G'day

Well its Sunday afternoon - 2.30pm Melbourne time. Of my family I am the only on still standing following my brother's buck's party... Good day - but as ever the quantity of beer and wine consumed proved too much in the long run. Well we did start at 9.15am while on the mini bus to the Yarra Valley wineries. I have to say the weather so far has been beautiful - I have yes got a sun burnt nose... oops! Will no doubt make wedding pictures more interesting!

Hotel really nice - the actual view from my 6th floor window affords me tops views of the Yarra River and the Southbank. Today the breeze is slightly chilled but in the sun and out of the wind it is very nice - have been scoffing food n cakes before settling here for some blog time...!

Just checked the footie scores - so much for the England rebirth huh! Did manage to see some of the Aus v Paraguay game whilst in The Royal in Footscray - by which time I think my bro had had enough but the night was young!?

I rather regretted checking my texts this morning - to find the Gills were 3-1 up away at Crewe only to lose it 4-3. TYPICAL! There is no escape chaps - the game is still in my bones!

So what can I say so far - well this is my first dry day (so far at least!) - but I suspect that as my family are confined to their beds I may try and hook up with a tour guide I met when I came out first time and that will no doubt mean yet more beer consumption.

My journey seemed to start well - the cab turned up ahead of time but we had got no more than 5 mins down the road and he had a shunt with another car. A very angry and pregnant lady heaved out and hurled abuse. Somehow through the crawling stop-start of Tuesday am traffic I got to Terminal 4 - only took 2 hours. ARGH! The check in was fine and several ciggies and a pint of Guinness later I was boarding. Seated and ready to go. Which is where we sat for an hour and a half, while various problems delayed our take off. Somehow we made up time but the Heathrow experience was poor in comparison with the quick turn around at HK. And even the quick through put at Melbourne. The Skybus shuttle got me into Spencer Street in time to see my family wandering towards me!

Checked into hotel, changed and went for a Dogbolter at the Young & Jacksons. Thursday I slept in - til 10am. Sleeping on planes is impossible! And our plane hadn't yet been fully upgraded so it was the same choice of films and entertainment for the entire trip! There is only so much I can take! I ended up watching Poseidon - well when on a plane watch a disaster movie (it was pants btw) then The LAke House (pure cheese) and on the 2nd leg Wah-Wah which was by far the best film. The rest of the flight I interspersed with the quite good comedy channel and some classic music. But flights are more than films - they are weird menu options and the extremes of too friendly passengers or totally rude ones. I had an ok mix. Though my shoe removal may not have helped enhance certain relations!

So I return to Thursday morning. I laid in nicely, had a morning shower and got the train out to my bro's place - he was going to do a BBQ for us all. Except being a Pom the weather prevented him! Too windy - kept blowing out the flame - so it was left to Em and Mum to 'improvise' using the oven. Stu and I drank and chatted. We sat down for 'lunch' at 3.30pm and there we stayed til left at 10pm - a hugely entertaining afternoon and more relaxed than ever before. Got the bus back to town and slept like a log after 2 episodes of Sex in the City. Friday - I woke up at 6am and decided to seize the day - so had an early breakfast in the hotel, wash and scrub and a good early morning stomp to the Yarra Edge Marina - it was lovely - peaceful, sunny, warm and total contrast to the city centre. I sat and wrote my memoirs! At 11.15 I met the family and we had several missions to accomplish - cuff links and hand bags! A spot of lunch - 3 massive sushi rolls for $5! And then I met up with Emma for our afternoon of chat and beer - it seemed to have the desired effect. We had a mini pub crawl and got more relaxed and able to chat about all sorts of things. The beer mixing didn't seem to matter - though I felt a bit merry and also emotional by the time I put her on a bus and made my way back to bed!

The place (Melbourne) hasn't changed that much since I was last here. The streets are all linear and you walk in blocks. Crossing roads is a pain - and people here have less idea about pavement etiquette than they do in London. It is also spring here - so if sit in the parks/green spots you will no doubt be made to suffer pigeon sex. Great! It's just a laid back kinda of place - no stress or hassles. Just people wandering around in their own upside down world!

Not sure of plans for rest of week until at least Thursday morning when I fly out to Hobart. Sure there should be something I must do - but to be honest I am enjoying the convenience of the hotel room, the sun shine and the fact I can explore at my own pace and my own interests. So nothing planned - I need to to head east along the Yarra out towards the MCG, having already done the West option. And of course Stu's best man turns up tomorrow!

Anyway - gonna shoot now - got some other web sites to check and I guess some calls to make! Check my bruised and bashed brother is ok (yes he did end up in hospital last night - BUT he is ok - just a bump to the head and no doubt a very very dented pride) and generally keep my laid back Sunday chilled!

Up the Gills!