White Night (2)

I hadn't planned to go to White Night, but at the last minute I thought, "There's a train in a few minutes", and headed off.   Well, the train going to the city was packed but I merely thought, "Oh, well".   But it was a sign of things to come!

I got off at Melbourne Central, and walked - well, struggled - down Swanston Street.  People everywhere.  Notice the crowds in a number of  the images in this report.







There were quite a few performers, mostly on small stages or in small areas, quite interesting, but the word "busker" comes to mind (especially when at least a few of them had bags for donations!). 

Most people seemed in good humour, but I'm afraid that being mixed up in an immense crowd is not, for me, conducive to the enjoyment of relatively small scale performances. The lights on Flinders Street station and along Flinders Street  were impressive, I must admit. I was left wondering whether people just like to be part of a big crowd, at unusual time and on roadways normally occupied by traffic?   And eating fast food (good supply of that)?

Flinders Lane

I didn't get as far as the Arts Centre, but headed instead for the train at Flinders Street.   There were crowds here as well, and there was no way I could get onto the first train, but moved to the end of the platform and managed to board the next.  I was impressed that. when I got off the train, I noticed that an extra train (not on the timetable) was following, and waited until it arrived.   It, too, was full even though it wasn't going to the end of the line.   Nice to see Metro being a bit responsive (although, on reflection, given the number of people that were hoped for, ought not more trains have been provided?). 

Extra train to Moorabbin

And, by the way, when thinking about all that electricity that was used,  perhaps the people who gathered in the streets will be participating in Earth Hour on 29 March?