Travel Blog #21: The Sydney V Melbourne Debate
An index developed by the Herald and Commsec (http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/sydney-loses-its-shine-to-old-rival/2006/03/03/1141191849351.html) has recently put Melbourne in a very good economic light compared to Sydney. For example, the index reports that “the average Melburnian is 6.5 per cent better off than they were six years ago, and the average Sydneysider only 1.6 per cent better off”.
Economic disparities are hardly enlightening to prospective travellers to either Melbourne or Sydney, so I thought that if I were explaining a couple of the differences between the two cities to someone thinking of visiting either or both, what would I say. Wel the first thing is that I am an expat Kiwi living in Australia, and so am somewhat impartial. While I’ve lived in Melbourne for the last 13 years or so, I have also lived in Sydney for a year or so in my younger days.
Let me firstly go on the record to say that I love both cities, but for different reasons. I choose to live in Melbourne, but am very fond of Sydney. I’m not interested in pushing the barrow for either city. Some Melburnian and Sydneysiders can be very defensive about their cities, a bit like the Springfield V Shelbyville debate (http://www.thesimpsons.com/episode_guide/0624.htm).
To me, a couple of things about Melbourne include:
Aussie Rules Football (http://afl.com.au/) - I hated the game when I first came to Melbourne, especially coming from a rugby union background, but now I love it. The preliminary series (the “play” one before the real series begins) started last weekend, so its great to have it on the airwaves again. Some of the things I love qabout the game are watching the other people in the crowd (there are some very die hard kookyfans in Melbourne), watching the fast flowing spectacular play producing way in which the game is run, and I also like the ambiguity of the rules. For example, you could have 3 or 4 sports announcers on the radio with 80 or 100 years experience between them, but none can work out why the umpire has blown the whistle. Check out the AFL Show for much footy banter (http://afl.thepodcastnetwork.com/)
The changing weather - The cliche is “four seasons in one day”. I personally love the weather in Melbourne . It’s never very humid, although it can get quite hot (42 degrees celsius is not unheard of, but rare), I never seen it snow here, but we get some of those lovely crisp clear cold mornings in the winter.
To me, a couple of things about Sydney include:
Rugby League (http://www.nrl.com/) - What an exciting game! A game of great skill, speed, strength and power. One of the best league memories I have was when I went to the 1990 Grand Final to watch the Canberra Raiders win the premiership. Not only was it great seeing the game live, but I was also listening to HG and Roy (http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/thissportinglife/) call the game. Bloody great. I miss seeing the league on TV. It comes on at about midnight, if at all, here.
Beaches - Sydney is such a beach city. As a surfer, and as someone who wants to get back to living next to a beach someday, I soooo appreciate this. Get up in the morning, grab your board and jog to your local break for a sunrise surf, back home for brekky, then off to work. It’s so good.
This list is by no means complete, and is in no particular order. For example, sporting events could be discussed. Sydney had a fantastic Olympics in 2000, and Melbourne is due to host the 2006 Commonwealth Games in 10 days (http://www.melbourne2006.com.au/Channels/).
Well, thats all for now - I’m off to watch “The Producers” at the Moonlight Cinema at the Royal Botanic Gardens (http://www.moonlight.com.au/sessions.php?MoonlightEventLocationId=2). What a great Melbourne, or for that matter, Sydney, thing to do.
Doc Martin.