Wednesday 20th Jan
Phillip Island to Melbourne
19deg and raining

Tropicana Hotel 189$ including breakfast. Ideally located. Lots to do, boat trips, wildlife reserves and lots of walking trails around short and long. Unfortunately we ran out of time. Would be worth a 2 night stop here

The population here is 10,000 and the numbers swell to 80 or 90 thousand in peak season. And everyone is still really nice and friendly.

Heading to the Nobbies but as its raining don't think we'll be doing the walk. Oh wow! A wallaby has just hopped across the road right in front of us.

Well the rain stopped so we did the walk and we were glad we did. This area is amazing. Wildlife paradise. Baby fluffy seagulls, tiny, fluffy blue penguins, hawks, huge geese by the side of the road and some other large bird with long neck and long red legs and then lots of wallabies just pottering. One was actually stopped in the centre of the road drinking from a puddle. We had to stop until he finished and hopped off. Excellent finish to our stay on Phillip Island, watching the Pelicans feeding at Davis Point.
It was amusing when we were all gathered round waiting for the person to come with the food. It was just about time when we saw a man approaching carrying several bags and he was giving them out go a few people. We were waiting excitedly for ours as we thought we must be able to help with the feeding. Turns out, he was bringing fish and chips for the family. Funny!

There were 27 pelicans today but can be up to 50. They are extremely tall and look rather cartoonish. It was really funny when she stopped feeding them and said to clap and when everyone clapped they toddled off back into the water.

I didn't know that Pelicans don't have a natural waterproof coat like ducks, instead, they have a gland on their backs and they peck at it to release the oil then they spread it over their feathers. They are large birds but, unbelievably weigh only 6 to 8 kg. They can hold 13 litres of water in their beaks.

We really enjoyed our morning on Phillip Island but leaving on our way to Melbourne now. Just at the drive through getting our McDonald's ice cream fix then were on our way.

Melbourne
Australian Tennis Open is on

Arrived at our hotel in Melbourne at 2.30pm. The Crown Metropole. Just have to check in then take the car back. Got the free tram (like a hop on hop off bus) around the city and got off by the harbour for a drink. Think Sam was gasping by then. We had a stroll around town and had our meal at Ca de Vin. A really nice restaurant which is basically in an alley. It takes up almost all of the space with tables on either side. Then we went for a nice walk and a drink along the river. Back to the hotel to bed.

Thursday 21st Jan
Overcast and misty this morning and looks a bit like it may rain. Botanical gardens today. On the way there, we went through an area which had all seats, beanbags and play equipment, a bar and huge TV screen showing the tennis live. Also walked through a fairground with screens and also a Sponge Bob slime machine which looked like fun. You go through it and it has gloop coming down from the ceiling. I spoke to the bloke who was looking after it. He was wearing a white overall with green stains all over. I asked does everyone get an overall. He was laughing and said no. They just get covered in gloop! I said is there somewhere to wash it off and he said no. They just leave it on! Still fun? Not sure!

We had a walk around the gardens then had a guided tour which was interesting. After the gardens we just had time to visit St Paul's Cathedral and go to the tourist info office to book tickets for Dracula's house cabaret tonight.

Quick shower and out again to catch the tram to the venue for 7pm. It was a great night starting with a glass of bubbly in the bar which was all gorey then going on a ghost train into the theatre. All the staff wore scary make up and the everything was well done. There was music on during the meal and the compare was really funny with his none PC jokes, acrobats and more music. We had an Australian couple on our table Lorraine and Garry. They were really nice and gave us a few tips for our NZ trip then after the show they very kindly gave us a lift back to our hotel. Thank you Lorraine :)

It was a great end to our brief stay in Melbourne. We had VIP tickets which included glass of bubbly, 3 course meal, and better seats than the cheaper option. Lorraine and Garry had been to the show several years ago but won these tickets in a pub auction. They paid 45$ for the 2 of them!!! What a bargain.

It was after 11 when we got back and we intended to get the cases ready for leaving at 5.30am tomorrow but we went straight to bed and set the alarm for 4am to give us plenty of time.

Friday 22nd January
Auckland here we come. Can't wait to see Mike, Gill, Louis and Daisy and as a bonus Dave and Jenny will be there too

All ready for the off in plenty of time. Raining when we boarded so hope those at the tennis don't get too wet.

Our flight is around 3hrs (left 9.30 ish landed 12.30 ish (2.30 nz time,) You could purchase food on board but nothing included and the entertainment console has TV series for free but to watch a movie its 10$ each movie. I watched Mysteries of Laura with Debra Messing. Have to check out the series as it seemed easy watching.

Flight very bumpy throughout with seat belt sign on the whole way

After passport control, immigration declaration of goods and we declared our uneaten sandwiches - didn't want to get fined again. It's 400$ now! We weren't allowed to keep them either. Chicken or egg are 2 of the things not allowed in). Had to wait for the taxi/bus to pick us up and take us to car hire. Finally got away 2hrs after landing, 4.35 by then. Picked up Toyota Corolla. Sat nav says we should be at Mikes just before 8.

Super fabulous to see everyone at Mike's. Dave has a beard now and looks really different. Mike and Gill did a wonderful BBQ for us all when we arrived. It was lovely and warm sitting outside and the drinks were flowing. I got to bed at 4.30am but Gill and Jenny surpassed themselves heading to bed at 6.30am when it was already light

Saturday 23rd Jan
Beautiful day today

To start the day, Daisy made some delicious chocolate brownies then when everyone finally emerged, Mike made a lovely BBQ breakfast / lunch then off for a walk up the mount. It's really beautiful up there but climbing up we had to question our sanity in taking Thelma up there in a mobility scooter 3 years ago to watch the sunset. We brought some of her ashes over with us commemorate her visit and also her birthday which she shares with Louis on 26th Jan and it was fitting to sprinkle them at the top of the mount.

Back home just in time for a shower and change to all go out for drinks and a delicious meal at Latitude 37.

Sunday 24th January
Brilliant day today. Really warm n sunny so after breakfast we headed off to the beach. Complete with surf boards, body boards, beach blankets, cool boxes and BBQ. Sam went in the sea with them all whilst Gill and I remained firmly on dry land. The waves where really strong. Jenny's body board cracked in half and Mike got dumped on his shoulder and grazed he's forehead but they all said they had a great time. Sam did BBQ lunch on the beach then we headed back for a dip in the pool which was lovely and warm while Dave and Jenny got packed. They're heading off to start their new life in Melbourne.

Great to see you both. Bye for now. Enjoy your adventure x x

The much anticipated water balloon fight went ahead and I had more than one bucket of water thrown over my head by my lovely grandson Louis. But Daisy wanted to protect me so every time i got the bucket, she hugged me so I'd only get half. How lovely is that?

Monday 25th January
Another beautiful day

Got Mike's car loaded up with kayak, motorboat and picnic and headed off to pilot bay to sail across to Matakana island. Sam and Louis were in the kayak being towed behind and on the way back, Daisy shared the kayak with Sam and Louis was in charge of driving the boat home and was very pleased with himself when he managed to pull start the engine for the first time.

While we were there the daredevils jumped in off the harbour, which was very, very deep and I enjoyed being in the shallows. The water at the island is much warmer due to its sheltered position. We saw a big sting ray in the shallows and hundreds of star fish.

The motor on the boat was playing up a bit on the way back so Mike had a tinker with that while I went in the pool which was super warm, while Louis and Sam tried to get a 42 inch flat screen TV to work. Louis had been excited all day as he'd seen it in the skip next to his house and wanted it to play his computer games on. Sadly, there was a reason it was in the skip, it didn't work. But seeing him taking it apart reminded me of when Mike, Kev, Ian and David spent many a happy hour on the patio stripping out an old washing machine and printer.

After tea we set the scene for Louis birthday tomorrow

Tuesday 26th January
Louis birthday 14 today
Overcast this morning but still warm

Louis was so excited last night he could hardly sleep. Up at 7 this morning for present opening then after breakfast we went to the trampoline park, an indoor facility which has lots of trampolines and zorb balls which I've never seen. You wear them and jump around on a trampoline leaping on each other. Looks really hard work and very hot and claustrophobic then when they finished there, into this huge indoor area with lots of trampolines to leap from one to the other. I was exhausted just watching them.

looked like rain but later on we decided to risk taking a walk along the beach to Bluebiyou and had a drink overlooking the sea. Beautiful. Earlier today the waves had been 5metres high!! They had to close the walking track round Mount Maunganui, a popular recreation area, for fear of people getting washed into the sea. Louis choice for his birthday was pizza and a movie at home so that's what we did.

We really enjoyed our last day with the family. Heading off 8.30 in the morning headed for Auckland for flight to Christchurch