Tale of Two Cities

This tale is about Melbourne and Melbourne. The former is the one in Fl and the latter is in VIC. I had set foot on the former about 14 years back and I am just back from a vacation from the latter. Fourteen years back I had found myself constantly correcting people about the continent I was visiting. It was indeed surprising to most that there indeed existed a Mel in Fl. It was kind of taken for granted that Mel meant Mel, VIC.

Work had taken me to Mel, Fl, a sleepy town on the Space Coast, almost a Podunk. Mel, Fl boasted of a Hooters on Hwy 192, some of the large chain retailers, the usual BoA branch and a downtown that Shaq could have covered in two strides. Still, it was in the Sunshine State - a mere hour's drive from Orlando, and you could lunch in South Beach starting after a light breakfast in Mel. I was on my first trip to the western hemisphere, and despite staying in one of those nondescript motels run by desis near a freeway exit, I wasn't cribbing. I survived my first night by dining on a microwaved burrito bought from a 7-11 gas station across the road. I managed to stay on for a few more weeks and over the next few years made three more trips to Mel, Fl. The last of these was the longest, almost a year, and R was with me this time. We were young and happy with most things in life - including Mel, Fl. While we weren't sad to leave Mel after a year's stay, we almost immediately started missing Mel and Fl, the beaches, sunshine and parks.

The trip to Mel, VIC was most unexpected. R was there on work and I am glad that she kind of insisted that I take a week off to join her there. Last minute ticketing and a visa ensured that I could spend a week with R in Mel before she got back home. Things were apparently not going well for desis Down Under with quite a few apparently getting bashed up and one was even done in just on the day of my travel. Parents ,friends and TV channles gave grim warnings and on top of that there was sarkari advisory for desi students. Having just finished reading the LOTR, I almost felt like Frodo adventuring into Mordor. I was almost glad when I found that the cab that I got on the taxi rank in Tullamarine was driven by a Sardar. R was smiling from ear to ear when I landed up at her Serviced Apartment on Toorak Road. I survived the first night on Fried Rice and Salmon that R had cooked. We didn't come across any Orcs in Mel VIC and Arnab Goswami's histrionics soon faded from memory. We were older, wiser and much harder to please now than what we were 14 years back. But Mel, VIC did not dissapoint. The city, the weather, food and wine kept me in fine fettle. R used to be in office during the day, but the long summer evenings ensured that we had enough time for leisure after office hours on the banks of Yarra.
Its almost two weeks now that we are back and memories of Mel, VIC still quite fresh. Even as we snacked on dhoklas today evening, R spoke of the cooked Tuna Sushi rolls that she used to buy on Collins. As of now, the score is advantage VIC. Spencer Street has displaced Nasa Blvd , Sushi rolls have moved in and driven out Popeye's biscuits and Southern Fried Chicken.