Have you ever been to...

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA?

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By foot is by far the best way to tour, and Melbourne is an outstanding venue for such. The fit Aussies seem to adore the out-of-doors, and spectacular city parks provided hours of pedestrian pleasures. I meandered the Royal Botanic Gardens and captured a surprisingly elevated vista of the downtown city. From St. Kilda, I casually trekked a comfortable 20km of the esplanade, a perfect path along the sea, catching scenic glimpses of the city at my back. 

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When it's snowing back home in New York, I could care less about the absent ozone above Australia.Staying in hostels is an awesome way to connect with other travelers and sometimes get an insider experience.At HabitatHQ in St. Kilda, the staff made this experience happen.We ventured to Melbourne's Chinatown for a festive dim sum delight at the Camy Shanghai Dumpling House where for about $12 buck each, we feasted endlessly and shared our BYOB contributions. The infamous Melbourne rooftop scene is not to be missed, so we hopped to Rooftop Cinema, The Carlton, and Madame Brussels.