Australia

Oceania » Australia
June 5th 2008

Published: June 5th 2008

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Bren and Linda

Melbourne

Linda in front of House in Botanic Gardens.

Taking advantage of the round the world plane ticket we decided to stopover in Australia and visit my brother Alan and his wife Louise in Adelaide. To make the most of the stop we arrived in Melbourne, took the Overlander train to Adelaide, and drove back from Adelaide to Melbourne, before flying onward to New Zealand.

It was strange being back in a western city and there were some readjusting to do. Crossing the road was no longer an adventure but routine. Being able to flush the toilet paper down the toilet was an everyday luxury. Taxi drivers were not insulted if you used the seat belts. There were seat belts in taxis.

We generally unwinded and took it easy in Melbourne. We visited the museums and the great Botanic Gardens. Took a day trip to the beach and the suburbs etc.

After a few days it was time to move on to Adelaide. This required getting up an an unearthly early hour to catch our train but luckily Linda had had the foresight to find somewhere within ten minutes walk to the station. We got on the train and were inclined to just want to sleep for

Melbourne

Linda in front of building on pier.

the first few hours but this was impossible. Not because of the movement of the train or noise etc but because of the incredibly chippy train attendents. They were like attendents at a holiday park. It seemed that every minute was filled with an announcement, some information on the scenery, etc, asking us if we were happy etc. I must be becoming an old grouch because sometimes I just want to be left in peace to read my magazine.

Despite this we got chatting to one of the other passengers, a late middle aged woman. We went to the cafeteria to have a cup of tea together. Turns out she had been a nun for most of her life before returning to civilan life. She was making up for past time by seeing some more of the world, or at lest Australia. Very nice woman and I hope she is enjoying her travels.

We made it to Adelaide and collected our bags. Everyone disparsed and their was no sign of Alan whom I had thought was collecting us. Of course, I had not printed out his address or his telephone number. There were no taxis outside the station,

Melbourne

Linda cooling down at beach bar.

just a bus which brought people to their hotels etc. We had to get on and when asked where we wanted to go said anywhere there was an internet cafe. The driver was an older gentleman and the word internet cafe did not seem to mean anything to him. Finally we just said somewhere in the centre, anywhere in the centre.

I have to tell you the streets of Adelaide can look pretty lonely and grim at eight in the evening. Eventually, the bus happened to pass an internet cafe and we asked to be dropped there. I got on-line and found that my mail to Alan had only been saved as a draft, not actually sent. Happily, in the end we got through to Alan and found that they were not out of town. Still, the saga did not end there. We took a taxi to them and the driver got lost, finally having to be directed by Louise over the phone to locate their house.

Had a pleasent week there being well fed, having endless cups of tea and being allowed to monopolise their computer to update music on MP3 player etc.

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