postcards from moments past
It’s been almost two months since I moved back home and I miss Melbourne every single day.
It was hard parting ways from a place where you found your sense of freedom and belonging. I never thought I would get attached to a place like Melbourne in a short amount of time. I mean, two years is a very long time… but I would’ve loved to have been there for much longer than that.
I’ve made sooooo many memories and met so many people. I miss my friends. I miss the tram. I miss Carlton Gardens! I miss the food… the city!
On my last day in Melbourne, I bought a disposable film camera from filmneverdie on Spencer Street. It was this small, pink camera that I thought would be perfect to do something fun and exciting. A way for me to safely keep all my favourite places in Melbourne in my devices forever. A walk down memory lane…
When I went to the city for the first time on my own, I had to get off the tram when I saw the Vodafone store on the corner of Swanston Street and Bourke Street. I would take this route for one and a half years until I found out that there was a much better and enjoyable route! I’ll take about that later in the article!
Then after this, I would either walk or take the tram (I would take the tram most days because I was tired of walking, lol). I didn’t take any pictures of the walk to my university.
But I will share some exciting photos that I took while I was walking around the city that day.
This was the first thing that you’d see, that big green blob! That means you’re at RMIT University. I have no idea what that means at all. I just know that when you see the big green blob on top of that building it means that you’ve reached RMIT University.
I’m sure I still hadn’t discovered 99% of the campus. There were so many hidden doorways and passageways around the campus that I never got the chance to explore.
Haha, the funny thing about visiting the campus for the first time was that I had no idea that Building 8, 10 and 12 were interconnected. I had walked around the entire building trying to find RMIT Connect when it was right there when I walked inside the building.
This building was where I spent most of my time at university. Holed up in the basement editing videos and working on my assignments. All the group projects and presentation rehearsals… ah!
Another place where I visited the most was the State Library of Victoria. One of the first places I visited when I went to the city for the first time. I was mesmerized by the interior and the dome inside the building.
I walked up four flights of stairs to get a good angle and then realised that it was a terrible angle. So, I walked down a few stairs and found this sweet spot. I am super happy that the photo turned out okay.
My love for Carlton
I discovered the beauty of Carlton last year while I was walking around with friends. I had fallen in love with Lygon Street and Carlton Gardens instantly! Cinema Nova, the independent film cinema that I loved going to almost every week! I loved walking through the garden every single day. Even when it was raining! Even when my shoes were soaking wet! I loved Carlton Gardens so much.
I never sat down in this bench. But I have always loved walking past this duck pond every single day. I had taken another photo from my iPhone, but recreating that exact photo with the disposable camera was truly worth it.
Another spot in Carlton Gardens I loved. I told someone that this place looked like Central Park, but specifically the Central Park in Maid in Manhattan.
I never wanted to not walk past this fountain. Refused to take any other route than that.
I’ve made a lot of memories here. Some were bad, some were good. But the thing about holding on to these memories is that it’s your job to not hold on to the bad parts.
This was a place where I went on a date with someone. And another. I would always want to walk through this garden even if I had a faster route to the train station. Walking through this garden brought me so much peace that I cannot even put it into words.
I miss walking through this garden every day. Honestly, I wish I could go back soon.
Coffee and Melbourne should be (is) synonymous! Everywhere you go there is a coffee shop. Brick Lane Coffee and Plantation in Melbourne Central are my favourite coffee places.
There are so many places in Melbourne that I love and miss every single day. But these were the ones that I wanted to hold onto when I left. I never wanted to leave this place where I found so much happiness and freedom. It was bittersweet and sad for me to leave after two years. I go through these pictures and it makes me so emotional. I feel like I’ve left someone behind that was so dear to me.
But if I had to be sad over leaving a place like this every day, I wouldn’t be able to go function. For me, Melbourne was a happy place. It was the happiest that I had ever been. I want to keep remembering the good parts.
I want to go back someday… but for now, I hope you enjoyed the postcards from moments past.
