Hopscotch: Australia road trip day 5 - Melbourne city tram and Harbourtown

Day 5 was more relaxed than the other days. We planned to do some shopping and take Xena on a tram ride through the city.

Early morning monkeying around by the father-daughter duo

Bathed and all set to go out!

We drove to Harbour Town shopping centre in Docklands, which was to be our base camp for the day. Not that we intended to shop all day, but we wanted to park somewhere convenient and then head out on the tram.

Exploring the shopping centre

We bought from trinkets from this shop.

I was very very impressed with the 'parents room' at the mall. Most shopping malls just have a small baby care room. This parents room was really rooooomy. There were about four cubicles inside, and each had a comfortable armchair. There were comfy couches outside these cubicles, possibly for daddies to wait at if the mommies were breastfeeding. There was even a microwave oven for heating baby food! The only facility Xena and I used was the toilet, and it was so cute. There was a tiny kids' commode right next to the regular one; I almost wanted to take a photo!

Right next to the mall was a small amusement park called Wonderland fun park, but to our dismay, it was closed. (It opens only on weekends and public holidays.)

We walked to the nearest tram station and took the city circle tram. This tram is free and offers automated commentary announcing points of interest along the way.

Waiting for the tram

Xena is fascinated with the tram. And also reminded of Puffing Billy.

Tripadvisor had highly recommended Degraves street for a meal, so we headed there for lunch.

It's a narrow, cobbled alley, chock full of eating places offering all kinds of cuisine.

This guy was roaming the street promoting a shop, and Xena was so fascinated we asked him for a picture. He gladly obliged and we also realised that we were being video'ed by the crew following him. Gosh, I hope we didn't end up in the news!

Graffiti in Degraves street

After a nice meal (and coffee for Appa!), we decided to walk around a bit. We went to a camera shop to see if they could repair the DSLR lens protector. The guy there couldn't, but recommended another shop down the road. So we walked there and the guy there fiddled with the camera for a long time before telling us that he could not get the protector off, so he recommended breaking and taking the cracked glass out. That would at least make the camera functional even if it was without a lens protector.

Xena was getting restless in the camera shop so I took her out. She found this coin-operated massage chair and rested her tiny tired legs.

We took the tram back to Harbour Town and decided to shop for a while. It was Xena's naptime and she fell asleep on Viv's shoulder! Appa said he'd wait on a bench with her, while Viv and I went (separately) to shop!

Xena nestled comfortably in her grandpa's arms

Xena's makeshift bed

I window-shopped for a while, and then returned with Viv for a second opinion on some items. I ended up buying a top, a jumpsuit and a pair of glasses, and some souvenirs which Appa had asked me to buy. Viv had earmarked some items, but decided not to buy them in the end.