Memories of Melbourne

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Hello again everybody, sorry it's been a while but Melbourne turned out to be a blur of work, coffee and cake over the past month! Thankfully the bank account is a little fuller after a short working break, but so are our waistlines after sampling one too many foccaccias and cheesecakes at the Paris-style cafes of the city. Melbourne's weather has enjoyed playing games with us over past weeks, being a lovely chilly 20 degrees some days, followed by three days of scorching, Brit-sizzling 40 degrees - to say we were wilting would be an understatement!

Luckily for James' birthday on the 12th Feb (just a reminder for those who missed it!) we had some fab weather and so had a weekend of fun. The aussie queen, Dame Edna Everage, (Kylie is the Princess for those who were wondering about aussie royalty) was touring, so after securing some tickets, we hurried along to see her show on saturday night and rolled around laughing for about two hours and another three once we got home. No piccies I'm afraid as they weren't allowed, but needless to say it included lots of gladiolai, merciless jokes at the audiences expense and 'The Dame' entering stage Kylie-style on a giant pair of glasses suspended from the sky!

We visited the aquarium the next day which, alas, was no comparison to the entertainment the night before, but amused us nonetheless. James especially liked it when Joanna touched a starfish and it immediately curled up into a ball and refused to play - apparently they do this when they smell something bad! Hmmpphhh! We took loads of pictures, but those sharks move a bit fast for our camera lens! We also saw enough jellyfish to put us off ever going swimming on Australian beaches again!

Joanna had to work on James' actual birthday, but James was consoled with about a million free coffees, the biggest Joy cafe fry-up ever, and an extra special surprise cake when Joanna returned home. According to Joanna 'it's not a birthday without cake' and so it was that James got the best wheat-free chocolate cake in the world all aranged on the sly by Joanna!! Far too much cake for just two travellers so the cake-love was shared around the hostel, and the rest lurked in the fridge all week daring us to give it another go. James obliged...

Unfortunately all good things have to come to an end, and so we had to leave Melbourne and continue our travels at the end of the February. Newly free from work commitments we are off to Canberra, the National capital, and Sydney, which everyone just thinks is the capital, and we'll see where we go from there! But don't worry we will be back Melbourne, we still haven't done the Ramsey Street tour! Oh and there's the small matter of the flight to New Zealand to catch!

PS. We would like to welcome the 'Rambling Rowells', Joanna's mum and dad to Australia. They will be arriving in a few days time, and then travelling with us in New Zealand - or should we say we are travelling with them in their campervan!

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Photos

The Boat Show
In the background the docks were alive with Melbourne's rich, shopping for new boats

Degraves Street
Our favorite spot for a cup of coffee and a cake

Joanna at Joy!
Note that the cookie jar on the counter with the wheat-free cookies is running very low!!

Show Us How It's Done
Having just learnt how to make the perfect coffee, Joanna is on her travels again

Outside The Aquarium
James looking a youthful 23 after visiting the aquarium, the next day he turned 24 and it all went downhill from there!

Birthday Boy
James looking pleased with himself after recieving wine and cake for his birthday. Note that all presents are consumable - the backpacks are too full for anything else!

The Cake
So rich it took the best part of a week to eat! And that's with Joanna's effort too!