being built)

My nearest tram stop
And a rather large stadium

The city council has started preparing to replace the wooden pylons on the promenade and has blocked off the boardwalk.  You can still walk along the paved area to the library and the new tower blocks

Irony alert: There are exactly NO trees between the fence and the water's edge. It reminds me of the exact same sign they put up on the fencing when they were chopping down the trees on the reserve in Eilish Court as they were preparing it to become a small housing estate. 

Monday morning view from my bedroom:

And now the morning is getting on and I have things to do. Amongst them, I must actually go to the library rather than looking in its direction. I have books to return.

The Week (So Far)

This has been a funny week from a routine point of view. I worked on Tuesday and Wednesday and will work tomorrow. Tuesday and tomorrow were/are cover for people who were/are unable to come in. It isn't a problem, but it does throw my routines out. Japanese classes, for example, have to be fitted in. You can only carry so many over each month, otherwise you lose them.

So I did my regular Tuesday Japanese class and then headed in to work. Usually I leave sometime between 7 and 7:15 but on this occasion it was just after 9. I don't know where all the people were going on the ferry, but as I wandered past the queue to board looked like this:

Although, having said that - I do know where they were going. They were going to Portarlington or perhaps to Geelong. But what were they all going to do when they got there?

I left such questions by the harbour and took a tram to work where I had a pleasant day.

Wednesday was forecast to be very hot. I had arranged that Lindsey would bring me home in her air conditioned car. Yes, the trams are air conditioned and yes, the walk from the tram stop to my place is not very far but I did not want to walk it in 40d+ temperatures. It wasn't too hot when I went to work, after a supplementary Japanese class. Quite pleasant, in fact. The temperature rose as the day progressed. Various patients changed their appointments to telephone consultations so they wouldn't have to come out in the heat. Probably wise. Anyone who ventured into the clinic more or less froze. We turned the temperature on the air conditioning up but even so the doctors were heading to the kitchen or toilet to run their icy fingers under hot water and were wearing jackets or cardigans. It was cold in my office. The reception staff were shivering. And we could do very little about it. It was almost a pleasure to walk out into the 40d carpark at home time. Nice to feel hot rather than frozen!

A (brief!) cool change came through during the evening. Lindsey and I met for brunch on Thursday in a new-to-us cafe on Gertrude Street in Fitzroy called Arcadia where we had a really rather lovely Big Breakfast. Often when you order a Big Breakfast it is far too big and quite a bit gets wasted. This one was a perfect size and very tasty. The iced chocolates were rather nice too. Chocolatey but not too sweet

Then I came home and Lindsey went to Portland on the south west coast of Victoria.

This was the fire rating map for Victoria today:

Even if you aren't familiar with the fire danger ratings I'm sure you will agree that this is not a map that evokes feelings of comfort and joy. The weather forecast for today was awful: mid to high 40s, strong, gusty winds, possible dry thunderstorms. The fire danger, as you see, is extreme (orange) or catastrophic (red). There are warnings for severe weather and for extreme heat.  I haven't ventured outside today. I didn't need to go to work and, although I could gone out, I felt that it would be wiser to stay inside, unless I went out early. But I had a Japanese class 8-9 and then sorted out some rubbish and some donations to the clothes bin and the free to a good home shelf. By the time I had done all that the temperature was climbing and  I thought it much more sensible to take today as a down day. I have had the windows shut, the blinds down and the air conditioning on at 20 on a low fan. According to my weather app it's 43d outside but it is 28 in my bedroom and I think about 25 in the living room, which is where the air con is. It has got quite windy as the afternoon has progressed but I've got a draught excluder against the front door so I can't hear or feel the wind. It's not too bad inside my flat, though I think it's probably quite horrible outside.

There are large fires burning in parts of the state. I am very glad to be in the "concrete forest" that is Docklands and not in leafy Mount Helen. Not that the uncontrolled fires are near Ballarat but they very well could be. Moving out of a designated bushfire zone wasn't a major factor in my decision to move to Docklands but it was a contributing consideration. It takes quite a lot of the anxiety out of horrible fire days. 

I think that I am not the only person who decided that discretion was the better part of valour and stayed at home today. It is very quiet on Harbour Esplanade for a Friday, even during the school holidays.

As part of my "stay at home and avoid the heat and the wind" strategy I decided to clear out the fridge. I found some buttermilk, nearing its best before date. Plus I had defrosted some salmon a couple of days ago which I hadn't used and I had some grated cheese that I thought I ought to use before it became mouldy. I also had a tube of tomato and vegetable paste that was easily in date but which I had opened a few weeks ago. Plus, I had some prawns in the freezer, some flour and bicarb in the larder, and some garlic and herb powder in the flavour cupboard. So I made some soda bread dough which I used as a base for a lunchtime seafood pizza (I cooked it in the air fryer so the flat didn't get as hot as the oven would have made it.

It was satisfyingly tasty

Now I just need to remember that I do not have my usual Japanese class tomorrow morning and I DO have to go to work

Balloons and Shopping

These caused some consternation on Friday morning. Not because they were here but because they were quite low and looked to be very close to buildings and The Wheel. I was watching them. and so were other people. There were lots of photos on the Docklands social pages

This yellow balloon caused real anxiety as it descended. It was all quite safe but it appeared to be VERY close to the wheel and to other buildings. In the end it landed (or so I believe) where it was supposed to land. Obviously some clever flying by the pilot

It looks fine at the moment but
it got closer and closer to buildings as it 
descended

The weather was lovely over the weekend, with the excitement of a thunder outbreak ion Saturday evening. Otherwise it was sunny and warm. I didn't do much on Saturday, other than a stroll to the supermarket in the morning and a gentle potter in the afternoon.

I was more energetic on Sunday. I met Freyja and Simon at the Alphington market in the morning and accompanied them to Ikea afterwards. I looked at some of the shelving, thinking that it could go where Tony's piano now is. I did like the shelving with the glass doors but I thought about it again once I got home and decided that I probably don't need extra storage at this point and I would rather have a reading chair in the bedroom. I seriously considered some cube shelving for the TV to sit on. I didn't buy one while I was there - too hard to get it home on the train. I have ordered one to be delivered. I bought a children's rug for the bedroom, which I did bring back with me,  and have ordered a larger rug for the lounge room. The cube and rug should come sometime today. This time I have paid extra for delivery into my flat rather than to the foyer.

Brandy approves of the new bedroom rug, which I have now moved to the side of my bed

Docklands is starting to wake up from its Christmas/New Year somnolence. The office workers are back this morning. The ferry is back to its regular weekday timetable. The commuter cars are coming back and the traffic is building up on the Bolte Bridge. Neither of these two are properly back to normal yet. They're still at school holiday levels. But definitely busier than last week
 

Easing Gently from 2025 to 2026

I ended 2025 more or less in the way that I started it, with lunch out.

I have known Nate and Duncan for 20 or so years. They are long standing friends of Freyja and Simon's and currently live in Munich. Nate's father lives in Adelaide and they were over for Christmas, with a couple of days in Melbourne.

So we had lunch in Dokutoku. I did not have my usual karaage set meal but a karaage don instead. Freyja tells me that they have a lunchtime menu on the counter but it doesn't show on the online menu that I ordered from. I'll have a look the next time I'm in there for lunch.

It was good to catch up with Nate and Duncan. I didn't see them the last time they were in Melbourne, so it's been several years since we've caught up.

🎇🎆🎇🎆🎇🎆🎇🎆🎇🎆🎇🎆🎇🎆🎇🎆🎇🎆🎇🎆

Several people have suggested that I would have a ringside seat for the New Year fireworks. I certainly had a good view of the food trucks, the picnic tables, the silent disco and other merriments. LOTS of people came for the revelry.

Food trucks arriving at lunchtime

People arriving later in the afternoon

The party boats all went out into the bay, other boats also went out onto the water. People were having a lot of fun.

I managed to stay awake for the 9:30 fireworks, which I showed to Cally and Flynn from my bedroom window. It wasn't the best view. I would have had to go to the ferry port or to the sunset viewpoint for that. They were behind the NAB building. But I could see well enough. I had gone to bed by the time the midnight fireworks happened but had set an alarm for 11:50. Although, I think I might have woken up anyway. Again, the fireworks were behind the NAB building but I could see enough. Freyja and Simon had a better view from their place. I think they could see ALL the fireworks in Melbourne (Flagstaff and Treasury Gardens and King's Domain as well as Docklands).

I think it is unlikely that I will venture outside to view New Year fireworks at midnight. Ever! But I might be tempted by the 9:30 ones

The first of the midnight fireworks. Subsequent ones went up higher

2026 has got off to a gentle, peaceful, sunny start. Brandy and I have been watching the council workers dismantling New Year's Eve. It took them several days to put it all up. It's taken them a morning to take it back down.  I fear that the Herculean effort has worn Brandy out. I had intended to put a clean doona cover on and make the bed properly but have been deterred for now

Happy New Year, everyone. I hope that the sun shines gently, warmly (but not too hotly) on us all, with gentle breezes and night time rain during 2026

Hair

Some weeks ago I had my hair cut in Just Cuts in the Spencer Outlet Centre. I should have paid closer attention when the hairdresser mentioned the slight curl in my hair. But I didn't. She cut my hair to accentuate the curl. I never have this done. She encouraged me to use "product" on my hair. I also never do this.

I was not particularly bothered by what I thought was a very bad haircut. I am aware that a haircut, no matter how bad, isn't a permanent state of affairs. It will grow out. Alas, this cut didn't really grow out. I ended up looking very much like an electrocuted mop. My hair was frizzy, got frizzier and the back (what I could see of it) seemed particularly woolly.

I contacted Amanda, my hairdresser in Mount Clear, and made an appointment to see her.

You can't go to Ballarat just for a haircut, They said. Watch me, was my reply.

And yesterday I took a late morning train to The Rat. And very pleasant it was too. I took a bus from the station to Mount Clear, arriving in time for a quick lunch in the cafe. And then Amanda rescued my hair. I no longer look like a mop or a sheep or anything frizzy or woolly.

I haven't been to Ballarat for three months or so. I had assumed I would go more often but the need hasn't arisen. Anything that I might want to do in Ballarat I can do in Melbourne. Apart from get my hair cut by Amanda. I would have had lunch with Pat except she is away at the moment. But I was happy just to have a look around, enjoy the train and the bus and then to come home.

I also hadn't realised that my senior's Myki card is capped at $5.50 a day no matter where I go in the state using public transport, so it was a cheap day out for me. Even cheaper if I travel at weekends, when it is free. I must bear this in mind when I am looking for things to do. The State is my oyster 🦪

Boxing Weekend

We had a lovely time on Boxing Day. A nice, gentle start to the day. Belinda and Lindsey took the dogs for a walk. Matt and Ian installed a ring camera. I did some Japanese practice. Then Freyja and Simon came on the train for lunch.

Belinda made a lovely mango salad, with pomegranate, radishes from the garden, cucumber and lettuce. We had chicken, ham, nut loaf and potato salad. Then we had rhubarb crumble for dessert.

And then we went for a walk around the extensive garden. Memo to self: Don't wear sandals to Matt and Belinda's place. I was admiring the avocados on their tree when I somehow managed to slide a large piece of bark between my sandal and my foot. Fortunately, I didn't impale my foot but I did nearly go flying. Also fortunately Lindsey was next to me so I could grab her. I stopped admiring the trees and fruit after that and concentrated on my footing!

I did admire this magnificent tree:

Then Ian drove us back to Melbourne. Freyja and Simon stopped at my place to pick up some left overs from Christmas Eve then they went home. 

Boxing Day Sunshine
at my place

Then I had a quiet, peaceful, restful weekend. I wandered around to The District on Saturday afternoon for a potter in the supermarkets. I have cleaned and tidied my flat - a bit. I have done a little gentle sorting of things. I had a gentle walk on Sunday. And I have been watching the council workers putting up fencing, information points, water points, barriers and other things in preparation for the New Year's Eve celebrations. The remaining council Christmas decorations on Harbour Esplanade disappeared promptly on the morning of the 27th, although I noted that the elves were still in place on the Newquay Promenade. The decorations  on the Victoria Promenade were taken down at the beginning of Christmas week, to the annoyance of local residents. The council, when complained to, said it was because they needed the area clear for preparations for its closure on New Year's Eve. This did not go down well with the locals!

Someone was supremely uninterested in all of the fuss about Christmas decorations (although he did seem to enjoy watching the council workers putting up the fencing)

Christmas

I speak to you on Boxing Day, from a chilly Warragul. It's a lovely morning but it is only 8d outside which is not exactly hot for late December.

Boxing Day Morning view

I realised on Christmas Eve that I was out of milk and I needed wine for the evening and a few bits and pieces. I had intended to go to the large Woolworths and to Dan Murphy's on the Newquay side of the water but noticed that the trams heading to The District were quite full. There didn't seem to be quite so many people on Bourke Street. So I went to my local, slightly smaller Woolworths and wine shop, which were busy but not absolutely crammed and had what I needed.

Lindsey, Ian, Wendy, Freyja and Simon came round in the evening for a Christmas Eve party

Random puzzles and games from the Reject Shop,
in lieu of crackers

Brandy has joined the party
although we are still waiting for
Freyja ans Simon

Food is ready

Let the festivities begin!

And then we all gathered again at the zoo for Christmas breakfast, which was Freyja's idea (to have breakfast at the zoo, that is, rather than in a cafe). It was an excellent idea and a lot of fun. It was also very busy. Granted, the weather was perfect for visiting the zoo. Not too hot, reasonably sunny. And I knew that people do go to the zoo on Christmas Day but I hadn't realised quite how many people go.

We had breakfast and a present swap and then we headed for a wander around the zoo. The orangutans had proper, wrapped Christmas presents hidden in the straw and branches in their living space and they were having a fabulous time digging through looking for Christmas parcels, then ripping the paper off and eating the contents which were flowers and fruit and other tasty Christmas snacks.

I would very happily go to the zoo again for Christmas morning. It was stress-free, fun - and free. Public transport is free on Christmas Day in Victoria. I have a zoo membership so didn't have to pay to get in. I easily got my steps for the day. The only thing I might do differently is to take a picnic with me. I will try and remember for next year.

Then Freyja and Simon headed off for lunch and then to the cinema. Wendy went home. And Lindsey, Ian and I came to Warragul for Christmas night, where we still are.  There was more feasting, more tasty treats, more wine. And William makes an amazing espresso cocktail. It was very tempting to have two, but that would have definitely have been a mistake!

So a really good Christmas. And it continues into Boxing Day. Freyja and Simon are coming for lunch, then we will all return to our respective homes leaving peace to return to Matt, Belinda, Sage and William.

All Things are Subject to Change ... Again!

This week I was supposed to be at work on Wednesday morning and that was it.

On Sunday evening one of the receptionists sent out a message saying that she had flu type symptoms and wouldn't be able to go in on Monday morning. I knew there was nobody much available to cover so I rearranged the day so I could go in and cover the breaks, intending to leave after the lunch breaks.

I got there to find a second receptionist also had flu type symptoms, although she had gone in. She went home at lunch time and I stayed. I couldn't stay until close of play, though. I had evening plans.

Then I realised that today, Tuesday, there would only be one receptionist on in the afternoon, which isn't entirely desirable when it is ALL afternoon. I cancelled my plans for today, which were mostly getting finished for Christmas and will go in to work shortly.

I am no longer intending to go in tomorrow. I still have to finish preparing for Christmas.

Our family celebrations have started. Some of us met in The Fox in Collingwood for a Christmas Pub Night. It was a good night. Brother Simon is back from his sabbatical in Italy and South East Asia and he was there. So was his daughter and her partner, who I also haven't seen for a while. All the Usual Suspects were there as well.

A good catch up - although I missed the Victoria Point Christmas party which was in the foyer at home at the same time that I was in the pub in Collingwood.

Walking home from the tram stop, just on sunset:

And now I must get wriggling.  I have to go to work and can't just sit about letting the morning disappear.