Aussie action...well, sort of.

Okay, back to the start: 30/8/2010 – 1/9/2010.

The 21-hour flight was fine.  Honest. Not a hint of travel sickness, even when we negotiated a typhoon near Manilla (this was fun – they had just served our dinner when the seatbelt sign went on and the casual Aussie pilot said there might be a few bumps.  I managed to keep hold of everything...just.  It wasn’t scary in the slightest, though, just funny. It got even choppier later when we hit another one - ‘tis the season.)  Then again, I was wearing my legendary ‘travel bands’...seriously, they work! If you'd seen me without them on a cross channel ferry in July, you'd understand quite how good they are...

The 21 hours didn't quite pass in a flash, but I found my audio book (I ticked off a whole Thomas Hardy novel) and watching the map of our progress much more interesting than anything the in-flight entertainment had to offer (NB – on the way back I surrendered and watched the French Open highlights and, erm, Top Gear!!)

Flying over Russia at night, I saw the tantalising lights of various towns, possibly Moscow. Talking of tantalising, stopping off in Hong Kong, we could see some amazing mountains beyond the airport, and some high rises, and even some boats on the harbour. But I didn't quite get a chance to immerse myself in Chinese culture...oh well, nevermind!

I don't quite look as knackered as I felt in this pic...

On the second leg, everyone else was boring enough to be asleep (including Chris, who slept through the most entertaining part of the typhoon).  I wasn’t, though, and I managed to look out of a window just as the northern coast of Australia stretched out in front of me in the afternoon sun, which was absolutely breathtaking. We flew straight over Darwin, the coastal plains and then into...endless arid desert.  I’ve never seen ‘nothing’ like it.   With impeccable timing, I also managed to look out just as we were going over Alice Springs but, squint as much as I could at the horizons, I couldn’t see Ayres Rock/Uluru. I think it’s a bit too far off.

Aaaaaaaaanyway, we landed in a choppy cross wind and were swaying all over the place...so that was a repeat of our Venice landing in a blizzard earlier in the year, but the pilot was awesome, and very Aussie and laid-back.  It was so smooth I didn’t realise we’d actually landed at first (Note to mum - I’m not doing any pro-flying propaganda here, really I’m not!!!)

The hotel is pleasant, although there’s lots of renovation work going on.  All of Melbourne feels very ‘off season’ in fact, which is good, in that it’s quiet.  We’re very near the one of the best eating roads, Lygon Street, and, seeing as we slept through breakfast this morning, we found a great Italian cafe with very friendly staff, where they did us a full English breakfast of a very high quality! 

We’ve been exploring today, and booked a wine tour up the Yarra Valley for Sunday at the tourist information centre.  The woman there looked at me like I was mad when I asked if I could get a train to Yerring Station.  Apparently, it's not a station...hmmmm.

Seizing the opportunity to finally immerse ourselves in culture, we went to Melbourne Old Jail, which was very creepy and atmospheric. Turns out they’re very fond of Ned Kelly in Melbourne, despite the fact they hung him!!  I didn’t read all the grisly bits, but Chris did, and came out a bit traumatised.  So he claims.

He doesn't look too traumatised here, mind...

I bought a wombat - because I believe everyone in Australia owns one, and it's good to make an effort to fit in.  He’s called Russell, and he’s very grumpy, but I had to have him the moment I laid eyes on him.  He moaned all the way around the jail, and then even more when he got wet – although, we all did. To be blunt, it pelted it down all day.

Wombat action:

He looks like a Russell, doesn't he? The wombat was possibly slightly drunk in that pic.  Or maybe the photographer was...but more on the wine tour later!