Bigger City Life

G'day mate!

We've landed in sunny Oz. Melbourne to be a bit more precise. The city is buzzing with Commonwealth fever and with a population pretty much the same as the whole of New Zealand it's a bit of a culture shock.

We're booked in here at Nomads Backpackers in the city centre until next Monday morning. So plenty time to get out and about.

We met cousin Marion for lunch on arrival and then headed down to the St Kilda beachside area and watch the mental kite surfers in the bay and sit under the not too scorching sunshine.

A few cups of tea later we headed home for a while then back out for dinner. One or two BBC 'luminaries' joined us for a cracking chinese banquet and it was a bit strange sitting next to John Beattie talking about how difficult chopsticks are to use.

After a further sample of the Melbourne nightlife and having been awake for 22 hours it was time for bed.

We've got a whole week to explore this place. Ramsay Street is obviously the number one target though and we will certainly be getting out there at some point to relive old school day TV memories.

Before we left New Zealand we met up with an old work mate of mine, Stewart, on Thursday night in Auckland. He loves the place and is applying for residency. No plans to go back home whatsoever. We spent a good few hours discussing what a great place it is.

The next couple of nights we spent with some old friends of my mother's just south of Auckland. Hilda and Richard are real characters and they even dug out an old photograph of when my youthful looking parents paid them a suprise visit back in the early 70s. The photo was at Hunua Falls where, coincidently we had just returned from that day. Strange indeed.

Anyway we're ozzies now so time to get a bit arrogant about all these medals our athletes are winning and maybe go away and come up with some rubbish pop songs to try and fit in with the local culture.

Stroooooth!