Melbourne:
About 24 hrs after leaving home (4pm on 4/14), finally arrived at Melbourne airport (9am on 4/16) with my bag missing. Driving on the wrong side is really a challenge. It was a relief to get rid of the rental car after only 26km :(
Melbourne is quite modern, not very pretty. Incoherent mix of styles and eras. The only nice part is downtown's covered alleys full of little boutiques. There's one making fruit flavored candies on the spot. Grocery stores don't sell alcohol. Very limited varieties in produce, nothing exotic. Pharmacy is called "the Chemist". Cuisine is either Asian or European. Had croissant and French soup for lunch, and kangaroo (was very tender, tasted like veal, and you can't find them in grocery stores) for dinner at China Town. Took the tram to the hotel. A 1-zone ticket is A$3.2. Everything here is expensive (30-50% more than in Seattle), as US$ has dropped significantly over the last couple of years. However, Melbourne seems a pleasant city to live in, peaceful (the only news is about sports), plenty of pedestrians, high percentage of green space, vibrant culture scenes. The mayor is an immigrant from Hong Kong, promoting tourism (for example: the free circle tram and a free Tourist Shuttle in town) and harmony between peoples. Apparently loved by his constituents, as he is in his 2nd term (first elected and longest in Melbourne history). Melbourne was the first Aussie city not colonized by inmates. Used to be the richest city because of the gold mines. Now lost its lead to Sydney, but not in people's mind.
The first thing I did on 4/17 is checking about my luggage at Qantas Airline's downtown office. No update. The lady there gave me A$100 emergency money. My bag was eventually delivered on 4/19.
University of Melbourne located north of downtown.
Many handsome Gothic buildings dating to late 1800s. The newer ugly ones cluster together without ruin the fine atmosphere of the old colleges.Victoria State Library is a wonderful place to read.
You can lock your bag for $1 or $2 for 6 hours. There's an exhibition about old books, and a permanent exhibition on Ned Kelly, including his armor. 
His helmet was absent (on a tour).State Parliament has guided tours to chambers of lower and upper houses and its library, when not in session. Very gilded (as gold was discovered shortly after Melbourne's establishment). Behind it stands the gorgeous St. Patrick Catholic Cathedral. Simple yellow glass windows align the sides. It was 4pm, the light filtered in, filled the nave. Serene. Behind it is Frizroy Garden, small and lovely. It houses Cook's cottage (transported house where Captain Cook's parents lived). Town Hall also provides free tour, but only 3 people showed up, and the other two bailed out after finding out that they couldn't visit the organ room due to a comedy performance.
The Shrine of Remembrance is well worth a visit, a war memorial next to the Royal Botanic Garden. Thoughtfully designed. Every hour, there's a 2 minute demonstration of the ceremony commemorating Armistice Day (1918) on November 11th at 11am, when a ray of sunlight passes over the Stone of Remembrance and illuminates the word LOVE. Funny thing is that they have to re-adjust the clever design, after the day time saving was adopted.
National Gallery of Victoria is free. It has an international branch (which has my favorite spot: a long logo table by a semicircular window with a water curtain) south of Yarra River in the middle of the art and performance district, 
and an Australian branch in the middle of Federation Square - a large modern complex with fractal facades for exhibition and entertainment in the busiest part of downtown, adjacent to Yarra River.Most common birds in the city is Magpie Lark and Common Myna.
Shipwreck Coast (4/18) 2007.4.18. Sunny with a few clouds. High around 23C.
The Great Ocean Road SW of Melbourne. Not nearly as rugged and scenery as US' west coast line. Only the 12 Apostles is worth a visit. 
Saw 3 Grey Kangaroos in the distance on the way to the coast. Quite a few koalas close up on eucalyps trees, right by the road, near Cape Patton. Only one moved for a second. Visited Bells Beach (the site for World Surfing Championships). A few holiday villages along the road, drove through Otway National Park (a temperal rain forest along the coast, however, not wet at all). Rock formations of 12 Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, and London Bridge.
The Great Ocean Road was built by 3000 returned solders of WWI over 13 years. As a partial payment, some of them received parcels of land along the road. Rolling hills, fertile soil, pleasant farm land.Penguin parade (4/19) at Phillip Island.
No photo is allowed. Only a few hundred of these smallest penguin each day. It's the molting season, when many stayed "indoors" (for up to 17 days) changing the fur for the pending winter. The first guy came up the beach at 6:15pm, all by himself. They marched to the surrounding of their burrows and waited, barked for their partners. I only saw one couple actually went into their burrow. The rest just stood around looking lost. They are cute, nonetheless.Also saw some wild wallabies on Phillip Island, fairly close. The night was clear, beautiful stars. On the way to the island, the tour bus drove by the Grand Prix motor cycle race track. It made a tea stop at a petting farm, and the Koala Conservation Center with an elevated board walk, squeaking as loads of people walking on them (not really worth the money, if you've seen them in the wild).
