This week was extra special because it was my birthday. The tenth of December is always a day that I reflect on and there’s never been a more pivotal birthday to reflect on than this year.
This has been the most unsettling year of my life. I have lost and started more jobs, lost and made more friends and learnt more about myself in 12 months, than I probably have in the last ten years. After a year of Covid-19 restrictions, my birthday wish had already come true- we were no longer in lockdown and life was- well pretty normal again.
I decided to see my birthday in one of the places I had missed the most this year- a bar, and I did so with my housemates, who have quite literally been the only reason I got through this year with my sanity and some bloody good memories.
It was getting on for midnight when the bar we were at called last drinks and we had 20 minutes to find somewhere to see my birthday in. Luckily, my housemate knew a guy in the bar down the road and we spent the first few hours of my birthday sampling beers in a bar that was supposed to be shut and enjoying ourselves way too much.
The next day was, what I can only describe as the most Melbourne day. Ever. Lunch at Miznon, a quick espresso at Baba Budan, a stop by my old work at Degraves Street, a trip to Brighton and a coastal walk back to St Kilda where we popped by to see a friend who works at Picolina to get gelato.
After a quick turnaround the day merged into drinks at The Provincial rooftop, drinks at Shady Lady and then finally back at Naked For Satan, where I had spent my birthday last year.
As I sat in my favourite bar and reflected on the last year, I mourned the people that I couldn’t have by myself this birthday. However, more so I felt so incredibly grateful for the people I did get to spend this birthday with (of whom I wouldn’t have been half as close with if it wasn’t for Coronavirus).
Moving to the other side of the world is life changing as it is, but living through a pandemic and one of the worlds longest and strictest lockdowns has been something else. I am grateful that It happened. I am grateful for the shake-up to my life, for the chances that I had to learn about myself, for the times I got to have with my friends and for the time that I had to rest and reevaluate what’s important to me. However, more than anything, I am so bloody grateful to have my Melbourne back again.
Here are some snaps from this crazy year.
Passport Please 