Melbourne ANZAC day Dawn Service, breaky and home. 25th April 2023

Yonks ago we decided to capitalise on being in Melbourne on ANZAC Day and organised to stay in St Kilda Road and attend the Dawn service.

I’m pretty sure we were all having second thoughts on the wisdom of that at midnight after a long two flight 18 hour trip home. We got collared by a ‘taxi’ driver IN the airport and took up his offer. Turned out he was an old guy with a private car service. It was an old Statesman I think Phil said. It was in immaculate condition and a very comfy ride to The Porter Club – Kinson hotel and a last hit to kitty of $110 – oops!

Up at 5:00am and about a 15 minute walk to the Shrine -huge crowds on a cool clear morning. Couldn’t see much but the top of the shrine but could hear the service and feel the gravitas of the commemoration ceremony for all our servicemen and women from all wars and particularly those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

The hotel didn’t serve breaky and of course there were thousands leaving the area and being a public holiday a few places were not open. We walked to South Melbourne and lucked a table at The Old Paper Shop Deli – in Clarendon St. Delicious breaky and top Aussie Coffee.

Kate (Mary and Phil’s daughter) was coming to the hotel at 10, so we ambled back via Albert Park Lake – a lovely walk. Kate was waiting – grabbed our luggage and with a bit of Tetris squeezed it into the car.

While we have been away Kate has secured a new rental – so we headed home via Ivanhoe to check it out. With a quick coffee/snack stop at servo – I was delivered home about 1:30pm.

Thanks Kate.

I was determined to keep going and got everything unpacked and washed (including the sad looking case that really has taken some punishment into and out of all those planes and vehicles) and hung out, as well as a quick trip to supermarket for basics – milk etc. and some food.

Watched something on the idiot box before hitting hay in my own bed about 9.30 our time.

In hindsight I reckon the Dawn service was a brilliant idea. Got me back into the time zone – walking in the daylight and keeping busy all day paid dividends. Sound sleep and ready for a few days off before returning to the real world of work on Monday 1st May.

Thanks for reading along with us. I hope you’ve enjoyed the blog. It’s a diary for me and will assist when I eventually get around to sorting through just over 20 000 photos and creating a photo book.