AUS>LAX>HKG>MEL

By any standard that was a long trip with two long layovers in LA and Hong Kong, but we didn’t ever worry about making a connection. All told it was nearly 38 hours from departing Austin at 8 am Sunday, crossing the international date line, and landing in Melbourne just before noon Tuesday. We sprung for business class despite the shocking cost of the tickets and I’m glad we did.

Check-in at the Rendevous hotel was easy and we were quickly up to our third-floor room and into the shower. After cleaning up we went out for a little walk past Flinders Station to Hosier Lane and then beyond to the Fitzroy Gardens park. 

Some of the graffiti in Hosier Ln is impressive. 

The flowers at Fitzroy gardens are a mix of familiar and strange. 

Some trees look familiar.  Some don't.

In a few minutes we are going down to the lobby to meet the rest of our fellow travelers for this one-month tour of Australia and New Zealand.