Melbourne
Melbourne is a well-known secret in the hearts and minds of every travel lover, simply for the number of colorful attractions and charms it can offer from the first visit. It is known as the coffee capital of the world famous for world-class baristas and coffee extra ordinaires and the perfect cup of Joe, having introduced the classic “flat white” style coffee drink. There are more thing to do in Melbourne, the street art that fills its movie-like alleyways each tells an interesting story, and some of the best restaurants in the world call Melbourne their home. Melbournians are hedonists at heart, hosting world-famous festivals, sporting events, buzzing nightlife and enjoying cocktail after cocktail on a rooftop bar.
Tipping.
Restaurants and bars- There is no need to tip, and generally speaking, people won't expect it. The rough rule of thumb in Australia is 10%, although 5% will probably do in a café.
Taxi- Taxi drivers will not expect a tip for their services, although it is common courtesy to let the taxi driver “keep the change”.
Hotels- There's no requirement to tip any hotel staff.
Lingo in Melbourne.
Melbourne’s official language is English but listen up when we tell you, it’s a whole different type of English. Australian slang is nothing like the English you know so if you ever hit up Aussie then it’s often best to know the slang so as to avoid any awkward situations!
General lingo.
Howdy = Hello, a warm greeting to welcome a person.
Cheers = thanks, a magic word to express gratitude.
G day = Hello or good morning, warm greetings.
Ta = thank you, deep expression of gratefulness.
Pop around = come over, calling someone to go around or move to a place.
Crikey = an expression of surprise
Piece of Piss = easy
Piss Off = go away, get lost
Piss Up = a party, a get together and in Australia – most social occasions
Eating out/ shopping lingo.
Cuppa = cup of tea.
Maccas = McDonalds.
Avo = avocado
BLT = bacon lettuce tomato sandwich
Bubbles = sparkling wine
Chewie = chewing gum
Choccy biccy = chocolate biscuit
Chook = chicken
Dog’s eye = meat pie
Flat white = coffee with milk
Icy pole = flavoured ice treat on a stick
Jaffle – toasted sandwich
Lamington = small square of sponge cake covered in chocolate and coconut flakes
Lollies = sweets
Mushies = mushrooms
Pavlova = meringue dessert with cream and toppings debated as to originating in Australia or New Zealand
Roadie = taking a drink on the way with you
Sambo = sandwich
Sanga = same as sambo
Schnitty = schnitzel, a breaded chicken/veal fillet
Slab = 24 cans of beer
Snag = sausage
Spag bol = spaghetti bolognaise
Stubby = a small bottle of beer
Tinnie = can of beer
Tucker = food
Vino = wine
Get your flirt on!
“Is that a cronut in your pants, or are you just glad to see me?”
“You’re harder to get around than Punt Road in peak hour.”
“Want to join my subscription coffee club?”
“I have a fixie, so my calves are A++”
“I get compliments for my beard. Like, a lot.”
“You make me feel as weak as a Yoxing class.”
“Want to wear matching buns in our hair?”
“I have a table available at Mr Miyagi in 10 minutes, want to join me for dinner?”
“I would cancel my reservation at Chin Chins for you.”
“Ethical non-monogamy is all the rage these days... so, DTF?”
“Want to take a ride down my secret alleyway?”
“I’d go vegan for you.”
“Are you secretly a plain-clothed ticket inspector? Because I’ve been bad.”
“If you were my Myki, I would fail to touch you off every day.”
“I would get on the Melbourne Star for you.”
“If you were mine, I would bring you Messina ice-cream all night, every night.”
“You must be a politician because I don’t know your name, but you’re probably going to ruin me. “
“I like my partner like my coffee—strong, skinny and smooth.”
“You’re better than free ice-cream at a pop up store.”
“You put the bacon in brunch.”
“Your face is like the perfect flat lay.”
“We must be in the city loop, because I feel like it’s just you and me against an internet-free world.”
Transport from Melbourne Airport.
There are 3 ways to get from Melbourne Airport to Melbourne Central - by taxi, airport transfer and bus.
Taxi.
It takes roughly 30 minutes to get to the Melbourne City Centre and taxi is the most efficient and easiest way to get there. Melbourne cabs are pretty easy to spot with that bright yellow and sign on the top in large letters reading TAXI. Your ride will be super comfy in A/C and ample space to stretch your legs after your exhausting journey.
Bus.
So it is important to admit that taxis, unless you agree to a flat rate, can get quite expensive regardless of how much comfort they may provide. On a smaller budget it would be best to go for a SkyBus service to shuttle you from the airport to Southern Cross Station but keep in mind that the bus adds another 15 minutes of road time.
Airport Transfer.
Looking for something just a bit more private? Go ahead book yourself a welcome transfer through a private service. For one, you can choose your vehicle type and for seconds, your friendly driver will be well-trained in speaking your preferred language and may even give you some great tips and recommendations as he/she drops you off safely in the city.
Best time to travel.
The best times to visit Melbourne are between March and May and September and November. These shoulder seasons feature moderate temperatures and tourist crowds, plus lower airfare rates.
