Walking around Melbourne with a spring in my step

By Yeoh Siew Hoon

I woke up this morning to find a big, burly man standing over me. His arms akimbo over my seat on which I was still lying flat, he asked, “Would you like breakfast?”

Caught like a kangaroo in the headlights at 2am (my time), I blinked and muttered, a response he took to mean a “Yes”.

“Toast, muffin or …?” I couldn’t catch the last item – he too was muttering.

“Toast,” I mumbled.

“Coffee or tea?” I nodded.

“Tea? Milk and sugar?”

Still dazed, I nodded.

It felt like a conversation in twilight zone but I was onboard a Qantas B747 flight to Melbourne.

I am pleased to report that it was an uneventful flight (barring this breakfast encounter) although during the safety demonstration, a woman passenger seated just in front of the crew demonstrating asked many questions related to the unfortunate string of incidents Qantas has had with its aircraft engines.

As a business class passenger, I had been given an Express immigration card – except it took longer to get through Express than it did the regular queue – there were only two counters opened and the Express queue handled everyone from diplomats to air crew to APEC to Express card holders.

Being Malaysian, I didn’t mind it that much. In my country, we have an Express train that is anything but – so I get it.

Coming out of the terminal, I see an elderly gentleman holding a sign with my name. Dennis Hughes was his. It’s a beautiful spring morning in Melbourne, sunny, blue sky, not a cloud in sight.

“You’re lucky, the weather will be good for the next few days,” says Dennis.

He talks about the rain they’ve had. The grass is green, the trees are full of foliage – what a contrast to last year when drought and bush fires ravaged most of Victoria.

Dennis worked in motor insurance before he became a driver six years ago. He’s been to Bali once. His wife returned from Hong Kong several years ago, with laryngitis and a twisted ankle. “Too much shopping,” he laughed.

Traffic’s slow – morning rush hour – so I learn a lot from Dennis about the local economy and, for some reason, horse racing. I guess it’s because the Melbourne Cup is just over. Unlike most taxi drivers, Dennis doesn’t like to talk politics.

On the way into town, I reflect on how much Melbourne’s changed over the years. There’s a Thai massage & spa next to a Tokyo Hair Design next to a Korea restaurant.

On the corner, I spot a “KL & PJ Hawker Noodles”. We Asians, we always have an eye out for food.

At check-in at the Grand Hyatt, the bellboy takes my bags. In my weary state, I foolishly allowed it to happen, knowing what would happen. Yes, I had to call the bell desk before they arrived in my room.

And yes, this is a hotel that charges for Internet access – 55 cents per minute to a maximum of $25 per day per computer. I did more than mutter at that.

But what the hell, it’s springtime in Melbourne and the birds are singing. Besides, Dennis made my day when he dropped me off and said, “You have a nice stay, young lady.”

He had me at “young”.

Yeoh Siew Hoon is Editor At Large
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