Let me start this blog by saying there is a lot of time to relax here. For reference I just submitted my first assignment after five weeks of the semester. Not too much of my time is taken up by studying! Consequently, I have found time to discover recreational activities to do in Melbourne.
At the beginning of the semester, I went to the beach a few times. St. Kilda’s beach is in Port Philip Bay and is just a tram ride from my apartment. That was a great place to go relax when the weather got a bit too warm. It has cooled down a bit so the beach is not as much of an option anymore, unfortunately!
On a day where I do not have classes or it is a bit gloomy, there are plenty of places to go shopping. There is everything from big malls to small boutiques to markets stalls. I live near to Queen Victoria’s Market, which is the largest open air market in the southern hemisphere. During the day they have farmer stalls, clothing, and gift items. They also have a night market which has many food stalls and fun activities for people to do. Every Sunday there is also a book market which appeals to the bookworms among us. The Queen Victoria’s Market is a great place to wander around when you have some time with not much to do.
On campus there are so many clubs for anything and everything you can think of. I am a member of a Bhakti Yoga club which holds a AU$2 yoga session every week! Yoga is a great way to get some exercise and relax your body, so to get it at such a cheap price is such a great deal.
Lastly, this past weekend I was lucky enough to go to the Peninsula Hot Springs just south of Melbourne. The Hot Springs are a collection of naturally occurring hot springs from deep underground, along with several saunas and cold plunges. The transition between the cold plunge and the hot spring is something that truly has to be experienced first hand. I felt so relaxed! My favorite room was the ice room, which is just as it sounds, a super cold room. We went in with just our swimwear on and completely froze, then we ran into a hot spring. It really brought me back to Winter at Hamilton! There are supposedly many health benefits to bathing in the hot springs as the water is full of naturally occurring minerals, so hopefully I got some of those benefits too!
Although I am in a busy city, there are many places and ways to relax and refresh yourself. Just one of the many amazing things about Melbourne!
