I can hardly believe that, since I last wrote - a week ago - I have driven over 2000 klms, visited the Australian Houses of Parliament, The Snowy Mountains, The Blue Mountains, ridden on a cable car, toured the Sydney Opera House, been up the Sky Tower, had dinner with Australia's leading food writer, missed a flight to New Zealand, attended an expo of the work of Ansel Adams and - today - taken a walk in a quintessentially English rose garden in Christchurch. I was cautioned by most people - including Billy Connolly in his TV programme - that Canberra bore more than a passing resemblance to Milton Keynes with its acres of concrete and round abouts. And so it proved to be. It was like the place had been built during one night and then everyone had gone home to rest and had never come back. My visit to the parliament was interesting on one or two levels however. Being from the awkward squad I had to ask "How many indigenous members are there in the House of Representatives(150 sit) and "how many senators (84) are aboriginal". None, was the answer as, "they never stand, cause no one would vote for them". Fascinating thing democracy. Also the same day I had passed through "Taggatta, the town that moved" (they built a reservoir up the road and moved the population) and had seen a war memorial, in a tiny square, dedicated to twelve local men who had died in the Vietnam War. Made me recall that Harold Wilson did something right when he kept the Brits out of that. Had a wonderful half hour in Canberra though with the local croquet club playing, in their splendid whites, in 35 degrees of heat. Chatted with Mrs Grattan - "call me Yvonne" - about where to go in the city and promised to send her copies of the pictures I took of her and her husband. Had to leave Canberra after a few hours as it was like being caught in aspic. . Also the first occasion when I met a fellow traveller within days of first seeing her. Talked to a German student in Melbourne on the Sunday night and saw her walking in Canberra three days later. Got to the Blue MOuntains for the following day, rode a cable car to the bottom of a rain forest and saw the famous rock form of the Three Sisters Also met, in Sydney, a fairly rare creature by the name of Heli - a female, Argentinian born, architect - living and working in Glasgow! Can only begin to imagine what they make of her at 'Cooncil planning meetins'. She did however give me some good advice for visiting her home country. "Do three things........eat beef, eat beef, eat beef" Also "buy good cheap leather and visit a tango club". She cautioned me that I would get whiplash from looking left and right at the beautiful women. As if! Fascinating evening with Australian broadcaster, author Cherry Ripe (yes, I know but there is a story behind the name) at a 'tasting' restaurant in Sydney, where the chef got a pretty hard time for under, and over salting, some of the dishes. Saturday morning, stood in line at Sydney airport for an hour and a half to be told that my flight was a code share, that I was in the wrong line, that the gate had closed and that I would have to wait until tomorrow. Got a little steamed as I had asked if I was in the correct place..........eventually was transferred to another flight (which developed engine problems before it left) and arrived Christchurch late afternoon for dinner with a friend I had met in Vietnam a couple of months ago. Today I am just pottering around this very English town - Cambridge Crescent, Worcester Road, Avon River, punts on the water, trams in the street - and getting ready to collect a car and start travelling again tomorrow. Fun thing. Imagine a local radio station that broadcasts, in sequence, an ad for sewing machines (yes, sewing machines) a "complete funeral service for less than $2,000" and "Wednesday night is all you can eat for $5 pasta night at the Snowy Mountain services club". Also, on national television, a public service ad for food health - which ends with the sound of a man retching in a toilet - followed immediately by a ad for "The new terryaki bun from Subway". Can't imagine the client was too happy about it. Have loaded some new photos. Off now to try another muffin and maybe a movie.