Yarra River, Melbourne © Erin Lau 2009
I like to sit by the Yarra River, its only a 5 min bike ride or 10 min walk from my house. Its banks are flanked by shady grass knolls and mature Gum Trees (eucalyptus) and another full grown species that provides excellent shade. I like that the river has this natural bank, at least until it enters the downtown area, its banks are devoid of concrete, and theres nothing stopping you from jumping in. Throughout the day, rowing teams glide past, egged on by a coach on a bicycle who rides alongside them on the trail, yelling through a bullhorn. I must have chosen a day to draw when they were doing other things, because most of the time you cant help but see them. I also ride my bike along the river, its a place where all the city’s runners go as well. And through my riding experience, I’ve gotten to the point where I automatically go to the left-hand side of the road, like drivers here, to avoid head-on collisions. It took my mom about a year before she felt comfortable driving a car here on the left side of the road. I don’t blame her.
Travel Drawn 