Many people pooh pooh Australian table wines

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It's a sticky morning and the air in Chumpon is stiller than a dead donkey. A relaxing swim will cool things off - then - JELLYFISH ATTACK. OK it's only a small one, but it's the straw that breaks the late donkey's back. We decide to flee Thailand and hit Australia early. Paul convinces Emma it is mere coincidence we arrive a few days before the Ashes tour starts.

After organising some hot wheels from Thrifty We arrive in Adelaide and stay by the beach for a couple of nights, then start the long drive down the coast to Melbourne. En route we visit many amazing wineries and astound the local vignerons with our tasting skills: ''Cherry, hint of cigar box and a lingering after taste of Mr Whippy." We buy a couple of bottles to try and drown our England-are-rubbish-at-cricket inspired sorrows.

We also stop at a wildlife park to feed kanga's, koalas and rather scary emus (Grotbags was right to be terrified). We also see a few wild 'roos, sadly most are road kill.

Our journey takes us past the spectacular scenery of the Great Ocean Road to Melbourne, where - shh whisper it - it's actually quite windy. We are set up in a nice little apartment untill Christmas and plan to hit the water every day until then.

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