Winter in Melbourne

"I pack up my belongings and I head for the coast. It might not be a lot but I feel like I'm making the most." - Modest Mouse

 

As winter season rolls into view, what better way to make the most of it than moving down to one of the coldest cities in Australia? Face it, no matter how hard Brisbane tries, he will never bellow out an avalanche's cold or breed accidental babies better than Melbourne. It does not snow on this side of the world, but the frost bites gnaw hard enough you cannot leave the house without three layers of clothes or have your fingers numb before you exit the doors.

I was literally back in Brisbane for a good 24 hours after my slight impromptu homecoming to Penang before I head off to Melbourne in the earliest flight possible - yet so stupidly delayed at the last minute. I put on the boots I lugged all the way back from Adelaide during my trip back in April, all ready for the coldest season. A good chance to wear them. The only trip I went around without my beloved Chuck Taylors since I got them. Along with my Eskimo style jacket I bought a while back in JayJays. And a new pair of jeans from JayJays as well. Yes, I fucking love that store. Who doesn't? I went to Melbourne to have Yi Shu and probably ten more people in the country wearing the same jeans as I do. We fucking love JayJays. I can dress from head to toe with clothes from that one store if I try hard enough. And I am including accessories here. I am his bitch.

I took my first step on proper city soil and saw my breath hovering in front of my face. I had so much fun with this I decided to breathe more frequently out in the chilliest nights just to see my breath in perfect ghost figures. It was such a peculiar fascination. I would smile every time like a child with a sweet tooth for the colourful candy in hand. Despite that, I would need to remember to bury my hands deep in my pockets because I am still from sunshine Brisbane. I do not think I took a lot of nice pictures while I am in Melbourne. Partly because I do not like taking my camera in and out of my bag. Secondly, the weather has handicapped my photographic skills and imbalanced my proper angles. I found a lot of misconducted shots. For this, I apologise if ever you spot the flaws. I am not a professional to begin with anyway.

Any chance given I would find myself in warm spots doing my best to steal heat into my dying heart. Stand next to outdoor heaters, avoid ice cream sessions - seriously, how the heck can you guys have ice cream on cold weathers? It is equivalent to haveing scorching hot chocolates under the hot sun, sit with the fan heater right in front of my face, hide in overly crowded Chinese restaurants... Ah the joy of winter. Not.

What I like about Melbourne. She is much more than Brisbane can ever be. Buildings erect at the heart of the city - yes, city with bolded fonts and no sarcastic aprostrophes - taller and weirder. No two skyscrappers are ever the same. They stand tall they graze the skyline creases and disappear amongst the foggy Heavens as if the invisible elevator within will lead you directly to God's kingdom.

Maybe it is just me. I am sure it is just me. But local guys in Melbourne are good looking. Might be something in the waters. Every five steps or less I took down the streets, an eye candy would pass me by ready to be devoured by my naked eyes. Such handsomety may be rubbing off the shoulders of the foreigners. Other than that, it really is just me. Yik Khee and Yi Shu cringed at my remark. And I must say my guy friends studying in Melbourne were not really good looking up till my standards either. Hah. Oh how the hearts bruised now. Most of you are taken so stop acting like you care.

Melbourne has everything Brisbane has and much more. Definitely a place you head down for shopping sprees. There is a shopping mall in Chadstone. Merely two levels but stretch horizontally holding firm designer stores I have not heard before in my life as well as those that have been renowned to me yet not kind enough to have me include any item in my wardrobe. I would say it is as big as the MidValley Megamall in Kuala Lumpur. Maybe bigger. Shu Wen mourned. Why nothing of such gigantic proportion happens in her nice little town of Adelaide. I snickered. Replied: "If there is ever such a mall like Chadstone in Adelaide, there won't be an Adelaide." Adelaide will then be known as Chadstone. I was this close to saying the same thing for Brisbane.

There is something artsy fartsy going on in Melbourne that I love about her. Maybe it is the building structures scattered all over like a farmer's sprinkled seeds. Maybe it is the constant art performances happening every other day. It is definitely not the musical rejects I find busking the chilly streets. I have seen way more of them in Brisbane. Maybe it is the hidden Picasso's wherever you go. Do not forget to look up.

We were at Half Tix when I knew how important it is to them in Melbourne. Two guys in their late 20s the least marched into the tiny center and claimed their homes at the other side of the divider. As one picked up his guitar and strummed a tune of distorted modulations, another buried his world on his shoulder with a paintbrush at hand dipped in pure white, tracing the complex curves projected on the wall from the light above his head. His precision. His oblivion. His talent. The next day he delivered a marvellous art of Old English lanyards with a portrait of a firm-faced man on the wall.

It is a pity I would not be around when Ben Folds comes around with a performance or two with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in September. It would be a worthwhile experience. I have not been to a decent concert in the longest time and an orchestral performance in an even longer time. I have been waiting so patiently to flee to one when my favourite artistes stop by. Alas.

Yet. Melbourne lacks of colours save the flowers planted in boxes with boundaries that go no further than the four sides. Shades of gray. A predicted curse of the fourth season. Everything felt dead. Trees in sheer nudity and streets too wide the gap. Sometimes, civilisation failed. Nobody crossed the streets but Nothing instead. Nothing answered to the beeping green lights. Nothing sighed along the misty and dampened surrounding. Nothing drank the strong winter wine and listened to a music of gatherings just around the corner.

On the last night we pulled an all-nighter. Four noisied up the table with an endless game of mahjong while four/three/two more glued to the dusty Play Station 2 over continuous games of Stree Fighter. I was the latter group, playing out of sheer boredom as the Latte I had earlier that night did its best to keep me awake. Why bother a short nap? Our flights were due in less than six hours anyway.

I will tell you one more thing I like about Melbourne. My friends. They were all so strangely segregated there. Every day I was there I found myself meeting up with different groups of them at least once. I even managed to catch up with the bunch from Adelaide who happened to be on their trip down to Melbourne at the same time. Every day was arranged so fucking perfectly we almost did not miss a beat. Wham bam thank you ma'am.

My last session found myself outside at the balcony along with Yik Khee and Yi Shu. The cold tile ate my bare feet. The ghost of Christmas in July swallowed me whole. Ah yes, I could see my every breath out there in the cold. I could have been standing in a 0C world. I did walk in a 9C temperature earlier in the night. I saw Melbourne shawled in blurry mist. I saw Melbourne not quite sleeping at 3AM. Part of the town was still alive for the night is at the youth age of 16. Part of the town died along with hypothermia at a number too early to believe. It was the prettiest I have seen of Melbourne. With that, I sketched her dark beauty in my mind and left, flew back into the warm arms of dear Brisbane. I have to leave before my love grows and begs me stay, which allows Melbourne's cold fingers wrap me solid and kill my afterglow. You know what they say about cities. Go be. But. Leave before your heart grows hard.