Tie me kangaroo down boy.....

Arrived at the god unearthly hour of 5.25 but had managed to get used to the time difference by staying awake for 12 hours and then having a kip towards the end. My friend/colleague Fiona was mad enough to collect me from the airport together with a young energetic mad redhead son in tow (he apparently loves early morning starts!). Later on we went for a tour of Mornington Peninsula checking out both the swimming and surfing beaches, a spa for Fiona to relax in, and a sand sculpting competition. The last one is bizarre but amazing. Imagine the detail you get with normal sculptures of animals etc and that is what they are making out of hard sand (sand mixed with water and then compacted).


The next day we drove to the Danadong ranges (eucalyptus forests then gum forests then 'bush' ie rainforests. The 'bush' was full with the sounds of cuckaburraghs(?), laughing away as we ventured into the bush. Unfortunately I didn't get to see one of them, nor the wallabys or koala which the road signs warned us to look out for. The midges did however find me, as always!


I had the last day to myself in Melbourne, checking out their preparations for the Commonwealth Games in March. Including a bizarre arrangement of what initially looks like river cleaners with fish stuck to their sides which is in fact the start of a walkway running the whole way along the river for the opening ceremony runners to run along. Melbourne is a relaxed, green, cosmopolitan, luxurious and sporty city. There's a real mix of modern, eclectic modern, traditional english, even with the Fitzroy Gardens being a mix of english and tropical planting. The view from the Rialta Tower was spectacular taking in the harbour, coastline, F1 circuit, all the sporting facilities, Melbourne below and the various distant hills.

I finished the day with a delicious and filling greek meal with Fiona and her lovely family. Thanks Fiona for everything and for taking the time to show Melbourne to me.

Today we left early in the morning to go to the airport and were treated to the sight of the sun rising behind the Melbourne skyline together with 4 or 5 hot air baloons skirting the tops of the towers.

From only wanting to spend 3 days or less in Australia, I now know I want to go back. However its on with the trip and I've now arrived in Christchurch, New Zealand with the plane flying over Mount Cook, the mountains and the Canterbury plains - can't wait to get into the mountains.


Sunset from Fiona's balcony: