Back Home

Just like being abroad. 

Brought some fine weather back from OZ. 

London to Wales

The long flights play havoc with the body clocks and we are wide awake by 05:30 this morning.

Eric needs to be prodded though, but soon decides to recount some of his adventures to his new chums- Herbie, Ermie and Barney.

Lots of trains to Euston from last night's abode were cancelled this morning. There is one train still running that will get us there in time for the walk to Paddington and the homeward bound train. As it arrives at the platform we can see it is already very full, with people standing. The doors open and nobody moves to make room for us to get on - some rugby tactics are required, but we do find a space. Two more stops and more people squeeze in - starting to panic a bit now. Someone gets off and we manage to move to outside the toilet where there is room to brace yourself against the wall and a bar to hang on to. Glad this is only half an hour.  On arrival we step off the train and wait for all the crowd to exit the turnstiles before we do.

Eric can't resist the role of tourist as we cross London

Regent's Park looks interesting.

The GPO Tower - am I showing my age knowing that?

Do I look very regal?

An addition to the super heroes? 

I've been told it's cheaper to just catch the relevant iconic London Red Bus.

Lunch calls.

At Paddington Eric sees a fellow traveller who he thinks must have just got off the train we are about catch back to Wales

The train journey boredom is relieved with some mind games. 

Flying Home

Not much to say as most of the flight from Melbourne to Abu Dhabi is spent either sleeping or trying to sleep. 

It all looks very sandy!

There'll be more activity down there next weekend when the F1 circus is in town. 

Waiting to catch that plane to Heathrow. 

Our last day in Melbourne

An outing to the local Farmer's Market this morning - a good selection of interesting looking local produce.  We were dropped in Camberwell on a mission to buy some Christmas presents! 

It just seems unreal as it is still so warm here and we are unable to relate this to Christmas shopping.  Our purchases are easily obtained and followed by lunch in a new little cafe, where we have 10% off our meal just for turning up. 

Eric in the cafe.

The number 75 tram calls, or maybe not as there is a small banner across the tram cables on that particular street saying ' Trams Do Not Enter - Power Off'.  We decamp to the stop for the number 72 and wait a short while for it to arrive. This forced decision means we have to walk uphill back to the house along the busy Toorak Road, rather than down a hill and the much more pleasant Bowen Road.  

More local walking and bird watching for one and packing for the other.

New birds are;

Red Rumped Parrot

A Chickawee with moth. 

The same Chickawee- trying to hide beside a branch. 

A relaxed meal and then it's off to the airport. 

Should be a comfortable flight now I have a neck pillow. Only the one size available. 

Bon voyage Eric!

A suitable card found by the relatives. 

The Ottoways and The Great Ocean Road

An early start to the day as we embark with the relatives on a two hour drive to Dean's Marsh. A visit to a recently planned and partly planted arboretum is on the cards.  This is an interesting project developed by sister-in-law's brother called Frogwood Arboretum - http://www.frogwood.com.au.

Maps and plans are perused before we set off for a walk around the site and get a view of the early plantings.

As can be seen, it is very much at the embryonic stage but it is very interesting to discuss the vision he has for the arboretum. The plans are to have various groves of trees assembled in such a way that as you make your way along the various pathways different vistas will open up before you. Trees from across the temperate regions of the world are chosen for their significance in terms of history and human development. 

There is also a creek rehabilitation project that is ongoing - the difference between the managed and unmanaged is quite stark, with lots of birds and bird song in the managed part and virtually nothing in the rather overgrown and alien species part. 

The visit could have lasted many more hours than we actually spent but a late lunch was calling at a restaurant cum pub called The Martian, which as the choice of name suggests has a very unique style. A large selection of meals were on offer (although not all available) and adjustments for the finicky vegetarian were readily accepted.  The place is apparently frequented by the older bikers, much the same as the prom cafés back home, only here they have been cruising the Great Ocean Road. 

A Crimson Rosella in the Martian environment- a local not alien species though. 

Australia has a variation on the theme of the bacon lettuce and tomato roll - the BLT. 

You can have a BLAT which includes Avocado, and here I saw the BLEAT (add Egg). I opted for my own request of a BLET, you'll have to work that out for yourself, but it was very good and accompanied by Ginger Beer (Bundaberg of course, though we have been introduced to a ginger cordial to which you add your own soda water, so we need to try this back home). 

From there we made our way down to The Great Ocean Road at Lorne, after a quick detour to visit Erskine Falls. The lack of rain in the area recently means that they were not particularly impressive though set in a very picturesque valley with tree ferns etc. 

As you would expect we venture out onto the pier and take a number of shots though we would have wished for somewhat brighter if not hotter weather. 

Help!

A Galah at the head of the pier. 

The drive back toward Melbourne alongside the ocean was very different this time to our first visit as there has been a great deal of sea front development of various styles, with anything that has a view commanding 6 figure prices. It is still an impressive drive, although I would now say it is eclipsed by the seaside drives we took in NZ. We are able to say this now as we will be out of the country by the time this is published and read by our millions of Australian followers. 

Just as we reach the outskirts of the city a wireframe thing is visible at the side of the motorway. I thought it created an interesting effect anyway.

Settled down for the evening to watch Australia win the first ODI against South Africa which was being televised from Perth. 

Around Melbourne

A day of high temperatures is predicted for Melbourne ( the locals pronounce it Melbun) so we decide to a make relatively early start and take a river cruise down to the old settlement of Williamstown. It was in fact the earliest settled part of the Melbourne area. 

The first step is to get to the quayside below Federation Square just across the river from the Melbourne Arts Centre. 

The Arts Centre.

The trip down the river gives a very different view of the city and it is improved for us by the cooling breeze that usually accompanies any water journey. 

Eric is all smiles on the boat's roof.

He does need to be warned that some of the bridges are very low and the paint scratches on the roof are from encounters with the odd bridge when the tides are high. 

One of those low bridges - this has wire 'sculptures' along it.

And another - with Melbourne City behind.

Melbourne skyscrapers from the water.

A rather nice fish sculpture on the riverfront.

Making our way down the Yarra.

These were flats we think - are all the panels random and different?

Condo style living with a boat park rather than a car park!

Gradually leave the inner city for the more industrialised docklands areas.

A scary view of a Chinese cargo boat, that luckily was being helped into position by the tugs.

At the Williamstown  harbour we see two Sea Shepherd boats that look really mean in their modern camouflage paint jobs. 

A short walk from the marina brought us to this rather surprising sight. 

Wrong Continent?

A wander along the shoreline gets us views of a couple of new species

Crested Tern

Superb Fairy Wren in the scrub

The old houses along the Esplanade are typical of the area, though many are being replaced by modern buildings, which are not always what I would call in keeping with the theme of the area. 

Plaques on the street provide some info on the various houses, though the first raises a few eyebrows, a rogue comma may mean you have a ship for a neighbour. They are often the worst kind. 

The whole beach foreshore is designated as a reserve though lacks much of interest, except Eric of course!

Eric's poor spelling gives him the wrong idea about what's to be seen here. 

His intellect is better associated with a plan to leapfrog all these bollards

A unique take on how to negotiate the row of bollards using a time warping technique he says Dr. Who told him about (we are sceptical).

Just further along is Williamstown main beach which, as would be expected on a day when the temperature peaked at 34degC, is pretty well attended. 

Given the heat we decided to travel back into Melbun by train (they are air conditioned ) rather than via the river. After a little stroll in the main shopping district we came upon a band (Woodlock) playing in Burke Plaza. 

We even handed over cash for their CD. 

It was then time to head back to Glen Iris though unfortunately it was rush hour and the train was fairly full. 

Then it's a bit of telly followed by some blog update time before bed.