Having meals like Melbournian

I live in Melbourne for 2 years and this article is based on my oppinion how to act like a Melbournian (a person who grow up in Melbourne) in my poin of View. You may argue that it is true or not of course.

Brekie (breakfast)
What is better than a cup of coffee in Melbourne! Every one have their cup on the way to work or school. Even it is so easy to find coffee shop everywhere. Some of Coffe shops inside Melbourne Uni that I visit often are Standing Room, De Bella, House of Card, LOT 6 and The Potter Cafe. Coffee in Melbourne costs around $3 - $4 a cup. Most of the shops also serve hot chocolate and Chai latte for those who dare to drink coffee. Since a cup of coffee is not enough for me I always have muffin or danish too.


Lunch
I find that most of my friend love to bring their own lunch. Melbournian loves healthy food, they always have vegies in their meal for salads, sandwich, wraps, pasta and sometimes rice. Wraps is also favourite for lunch among Melbournian, well sometimes I find that shusi is become celebrity too.
Don't forget Fish and chips! you may consider this menu too for lunch.

Dinner
Melbourne has menu from all around the world: Italia, Mexico, Afghan, Turkey, India, China, Korea, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia. All these menus will make your dinner as a new exploration of taste. Most of my friends in Melbourne accept a wide range of taste and brave enough to try a new kind of food. So, you can explore the city and find something along your way to fing a new kind of food that you never taste before.

Snacking
I have said that Melbournian loves healthy food. Snacking here related to banana, apple or pear. Some people also love carrot and celery.

My Keywords for having meals like Melbournian:
Coffee, healthy food, try new taste, fruits

Myki pass or Myki money?

This article will be a simple guide for newbie in using Myki card. It will guide you to choose between purchasing Myki pass or Myki money and how to use the Myki card.

Tourist or people who just come to Melbourne will face bloody options to choose between Myki pass or Myki money when they are going to use any transport from PTV (Public Transport Victoria). Which one is more suitable for you?

Myki card is the only valid card for all public transportation in Melbourne/ Victoria. No paper ticket available for bus, tram and train around Melbourne. However, if you want to purchase the myki card during your short time visit in Melbourne, please consider that it will charge you $6 for card only without any deposit.

Tips for Short Term Tourist in Melbourne

• 1-2 days 

If you are going to stay in Melbourne for a really short period and you have 2-3 people travelling with you I recomend Uber as your main transport mode. It is easy, affordable and everywhere. As a bonus, in Melbourne CBD area you can take the tram for free if you traveling inside the free tram zone. Please check the map below to see if your planed journey is within the green area. No Myki card needed to take the tram if you travel within the free tram zone.

free tram zone map

• 3-7 days

Are you going to travel inside zone 1 and zone 2 for more than 5 days within a week? If it is your plan, you should consider to purchase Myki card with a 7 days Myki pass. It cost $6 + $ 39 which is the same amount as Myki money for 5 days. So if you travel for continues 7 days, you got 2 days travel 'free of charge'.

But if you only need the Myki card for less than 5 days, Myki money is the better. You need $7.8 each day for your daily travel using Myki money. Of course if you don't need the Myki card as your souvener, other transportation mode like Uber is always better.

• 7-30 days

Purchasing Myki pass for longer period of time is always cheaper. 30 days Myki pass for zone 1+ zone 2 all day cost $140.40 which is the same as using Myki money for 18 days in the same zone.

If you spend more than a week in Melbourne and need the Myki card for continues 14 days for example. I recomend you to purchase 2x weekly Myki pass which cost $6 + $39 + $39. But if you do not need the Myki card for continues 14 days what you need to plan is combine Myki money and Myki pass. Purchase weekly Myki pass when you need to travel for at least 5 days within a week, if not Myki money is better.

Tips for Long Term Stay in Melbourne

I am not fully depending on public transport because I like to ride my bike to uni. However, sometimes Melbourne is raining for days or hit by srong wind which makes riding bike is not safe enough. The other reason is I spend my time working in the uni until late for days. In these situation I prefer taking tram for my daily travel. If these condition happen 1-2 days I will use my Myki money. More than that I will purchase weekly Myki pass or 30 days Myki pass.

Where to buy and topup Myki card

In CBD and surrounding area where the tram stop is covered, a Myki machine will be availabe. ou can buy the card or top up using the machine. This machine accept both card and cash for the transaction. If you get any trouble with the machine or you start your journey from suburb area then you need to visit the seven eleven or any convenient store with Myki flag attached.

How to use Myki card

Simply touch on the card when you get in to the bus, tram or enter the train station. Don forget to touch off the card when you get off the bus and leave the train station. You do not need to touch off the Myki when using tram, because it will deduct you Myki twice.

That's all my tips for choosing between Myki pass and Myki money. Public transport is a bit expensive in Melbourne, however the quality of service is incredibly simple and reliable compare to other cities in Australia. You will love it and miss it when you leave Melbourne.

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