Meeting Steph

Steph, my good friend from Norwich arrived in Melbourne today so I cycled my new bike down to st kilda to meet her.

We had a walk along the beach and a good old chat about how she is doing in England and I let her into a couple of my stories.

We then went back up to Melbourne CBD for the walking tour. The tour was great, the guide was a fantastic public speaker and we had a lot of fun seeing and learning about the city. I found that Melbourne has more to offer than almost any city I have been to. So much diversity, you can walk down a narrow alley covered in Rich and vibrant street art and come straight out into an Italian style grand arcade or a cobblestoned cafe district.

We finished off the day by watching the Nadal match back at federation square on the deck chairs.

The Bicycle Blues

I decided today to get the tram out to East Brunswick, to a initiative called Ceres. Ceres is an organic sustainable living organisation. On site they have a bike shop. Not your normal bike shop. People donate bikes of any standard, usually broken. When the customer (ie me) arrives you pick a bike you want and one of the repair men or women will tell you what is wrong with it and explain how you can fix it yourself. So you do all the repair work and they check up on you as you go to make sure you do a good job. I really enjoyed the hustling atmosphere and learning a fair amount how bikes work too.

As soon as I arrived I spotted a big red racing bike I liked. As I walked towards it, however, another guy picke It up and walked off with it! So I found another, I was 90% this was the one for me. A nice navy hybrid, perfect. Just to be sure I took another bike on a short test ride. 20 seconds later I got back and my new favourite had been sold! Grrrrr!

Eventually I found a good green and navy mottled city bike that I liked. This time I was like gollum with his ring and was not letting go of it for Love nor money!

Whilst I was running repairs I got chatting to Shaila, an Australian girl who had had her front wheel stolen. Then as I was paying I met Laoen, a French girl with Vietnamese herratige. Not bad, I bought a bike for $40 and was given two girls phone numbers. I should get oil on my hands more often!

I was very tempted to stop at the world Lego convention on the way back to town, but the que was too long for me unfortunately.

That evening Laoen and I decided to meet up and went to a little cafe in one of the trendy suburbs where a blues band were playing. It was really excellent. I had a fantastic time and even got up for a little dance to the upbeat jazz/bluesy music!

Tennis

Yesterday I met up with a Dutch girl called Sylvia who I made friends with when visiting Jen and Rich for dinner a couple of days ago. We decided to go down to federation square and watch the Australian open tennis tournament, which was being hosted in Melbourne.

Federation square is a lovley big sand stone bricked square in the centre of town which can hold 10,000 people. They have erected a huge tv and loads of deck chairs for people to watch the tennis on. So we got ourselves a spot and settled down to watch a few games. It was really enjoyable and a great atmosphere to be in. The cherry on the cake, however, was that Kia (the main sponsors of the tournament were handing out free tickets to the next days tournament! So I lept on one of the Kia ladies and bagged us five free tickets for the Australian open! 

The next day I was up early and popped down to the bar where I found my friend Brandon I met a few days ago. He was well up for going to the open and I gave my last ticket -Sylvia took two- to the first person to put their hand up when I announced I had a spare in the middle of the bar. The lucky winner was Louis!

So Brandon and I made our way down to the Olympic park, where the open was taking place. We planned our day around seeing the Williams sisters take on the world 13 seeds on show court two. This entailed sitting in the near 40 degree heat watching the games before hand to make sure we got a decent spot under a little bit of fabric mesh to give us some shade. On the plus side we saw, or rather heard, some fantastic grunting and whining in the women's singles!

Three hours later out strolled the Williams sisters to a round of... Bewildered silence... They had magically transformed into two slender Hispanic women who got absolutely annihilated. 

It turns out the sisters pulled out of the competition as Serena was playing earlier that morning. I was absolutely gutted as we had missed a really good Aussie men's doubles match which sounded like a great atmosphere. After the disappointment and were met by Louis and her boyfriend we all headed into the Margret court arena for two really great games of tennis.

After eight hours of solid tennis and two shock rainfalls halting play Brandon and I headed on home. Today was one of the best sporting spectacles I have been to for the sport alone and I am really looking forward to going to Wimbledon when I get home. I also hope Makoto doesn't mind picking up a racket so we can have a few games down hove park.

Great day

Brewery tour

Today after a morning off affine around I met up with Jen and Rich again. We decided to walk out of town to the Mountain Goat Brewery. Which Rich assured us was not too far a walk.

So we walked, and walked, and walked. After I had aged many decades we finally reached the end of our quest. Ten minuets late, but bang on time for the start of the tour. The brewery was really cool with a minimalist but homey feel about the small production line and the bar area. 

We learnt about the history of the brewery and about how beer is made. Which highlighted to me several things Toby and I were doing wrong and why ours always came out ridiculously strong or dreadful to taste!

After the tour we had a few bottles of beer, which we later found out we were not meant to drink on site, and a laugh. It was really good to catch up with Rich and Jen again. I hope I meet them again in New Zealand.

On the way back to town we decided we should take the tram back as we may have missed the following Christmas if we walked back. Unfortunately Australia has this stupid system where you cannot buy tickets on trams and busses but have to have a pre pay card. We had only one of these between the three of us, and that was empty! We then decided to be rebles and hop on a tram anyway.

Then things got exciting again. As we were at a stop I noticed a car was being a little cheeky and was sitting on the tram lines trying to turn right in front of us. Surley the tram driver saw him?

Nope.

We ploughed straight into the side of the car, respect to the tram as it felt like a little bump in the road. The car however had been caved in at the side and stripped of its wingmirror. It turned out that I was the only person who had seen the whole situation unfold. However, I had to decline being a witness or issuing a statement and all got off quickly at the next stop as obviously we were traveling illegally.

Sunny, sunny Melbourne

After a very nice ice cream coffee Amy and I said our goodbyes after a fantastic trip. And I jumped on the rail replacement bus -that's right they have them here too-.

I had a really good trip down. The old boy next to me was a gold and opal miner up in the mountains and was famous for discovering an opal fossil of a huge sea dinosaur. He was a really interesting guy and we had a lot to talk about.

After we arrived in Melbourne Ken, the gold miner, showed me to my hostel. Unfortunately they had no room so in the baking heat I trekked half way across the city to another hostel who could take me. When I arrived, they offered me a job!

I start on Sunday as a travel agent!

I unpacked my stuff and came back down and who do I see sitting in the bar but Joe Katz. My friend I sat next to in biology and business studies at college. We had a bit of a catch up and enjoyed a bowl of cuppa soup and pasta when Jen and Rich, my friends from China arrived. 

We had a good catch up and I monologged about pandas a little to much.

I bummed around most of the next day until it was time to do a bit of work training. I then went for a walk and met up with Rich and Jen again. We took a stroll along the river bank then had some beers back at their hostel. 

We made some waves playing the cerial box game in the corridor. Rich was a very worthy competitior and we both were able to pick up a pen from the floor. Although Jen is very very young and supple and looks no older than 19* she was unable to pick up the beer box in the first round. Maybe it was her big Morton's toe throwing her off balance.

We had a great time and a lot of laughs. I definitely picked the wrong hostel as theirs is around 80% populated by very very pretty women!

*I know you are reading this Jen, sorry for calling you late twenties in an older post!

Farm skills day

AHHHHHH! SOOO COLD!!! 

I awoke with a start in the pitch darkness, the temperature had dropped to roughly minus a million degrees (give or take a couple of degrees I can't be sure). As I had done the toggle up on my sleeping bag so only my face was exposed -looking like a fat caterpillar- I put my arm out of said hole, I didn't want to risk my arse freezing off if I got out of my bag. I groaped around and pulled on a shirt and two pairs of bottoms to warm me up a little, I fell straight back to sleep.

A couple of hours past and I woke up ready to serve. My tent had become an oven and started to roast me alive. I urgently pulled my sleeping bag hole open, which was at the time only big enough to fit my nose through. As I did this I felt the cord burn around my midriff. 

In my haste to get a shirt on I had managed to dress my pull cord under one of my arms. Effectively trapping me in my roasting tomb of canvas. After far too much effort for that early in the morning I broke free to roll out of my tent gasping for air. A little over dramatically but that's what happens when you take a city boy camping.

The rest of the day was great. I saw some woodwork, cheese making and fire lighting tutorials as well as having a go in the sheaf tossing and cross sawing competitions.

After that excitement I was quite tired so after lunch I dug out my hammock I bought in Vietnam and pitched it between a couple of shady trees and fell asleep, rocking gently in the breeze. I awoke a while later to the sound of the guitar. A young girl had taken to the stage constructed of an old horse trailer and hay bales and was covering Miike Snow's Animal in an acoustic style. It was good enough to rouse me and I enjoyed it greatly.

That evening I was on my own again so I joined a family I had met the night before for a few tins and a good chat as we watched the acts take to the trailer stage.

the next morning we packed up and drove through the dazzling countryside back to Wangeratta. I got a little excited when we stopped for a swim in lightning creek. All along the river floor was a golden dust, shimmering in the shards of the morning light. "Gold!" I proclaimed, "Fool!" Was what I heard in reply. I think they were talking about the shiny stuff not me.

We got back and had a delicious BBQ dinner with Amy's family and then watched a good movie.

Mittagundi festival!

Another day of fantastic scenery! 

Around mid day we set off up into the Victoria Alps. Amazing rolling hillsides and steep rugged mountainsides covered with thick woodland and studed with wide eerie colbolt lakes.

To add to the majesty of the scenery the trees were a bright silvery white, glinting back the suns bright rays on a cool afternoon. 

Soon we arrived at Mittagundi. Mittagundi is a very rural activity camp. No electricity, no plumbing just what you can make! A group of people live here year round and their main function is to provide 'back to basics' activity camps for young people.

We set up camp and then Amy gave me a tour of the facilities. Before we jumped in the back of a van to go down to the hall where the bush dance was to be taking place. I'm talking a "swing your partner round and round" kind of shindig. I met loads of really nice people, which was handy as Amy ditched me for most of the night. At one point I was stood like a lemon on the dance floor and was pitied by a bunch of 16 year old girls who took me on and gave me a couple of dances.

After the dancing finished I met a bunch of lads outside, three brothers and a long distance runner training to represent Australia in the commonwealth games, and his two training partners. We had a few beers until it was time to close up shop.

One of the guys managed to sneak into the drinks van and stole a slab of drinks. Seeing this a couple of girls did the same. They came up behind me and popped a big box behind my legs.

"Hide this hide this!" "We've liberated some drinks for later."

Awesome I thought. When the coast was clear I got out my torch and we looked at the haul. 

A box of 86 vegetable burgers..... Good one girls.

Luckily the guy was more successful. He handed everyone a beer, we cracked it open and WHOA! That's not beer it's raspberry flavoured alcohol pop. But it was better than the veggie burgers so we persevered.

After a while, everyone started talking about going to "the mail box" I agreed as it was getting dark and wouldn't mind sitting down in a pub. When we arrived however I realised they were talking about an actual mailbox half way up the dirt drive to the campsite. Out came the guitars though and we were treated to several magical performances by the light of the car headlights. We stayed singing and listening until 3am and it was time to head to the tents.

Drive to the ocean

After the excitement of the penguins the night before we headed back to our cabin and watched a bit of a tv show called 'puberty blues' which was utterly hilarious. We rose early with a fry up and got on the road to the morning ton peninsula. We caught a ferry from the beautiful Sorrento leaving its vivid blue waters and charming old time shops across the channel to the start of the great ocean road.

Aside from stopping briefly for lunch on a small fishing jetty surrounded by golden sand and deep blue sea. We drove straight along the astonishing coast line to appolo bay. We also stopped briefly to get my stitches taken out of my foot as I had lost the removal kit I was given.

We arrived in the lovley appolo bay where I left Amy to catch up with her friend while I went down to the beach, climed a tree and read my book for an hour. I then headed back to play scattagories and pictunary until the early hours. Amy is the best pictunary player I have ever seen. Guessing and drawing like a champ. 

The next day we crawled out of our Pitts to another perfect summers day. We headed along the coast to the apostles. Big rocks jutting defiantly out to the rich blue ocean. After that amazing vista we drove slightly inland, into kuala country. Vast woodland has been stripped dry by these hungry little critters. Once lush trees are now silvery white with no green at all to compliment them.

We saw heaps of kuala's munching happily in the trees as we drove along to port Campbell. I did get scared by a rouge cow along the way but I won't go into that!

Amy picked us a selection of Aussie delights from the chip shop and we sat and munched at the picturesque port Campbell bay.

After lunch we drove up yet another stunning road through light woodland and open plains on the way to Colac to visit Chris and Robyn whom I met in Vietnam.

It was great to see them again and their beautiful home. Chris introduced me to vegemite, with a heaped teaspoon. That stuff is strong and I'm sure I'll be tasting it, after that lump, for the rest of the month. He combined that with garlic and avocado on toast to make a lovley post dinner treat. We also went to visit Chris' garage/man shed to see his huge yellow monster truck. After that we headed back to their place for some more beer and Plum brandy before bed.

After a casual wake up and breakfast we stopped in at Amy's cousins home before making the big drive back to 

Wangeratta.

Big Aussie road trip

After my overnight train I arrived in Wangeratta to meet Amy for our epic road adventure.

After a fun night out with Amy's work mates on Saturday night we left in the mid afternoon on Sunday.

The drive was fantastic. We started off driving through an open, mildly hilly, landscape. Then we arrived in the Yarra National park where we drove past beautiful mountain ranges. As we pulled away from the mountains we started going through the most amazing woodland. It can only be described as pre historic. It was honestly like we were driving in jarasic park! 

At one point a branch fell from a tree hitting the windscreen. This scared the shit out of me! I was half expecting a T. Rex to wander out of a bush.

We also passed a tree in the road so we heroically got out and pulled it off the road. Even though I only had one leg.

We arrived at the upper Yarra reservoir to camp around 6pm. The campsite was amazing as was our dinner. BBQ Kangeroo! Mmmm mmmm!

The next day after a very awkward wake up, we were sharing a tent and I woke up and looked across to see if Amy was up she opened her eyes. Freaking the hell out thinking I was some creepo watching her sleep! After that we drove through some more prehistoric landscape down to Phillip Island. 

The best way to describe Phillip island is by saying it's Australia's isle of white. This comparison was made easier by the fact that it has exactly the same town names as the isle of white. We took a stroll along the Heather common to the west and down along the rugged coast line. While we explored we spotted a tiny furry penguin ambling about in the grassland.

That evening we went to see the march of the penguins. This is an event that happens over several weeks every year. Hundreds of penguins return home after weeks of deep sea fishing to mate and provide food for their young. 

The tiny penguins sit in the shallows -getting knocked over by the occasional wave, which is hilarious- and wait until one of them is brave enough to make the 100m dash across the sand to the safty of the grassland. When one makes the dash a bunch of other penguins go after him making a little waddling SAS team storming the beach. 

This is the case for most of the penguins. One however didn't get the memo. He started off with a pack of 6 penguins but started falling behind rapidly. He looked like he was a bit wonkey. He was a little hunch backed and one wing stuck out much higher than the other. This was either a birth defect or he'd had a bit to much penguin rum. He caught back up with the troop halfway up the beach then viewed off again. He ran straight into the tourist enclosure, right into all the chinease tourists. Who had been a right pain in the arse the whole time standing up and moving around blocking our view. They lost their shit, screaming and jumping around, good old Quasimodo -I decided to name him-. The ranger came in and scooped him up putting him back on track to meet his friends. Old Quasi didn't fancy this so just as everyone settled he steamed full pelt back into the Asians.

After that excitement we climbed off the beach and up along some decking over the common. Someone must have been playing some penguin Barry White as there was a lot of penguin loving going down. Also lots of tiny fluffy chicks waiting for mum and dad to arrive.

In the lions den

After very little sleep in my toilet/bedroom I snuck as casually as a man with one foot can from the hostel.

I slowly made my way back to Manly bay where I had left my bags. The ferry ride through the harbour, under the bridge and past the opera house was very pleasant in the afternoon sunshine.

Jasmine, my friend I met in Florence, came to meet me and we went out for a delicious rare breed burger before heading back to her place.

I stayed with the Leo's for three days. I had a fantastic time, mainly as they spoilt me rotten with amazing food which felt like it was on a constant conveyer! We (Jaz, her mum Debby and I went to the blue mountains on my full day. The views are spectacular and a trip down the worlds steepest railway is well worth the trip!

I had my first Aussie BBQ with the Leo's. It was spectacular. I also enjoyed Gary, Jazz's dad's, company. It turns out we both have a strange love of clocks. Who knew!

Unfortunately all to soon it was time for us to part. I said my farewells and jumped on the night train, sitting next to a crazy old German guy.

Fireworks

So it was up at 6am to get to the park for a good spot for the famous Sydney new year fireworks.

In fairness I had a very easy day of it! 

We qued for around 4-5 hours to get into the park. Well, I say we, Alex, Gill and Cat qued whilst I sat in the shade chilling out by the entrance. It's a hard life! I had just enough time before we went in to shove my two sandwich bags of rum down my pants. I'm not paying exorbitant bar prices for anyone!

We spent all day chatting, napping and chilling at a fantastic view point on the hill. The guys also played a bit of twister on my new beach towel which was a lot of fun. Until I decided to add a bonus round. The bonus round involved me shoving them down the hill. Simple and effective. 

I also got the injured foot to work for me. I got into the disabled area with Alex which is right on the point where all the tv and news crews get their pics of the festivities. I had a bit of trouble with a jobs worth nob head though as he was a nazi with the disabled toilet key. He actually told me not to make a habit out of using the toilet. And although their were only a handful of people in the disabled area, we were not allowed to let Cat and Gill in so after the 9pm fireworks we decided to watch them all together from our spot on the hill.

The fireworks were amazing, so spectacular. There are not the words to describe the colours and the timing. Look at the picture!

After it all I was too tired with the crutches to find Tyron and Konstantine so with no where else to stay I curled up in a toilet cubical in a hostel for a couple of hour sleep after another fantastic day.

Zoo and road

I learnt a lot today about the native animals of Australia.

Did you know that a Tazmanian devil eats 40% of its body weight in just 30 minuets?

Did you know that baby kuala's eat their mums poo to develop a resistance to eucalyptus poisoning?

Did you know that most Kuala's have chlamydia?

Well now you do!

Alex, Gill, Cat, Gail and I had a lovley day at the Brisbane zoo. I was chueferred around all day in a wheelchair due to my foot injury. I really could get used to this pampered life!

The zoo was really good, I particularly enjoyed watching the platypus. It's a proper wierd animal, especially the venomous horns in its back legs and the way it rocks his head when swimming.

After the zoo we had a quiet night just chatting. Gill told us some of the pranks a lad in her school pulled. One of which involved bringing in a chicken and putting it in someone's locker to hilarious consequences! People should be afraid as I will definitely be doing this gag!

The next day we drove to Newcastle (still in oz, I've not snuck home!). It took most of the day but we did stop in Byron bay and Coffs Harbour which were both really cool spots.

We finally arrived in Newcastle and stayed with Alex's friend Nick. Nick was very, very kind to take us in seeing as he had moved in one week ago AND. Had a ten month old baby girl.