I have been to Melbourne from Geelong like a 100 times. But I still vividly remember the excitement of waking up in a freezing morning to visit Melbourne for the 101st time, because this time it was via “Ferry”.

We already knew that the Port Phillip Ferries provide regular services of cruising between Portarlington and Melbourne CBD, but we never had enough eagerness to go all the way to Portarlington for a ferry ride. We only wished we had such services too because Geelong had reasonable access to the bay as well. Fortunately, it wasn’t long when I read a Facebook post stating that Port Phillip Ferries are offering trial trips for their new services from The Pier at Waterfront (Geelong) to Docklands (Melbourne). I got so thrilled by this news that I rang up my friends without wasting another second and told them to get themselves registered immediately. Although 31st of July was a weekday and all 5 of us had classes, it still wasn’t a tough decision at all; obviously the enthusiasm of riding a deep water ferry was much greater than the dreary of the lecture halls. And trust me, we did not regret the decision to the slightest bit; honestly the experience was worth it.

After a whole week of wait, it finally was the day of CRUISING! I woke up at 5:30am and got dressed, making sure to wear enough warm clothes. We all got in the car to reach the ferry on time. We were amongst the first people to get in the line and show our tickets to the staff on board.

We were given a very friendly welcome by the crew; we also received free coffee vouchers from the café on the ferry (which was an unexpected perk)! We wandered around the ferry for a bit, trying to observe the astounding atmosphere as well as decide upon a suitable place to sit. Although there was room for seating up to 400 passengers indoor in a warm and cosy environment, the adrenaline rush compelled us to stand outside on the front deck and cherish the cold strong winds instead.

Finally, the wait was over, we heard the ship horn and off we went on our voyage; swooshing through the water at a fairly high speed! We took full advantage of the free Wi-Fi service and kept posting pictures on our Instagram pages, tagging each other on random candid clicks. We stayed on the deck for the whole time, freezing to death in the cold wind. We could barely hear each other, due to the sound of strong winds combining with sound of rushing water. Yet, holding on to the ferry railing, all of us waited impatiently for the sunrise.

After a while, I witnessed an exceptional sight of the sun, rising from behind the skyscrapers of Melbourne, while we cruised under the West Gate Bridge, sipping our hot cup of coffee. It was truly a wonderful relaxing experience, beyond words could express. Soon, the cruise slowed down and we reached the Docklands, this marked the end of our enthralling voyage.

I am now genuinely waiting for this service to start permanently from Geelong. This amazing mode of transportation can surely change the game for many commuters and visitors to and from Geelong, who are tired of getting stuck in traffic or standing for hours in train. It is a highly recommended experience indeed.