I rocked into Melbourne today to spend time with my family for the day. I listened to the Rolling Stones Black and Blue on the flight over---what a miserable, boring, listless record. Two decent tracks at best. What a mighty fall off from the excellent Exile on Main Street.

This is the business section of the Qantas Club, where I often work inbetween flights, along with a lot of other people. Most of them in the morning are salesmen on the road inbetween flights spuiking their wares:

Gary Sauer-Thompson, Qantas Club, 2007

I took some photos whilst l traveling on the bus into the CBD---the Skybus. It makes a welcome relief from being a suit, catching cabs and going to meetings. Skybus is very democrat: all sorts of people use it, everybody is equal and people are at ease with one another. It was a nice feeling. I felt at home. So many people are nomadic these postmodern days, with their mobile phones and i pods.

Gary Sauer-Thompson, Skybus, Melbourne, 2007

I noticed how the billboards shape and dominate the visual field of Melbourne's urbanscape. The Skybus drop off is Southern Cross Station in Spence Street. Along with some of the other passengers I slowly walked up Bourke Street---- I was to join my family for lunch. Spots of rain were falling, the day was growing warmer and Xmas shoppers were everywhere. I ducked into the magnificent Block Arcade to explore the upper floors. It was something I'd always wanted to do. So I caught the lift to the 4th floor and slowly walked down:

Gary Sauer-Thompson, stain glass window, Block Arcade, Melbourne, 2007

Few were aware of this kind of tucked away urban heritage that is a counterpoint to both the happy Xmas shoppers maxing their credit cards as they consumer dream and the less noticed kind of street life :

Gary Sauer-Thompson, Xmas, Bourke Street, Melbourne, 2007

Lunch was in an Italian style bistro in Degraves Street to escape the mugginess and the sun. It was very pleasant and celebratory. I hadn't seen my mother, who lives in New Zealand, in over 20 years. A few family photos, a walk back to the Southern Cross Station, the Skybus to the airport, a few more hours in the Qantas Club writing this post. Then a late plane home to Adelaide:

Gary Sauer-Thompson, just out of Melbourne, 2007

I was tired, so I listened to Lucinda Williams' intriguing Essence rather than explore the old music like The Who's Live at Leeds.

(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)