>Well, it was certainly colourful. But also tiring! The girls and I found a spot along flinders street (unfortunately a spot where some overflow would sweep down the lane behind bringing with it an unpleasant odour) where we waited for over 2 hours for the parade to begin. Everywhere along the route was packed with people long before the parade was due to start at 19:45. Come 21:20 our knees could take no more and we burrowed our way through the crowd in search of something to eat and somewhere to sit! After Emma and I went for a drink at the Equilibrium bar, on the corner of Golburn and George street (upstairs opposite Scruffy Murphy’s). Julie had enough and retired early to the hostel, although Emma and myself headed back around 23:30 feeling a little weary.

I’ve also just booked an extra 3 nights here in Sydney back at my first hostel. I’ve spent close on 2 hours in an internet cafe this morning trying to decide what to do tomorrow (my check out date from Wake up! and planned day of moving on), and I came to the conclusion 24 hours wasn’t enough to pick through the information on hostel quality and locations, flights, but above all both of those to coincide with a destination – I looked at Perth and Adelaide but made no headway – I should have thought about this on Friday when I arrived back.

One option I am pursing is meeting up with Emma again in Alice Springs. Emma has booked a 6 day tour from Alice Springs to Adelaide towards the end of March. I have emailed the company to see if there are positions available for that, if so then I think I will book it. We’ll see what they come back with. That still leaves a couple of weeks between the tour and where I am now, back in Sydney, and what to do in between?

>Took a leisurely 1.5 hour stroll this morning through south Melbourne taking in Port Melbourne and St Kilda. Once I had cleared the forecourts of the car sales and other out of town DIY stores, twee victorianesque properties replaced industrial units. Along the promenade the architecutre was more mixed with victorian and ultra modern side by side with views over the straits (not always the best towards port Melbourne given it is a working port, where the ferry for Tasmania leaves, amongst other ships).

St. Kilda itself I found unimpressive. I was told it was great and most people fall in love with it. Supposedly a haunt of the rich, the beautiful and the famous. Since I am only one of those I guess it’s not for me ;p So after a coffee and muffin ($5) at Roy’s bar I took the tram back to the City.

Having walked the suburbs of Melbourne I can see it’s charm lies here, not in the City. I found Sydney to be the opposite. Perhaps I was walking the wrong suburbs of Sydney?

Have an early start in the morning. Leaving the hostel @ 7:30am to head back to Sydney. More from there….hopefully with some photos…over the weekend.

>This weekend sees Mardi Gras descend on Sydney in all its camp out-there glory, with the parade happening on Saturday afternoon. No sooner do two Queens depart several thousands take their place ;p I hadn’t intended to go hence my being in Melbourne with plans to travel on to Adelaide, but I met two girls (twins no less) at the hostel. They were staying in my dorm and yesterday we went to Melbourne Zoo (which was pointless…cost $22 for 1.5 hours of not a lot – but i have a few photos of kangaroos and sleeping koala’s). Anyway, they are headed up to Sydney this morning for 4 nights before heading on to Cairns. I’ve also received many messages saying I’d be a fool to miss out on the party atmosphere, which is quite heavily family orientated too, so I am taking 3 days out to return to Sydney before travelling on to Adelaide probably Monday (Mum/Dad…I paid for the flight on Visa…deduct from one of my accounts as appropriate pleeease. thank you).

Detour aside, I went for dinner yesterday evening with one of the twins (the other was tired and apparently is a fussy eater so it was just the two of us – sounds like my sister on holidays :p). The bill came to $70 for the two, not bad given we had 3 glasses of wine each in that (might as well have bought the bottle hehe). Emma (the twin I had dinner with) is travelling for 4 months of so, including NZ, so there is a possibility that we might meet up along the way. Her sister, Julie, is only here for 2 weeks before returning to the dreary UK – just as well as she is not partial to hostel living and ‘exotic’ cuisine – which apparently includes pasta dishes lol. Never mind.

What else have I done? I’ve not done any swimming since being here. I don’t know where there is a pool near by. Took a walk to the QVB market yesterday morning before going to the Zoo (afforementioned) and. The day before I spent 2 hours walking around the National Gallery of Victoria. I find myself visiting all these galleries (I did in Sevilla, Paris and Sydney) but find myself wandering aimlessly, never knowing how long to pause at any one painting/photograph long enough to appreciate its qualities. Not being a huge art fan my visits of art galleries turn out to be more like supert-market dashes. I have some photos of a picasso and I think Rothko…although I may be wrong on the latter. I just wish I could find a place to upload these photos (but Gill, you will be disappointed. I am no more bronzed than before).

This is all for now. I will see if I can upload some photo’s when I am back in Sydney – I know a place where it is possible…and free.

>Twelve and a half hours later. Yes, that’s right. TWELVE AND A HALF HOURS LATER, one stiff neck, arched back, cramped legs, a bus driver less a few screws later (not that I’m sure he had them before), I have arrived in Melbourne courtesy of the overnight service provided by Grey Hound, from Sydney.

First impressions…well, for a start it rained this morning so things are a little damp (that is not to say I got wet, but the ground is). The sky is alive with threatening clouds with whispers of blue being strangled as it fights to break through. I’m staying at the Urban Central hostel for 7 nights. The Grand Prix comes to Melbourne in 3 weeks or so, so I’ll be looking to leave before then, Adelaide being the most likely destination. I may or may not drive the Great Ocean Road, it depends on the cost of hiring a car and leaving it in Adelaide. I seem well placed to price car rental where my hostel is based. Right now I am just killing time until I can check-in at 2pm. I have left my backpack in the hostel storage whilst I wile away the hours exploring the streets. Found an internet cafe where you can organise Neighbours tours, with internet access costing $4/hour….in Sydney I was paying between $1.80/hour and $2.50/hour. To think I thought Melbourne would be cheaper. Think I need to shop around some more…I could have sworn at the hostel I heard someone say it was $8/hour, but that could have been them enquiring for two people?

>On three occassions I have left my keys in my room whilst I have used the facilities in an ajoining room, and three times I was fortunate there was someone in the room to let me back in. But this afternoon, finally, it happened. I got in the shower then realised I’d left my bloody keys on my bed. I hoped that someone would have been back at the room by the time I had finished with the 3S’s alas it wasn’t to be. Towel clad and toiletries in hand I had to go to reception to get a spare key. As I walked to the lift I was hoping it would be empty. Not to be. There was a guy there looking somewhat suprised by my attaire (or lack of). I said jokingly I was on my way to a beach party (it was advertised in the lift) before admitting to locking myself out. If that wasn’t bad enough…when I reached the ground floor there were half a dozen or so people waiting to get in. One girl turned to another and asked if I had just got out of the shower? Very observant of her I must say. I then had to walk through the common room (passed more wandering eyes) to reception upon where I was greeted with “locked yourself out?”. I was so embarrassed I wasn’t quick enough with a come back so just said yes, asked for the key and sheepishly made my way back through the common room, avoiding the lift this time and used the stairs…to be greeted by some bloke asking if I was going to the beach party!! Doh