Friday 18th March 2011
Arrived at accommodation 30 hours after we left home. Thanks for the lift Viv.
Flights were fine.
Amazingly quick through security at Heathrow, minimal queues, so different from the last time, thank goodness.
We travelled from London to Melbourne completely in the airline’s night mode.
Okay, leaving London at 10pm, had dinner, then lights out – fine.
Arrived Singapore at 6-ish pm, so onward flight again in the evening – dinner and lights out. For the whole 22 hours ! Weird, no-one can sleep for that length of time, especially on a plane ! I had a few snatches of snooze, Russ did better. We had a good plan leaving Singapore – we had wine with our dinner, then Russ asked for a second each. Good. Then when they offered hot chocolate we had another wine – and so to sleep !
Arrived Melbourne 6.40am, were collected and delivered to our home for the month by Kieran.
Had a shower and went to bed !
Then went off to visit the grandchildren. Had a lovely couple of hours with them, Pa pushing the swing at the park and Nana Gill cuddling the baby. Holding a small hand crossing the road and so on. All good.
Weather cloudy and warm enough for shirt sleeves.
Home for cheese and biscuits and a glass of wine before bed (very early local time !).
Saturday 19th March 2011
4am – more cheese and biscuits.
Breakfast of Eggs Benedict – yeah!
Kew Festival is on today, so we watched the many many cheery and dressed up groups, loads of children, as they paraded along the High Street with marching bands of all kinds - including a pipe band. Take note - the pipe band members were not wearing jackets ! O the laxity induced by hot weather, and long may it continue.
Then on to the park, where there were many marquees with food, and curiosities of all kinds – mostly to raise funds for the aforesaid community groups, which included schools, voluntary organisations and clubs. There was also live music, in many genres. It was quite a spectacle.
Normal service on camera – left it in the apartment.
Weather lovely, warm and sunny/cloudy, perfect. Forgot I was in a warm climate and took my jacket, had to carry it!
We had to retire to our apartment - well actually to move apartment. Original apartment was so dark it rivalled Scotland in mid-winter and the idea of having the lights on all day here in Oz did not appeal. So got lovely new apartment – actually the exact same (wow the uniformity) but facing in the opposite direction and – wait for – with a balcony. Yeah - small but perfectly formed with table and 2 chairs. Perfect.
Retired to bed again very early !
Sunday 20th March 2011
2.30am glass of wine and reading. Oh the decadence. One huge advantage of a studio flat is that the kitchen is in the bedroom, so midnight feasts do not require much effort.
Back to sleep and woke at a reasonable time.
Today was my first Australian barbie for this visit. And guess what – there was not one resident Australian there. But our expat Oz did do the cooking; the host abdicated his responsibility on the food and was excellent on the drink department. Hostess also lovely and the company too. A good time was had by all. Took my camera but forgot to take any photos. Weather wonderful, hot (maybe 28°C) and sunny.
Monday 21st March 2011
Back to work – at least for Russell.
Managed to not snack during the night – a major breakthrough.
Up early for the start of the week. Russ off to work.
I took a long look at the Kew High Street, and had breakfast.
Even took a few photos of the High Street and the apartment.
Bought a month ticket and so off on the tram to the city !
Visited the amazing Federation Square in Melbourne and the tourist information.
Back again to Kew and a trip to the park with the family.
Our bedtime was almost civilised, so we must be getting acclimatised.
Tuesday 22nd March 2011
Oh the joy of washing and trying to suss out the dryer.
This all worked remarkably well, so we now have clean clothes.
Again into the city on the tram.
Took some photos in Spencer Street and got on the City Circle Tram at Flinders Street. And very good it was too. Just sat the whole way round, listened to the commentary and enjoyed the ride.
Took some photos in Flinders St, popped into the tourist info, and went to get the tram. Took a few photos in Collins Street while waiting.
And so home to bed, again very early, but hey, who cares?
Wednesday 23rd March 2011
Hooray today is William’s first birthday – Happy Birthday.
Today to Fitzroy Garden s and beyond on a “Domestic Architecture Tour”.
Took the tram into town as usual ( get me, quite a regular ), got off at the Treasury Building and walked through the Treasury Gardens – taking in the memorial to JFK, into Fitzroy Gardens. They are so lovely. Saw a lot of the features – Cook’s house, rotunda, mini Tudor village, then followed my walking tour to George street / Powlett street / Simpson street area.
Took lots of photos, what an amazing mixture of architecture.
Wow, who controls the planning permission here ?
So weird. – old, new, good, bad, poorly maintained and splendid all in the one street.
I have noticed – how can you not – the contrast of the side-by-side mix of old and new in the city in general. I have taken many photos of this phenomenon, it is fascinating.
Came back through Fitzroy Gardens and saw more of its features –fountains I had missed on the way in.
It and the treasury gardens are a great resource for the city - there were many folk out having their lunch in both these areas, so green now, with the leaves just turning to autumn colours, and sun or shade as you wished. Today was lovely, warm and sunny.
Took the tram home and met the family.
Still in the planning: - our trip to Canberra to meet with the other 2 grandsons.
Chicken and ham salad with the most amazing bread – what a fab bread shop there is here. I reckon that even with “designer” bread in Scotland, this bread, both in taste and variety, is so much better. It takes ages to decide what to have.
And so to bed at a perfectly respectable time tonight.
Thursday 24th March 2011
Victoria Market today
Wow it is actually raining! Well a slight drizzle, and plenty of blue sky to be seen, so, no worries ! However, it rained more and I was glad I went to the market today and not the gardens of yesterday’s tour.
Took the tram into town, and actually was surveyed about tram usage !
Then took the free Tourist Shuttle bus to the Queen Victoria Market. Oh, wow. Brilliant. Spent ages admiring the beautifully arranged meats, cheeses and fruit and veg – saw things I had no idea what they were – so had little time in the other bit as it closes at 2pm today.
But no worries I will go again.
As I was about to leave the heavens opened and soaked all. The funniest thing was that part of the market has a proper roof, but round the edges various tarpaulins and plastic sheeting were rigged up to keep the rain off. However, with the heavy rain these could not cope and kept tipping and pouring rivers onto the ground, and then re-arranging themselves and pouring more on the next bit. Hilarious.
Had a great time at the market, then got back on the Tourist Shuttle bus for the long way round to the city centre. It was all very good, and as well as the recorded commentary the driver had a few things to say too, which was up-to-date and interesting.
Came home on the tram in the rain. It must have rained quite a lot, and has stayed very dull.
Friday 25th March 2011
Stay at home today.
Decided to have a local day today and explore what is here and here-abouts.
But first washing and ironing - work shirts galore ! Lucky me !
Then went out for breakfast/lunch.
Off in search of colour photocopying and internet café.
Found the first no problem, and got the required copies.
It seems there is no internet café in Kew, but the Library came up trumps and booked me in for an hour free. Great. Spent 15mins in Alexandra Gardens while waiting for my slot, and took some more photos. Weather overcast, very comfortable.
How come there are no internet cafés here? Maybe everyone has their own broadband, or has it not caught on yet here as in Britain?
Anyway, had a good “surf” and checked email and facebook.
Back for a short time then out for a walk with the family.
Pa and Dad got back from work for a pre-bedtime romp. Took some photos.
Home for bread and cheese and wine.
Very satisfactory all round.
Saturday 26th March 2011
10am breakfast out – I love it.
Russ to cricket, I stayed and spent some time with the family.
Weather coolish and overcast, but dry.
The big boys came back from cricket so we all had some time together around kids’ bedtime. Took a few pix.
Russ and I went home for a bite to eat, a glass of wine and watching telly from our bed.
Sunday 27th March 2011
Lazy morning.
On tram to Melbourne museum.
Looked at the living Rain forest and the history of Melbourne, a good couple of hours and our money’ worth.
Russ wanted to have a look at the city to check out any developments, so we took a stroll down a few streets, incl Bourke Street and along to Federation Square – it was too busy with an event so we headed to Collins St for our tram home.
Russ enjoyed seeing the city centre and saw few changes since his last visit 2 years ago.
Had a wee rest/snooze, then over to see the grandkids.
Back to our place and so to sleep.
Monday 28th March 2011
Russ off to work on his second week, and I have decided to do Cathedrals today.
