It really is a strange world of accidental meetings sometimes!

Last Thursday I was out at Victoria Street Market with Nadja (new roommate!) We had lunch and picked up a few things, except they don't like bargaining here -- grrr! Oh well...anyway she left to go home and I walked up the street to find the Neighbours office in a part of town I wouldn't normally walk to, and while I was crossing the street, Chris was walking straight towards me! I didn't even know he was still in Melbourne - hadn't seen him in our hostel for the past few days - how funny! So we spent the rest of the day in our not-really-'doing'-anything way - just getting trams over the city to take in the views and hang out. Later we met up with the others in our hostel for a drink and pizza and DVD night.

On Friday I made it to Ramsay Street!!! And who turned up - this girl Joanne who I had met on my Blue Mountains tour back in Sydney! I didn't even know she was heading this way! So we spent the morning outside Erinsborough High, in the Neighbours TV studios (just to see some external sets like the garage and stuff) and then to the street itself. It was weird seeing all the houses (again from the outside - its a real residential close but with a different name). Then we got to meet one actor and that day it was Dr Karl Kennedy...! That was OK, except a bit disappointing seeing as he's come to my uni so many times anyway! Never met him though...and this time there was less crazy hysteria..except from these two 20-something English guys who wanted to go and follow him for a walk with his dogs later! Where does the fascination come from?!

Anyway so I've done the Neighbours tour! Wasn't amazing but it had to be done while I was there! We finished at St Kilda - the beachfront so I wandered around there which was nice. Then headed into town for my final day in Melbourne. Was walking around, and there was another crazy meeting - Chris ran into this guy he hadn't seen or spoken to since being in Laos a few months ago! Weird! We stumbled across a free concert for the Jazz Fringe Festival - brilliant! Actually - another funny thing (this is probably getting boring now) but we were talking, and had to lean quite close coz the music was so loud - and suddenly we felt something fall past our faces, and this bird had crapped right between our heads onto the floor! There was probably about 2 inches either side to our faces...so lucky! It was a lovely, breezy evening, with all the buildings lit up and we had coffee and dinner with beautiful views.. Ok, so Melbourne wasn't so bad! It just took a while :) There are lots of cute little cafes, arty galleries and live music venues. Thats why so many people come to work there and stay for a long time. Since I don't have a job (I'm missing not making money at the moment actually!) and there's nothing obviously touristy to see (like Sydney) I guess thats why it took time to settle. Well its good I realized it before I left!

I'm now at Airlie Beach, which is beautiful and hot! There are palm trees and hammocks in my hostel...and I got picked up by a limo from the airport! (Same price as bus/taxi and I got offered a seat and met some lovely Ozzies, who know Watford well! Seems like its not so small a place after all!) Anyway later Im meeting up with my new Brazilian friend Lilia to chill at the beach and from tomorrow Im sailing round the Whitsunday islands for a few days so I won't have the internet (no rubbish blogging from me - this must seem really rambly, sorry!) Take care till next time!