MY LAST WEEK IN MELBOURNE 🏙️ Sad Life Updates, Fresh Hair & Saying Goodbye...

Hair + Beauty Reset in Melbourne

• She visits a new hairdresser/salon for a cut and dye to fix unwanted red/copper tones that show up in sunlight and to add more shape.
• Since her hair will be washed at the salon, she keeps daily makeup minimal: concealer + mascara.
• She also books eyebrow shaping/dye, noting she’s been pale and tired lately.
• She uses ClassPass points to get a massage before they expire.
• Before leaving, she treats herself to nails, trying French tips, plus matching toes.
• She buys swimwear for upcoming trips:
  • Two bikinis from City Beach (sale pricing, ordered online for delivery/pickup)
  • A polka-dot bandana and headbands to help with hair/frizz control

Coping With Homesickness + Grief While Living Abroad

After receiving devastating news—a close friend passed away (about ~3 weeks before publishing)—she shares “sad life updates.”

She reflects on how distance and time zones can intensify loneliness (feeling the extra ~11,000 miles more acutely).

Takeaway advice for others:

• Give yourself time after something awful happens.
• It’s normal that life doesn’t pause—grief still requires day-to-day functioning.
• Lean on people and messages; isolation can trigger spirals.
• Avoid romanticizing moving abroad—there are real downsides people don’t always post.

Prioritizing Comfort + “Self-Care” Before Major Travel

She considers going home to the UK, but stays because flights/plans are already booked and she has an upcoming trip schedule (including China → England → Greece).

To feel “like herself” before leaving, she focuses on self-care:

• Hair
• Eyebrows
• Nails
• Massage
• Simple treats (like buying new swimwear)

Health/Energy While Traveling

After getting travel vaccinations—yellow fever, typhoid, and tetanus—she feels shivery/sick, possibly with fever-like side effects.

To avoid canceling too much, she:

• Prioritizes rest and catching up at home over a long trip to Chadstone while unwell
• Calls her mom for support
• Eats something warm/healthy out of convenience, choosing a fish bowl-style meal from Fishbowl

Social + Food Highlights (Melbourne + Farewells)

Before departing, she spends time with friends, including:

• A pizza lunch with her friend Cleo
• A visit to Crumble Get Some (a well-known Crumble dessert spot in Port Melbourne / Albert Park)
• A farewell dinner with vegan friend Tegan at Ho Chi Mama (Asian-fusion; she mentions good vegan options and a tasting-menu-style feel)

She also mentions enjoying an atmosphere-focused pub/area outing in St Kilda.

Travel Logistics / Schedule Intensity

She’s packing and juggling a very full itinerary for the next 6+ weeks, with plans back-to-back.

She also coordinates across time zones—UK time is much later than Australia—so during this stretch, work starts to feel like evenings.

Notable Days Before Departure

She attends a super early World Cup launch event at a pub, connected to a marketing agency tied to Melbourne hospitality venues.

The event includes:

• Fireworks and a packed crowd
• A game watched: South Africa vs Mexico
  • She reports Mexico won 2–0
  • She notes multiple red cards

Notable Locations, Products, and People

Locations

• Melbourne city views / window skyline
• Port Melbourne / Albert Park (Crumble)
• Chadstone (shopping centre)
• St Kilda (pubs/outings)
• World Cup event pub (South Africa vs Mexico)
• Harry Styles concert referenced as an upcoming UK event
• Wedding in Greece
• Travel leg: China → England

Brands / Products

• City Beach (sale bikinis)
• Cotton On (blue vest top)
• ClassPass (massage points)
• Fishbowl (salad-bar / fish bowl-style meal)

Restaurants

• Crumble Get Some
• Ho Chi Mama
• Jacqueline Hyde (St Kilda pub)

People

• Tom (partner)
• Cleo (friend visiting Melbourne)
• Tegan (vegan friend)
• Hairdresser “Matt” (mentioned by name)