So I am now in New Zealand, slightly cold yet so far awesome New Zealand. But before i get into that, lets talk about Melbourne.

Melbourne was absolutely fantastic! apart from all nations hostel in the city that is, that place is worse than a s##t hole! (pardon my language).

So what did i get up to i hear you say? well im pleased to say alot more than sleeping! Tuesday morning was when we rolled up into Melbourne, approx 6 am! not nice so the first thing we did was find a place with a bed and got a little sleep before heading out into town. fortunatly melbourne is awesome enough to have free public transport in the shape of trams, so we caught that and travelled round through the docks and past the telstra dome stadium checking out some quality scenes on our way up to the town centre area and in particular the old melbourne gaol (jail), death place of ned kelly. we explored the place for ages, it was pretty interesting i have to say reading up all the history of how it was made and who was kept there, looking at all the deathmasks that were in the cells and reading about the prisoners in particular. some of the crimes seem petty and real harsh punishment when you think about what goes down these days and the sentences they get. after spending a comfortable amount of time there it was time to leave, thankfully we could, i really dont think i could have coped staying there, not that the rooms were that much greater than our hostel!

next on our agenda was the observation deck, awesome views of the city from about 50 floors high, and an interesting movie on what can be done in melbourne. after a few photos were taken it was time to head down and go and get some food.

that night i again got up at stupid o clock to watch the football, am i dedicated or what! i wasnt gettin much sleep anyway due to this guy in our dorm snoring like a train, a really really loud and extremely slow at pissing off train! after a disappointing game and result i headed back to bed, now about 7 am to try and get a little more sleep before checking out, no such luck, the train was still going. so without any hesitation at checkout time off we went to the station to get ourselves out to st kilda.

st kilda itself was fantastic, sorta like a mix of brighton/blackpool/bridlington without the chavs and with a nicer view. apparently its the scummiest area of melbourne with the red light district and drug problems based there, tho we thought it was really great and never saw anything to suggest otherwise, and the place had a really cool looking night life with loadsa bars and restaurants, and we also saw a niehgbours star so it cant be all that bad!

wednesday was spent booking our new zealand and fiji activities and walking around the town and an early night.

thursday started early doors, outside the hostel by hal seven to get on the bus for our neighbours tour. the tour was actually pretty good in the end, seeing a set layout and going to the school and walking around ramsay street, unfortunatly we got a crappy star to meet but it didnt matter that much. after getting back from the tour around lunch time i felt i needed to butch the day up a bit so i grabbed a subway sarni and took myself off into town to go to the famous melbourne cricket ground. the stadium is huge, definately worth going to check out and the tour was great for only 7 quid as it took nealy two hours!

that night we met up with our pals dan chris and martin from fraser island in dowtown st kilda and got a meal together and then went for a quick drink after. it was great to meet the guys again, such a great bunch of blokes, really hard to leave behind to be honest as i felt totaly at ease and like i really clicked with dan and chris especially. the night ended too soon as they had to get back for school the next day. (dan and chris are training teachers).

friday was another early start, out by 7 ish again and on our way to do the great ocean road, and let me just say the name is definately fitting, if not a little too weak as that road is............ some word i dont know that means absolute genius! the scenery is possibly the best of the trip, and we have seen some great stuff before this! the journey didnt feel like hassle with the constant amazing views. dinner time popped up fast, at this small township somewhere along towards the twelve apostles. the cafe we stopped at was set back in a caravn site with a host of wild koala in the surrounding trees and wild parrots that will come sit on you if you have feed for them, i had four on me at one point! they sit on your hands and eat out of them its really cool, and they sit on your hat if you put food their which i did and it was funny. i also got the good old single parrot on the shoulder pose down, aaaaaaarrrrrrrrgh! the highlight of the day though, and i know your thinking hold on a second how can you beat pretending to be a pirate with an actual parrot on your shoulder?! with a helicopter ride over the twelve apostles thats how!! doing that was possibly the highlight of the trip so far, really really fun and i got it all on video so hopefully everyone will be able to see it one day.

eventually getting back into town about ten ish i went straight out to go have some beers wih dan and chris again for a farewell get together, hannah stayed at the hostel to pack and sleep because she was too tired. it was a ftting last night, good laughs good drink and lots of reminiscing about fraser island, i did not want it to have to be the last time! eventually i decided i had to go and they needed to get the last tram so with a semi tearful handshake i walked away towards the hostel and i  eventually got to bed about 2.30, getting up at 4 to pack and leave for the airport, but thats just the way stuff has got to go down sometimes, plus i figured i had plenty of sleep in sydney and there was always the plane.

the flight was ok, made much better by susan kennedy from neighbours sitting two seats in front of us, with us arriving in christchurch at 2 in the afternoon.

anyway thats all my tales of australia told, some to live on in the memories and photgraphic evidence of others for a long long time, and in mine too, man 5 weeks flew past so quick!! i will be returning there......

on the next travel blog: al in christchurch... stay tuned