Well we have arrived in Melbourne after getting a flight via Singapore from Bali. It only took 10h. We have found one of the main backpacker areas to stay - St Kildas - and have book some nights in the "Coffee Palace" hostel. Although, we have already found that the prices are so much more expensive here - one night is 12 quid!! Tonight we are off to the 'Neighbours' party in a bar down the road. Last night was so surreal. Dr Karl, Todie, Stuart and Connor were all there stood right in front of me. They all posed for photos with everyone and some people had the great pleasure of having their hand kissed by Dr Karl!! To round off the evening Dr Karl and his band played a set of songs, they were on for an hour! We also met some really nice British girls who were on our table for the quiz, Jenny and Emily, and then were up for dancing with Dr Karls band after!!! We stayed in "St Kilda" another night and on Wednesday decided to go for a 7km walk along the ''Esplanade", walking past all the sailing clubs and the older buildings of St Kilda. The area was not all that nice , but it did appear to be in the middle of some regeneration programme. In the evening we went to the cinema to see "Million Dollar Baby" with 'Tounsil' one of the guys from our dorm. On Thursday we moved from "St Kilda"(a suburb) into the main city area. We found a superb hostel ($28 - expensive to us but a good price here in Oz) called the "Greenhouse Backpacker", it has free breakfast+a kitchen and internet access. In the afternoon we went on a walking tour around the inner city. We found the main street "Collins Street" was really expensive, with designer shops everywhere! Some of the little streets that go off the main street have lovely old fashioned cafes on them, where as others have very new trendy bars. We then went to "Block Arcade" the oldest arcade with its glass roof and old mozic floor. Next we passed "Manchester Unity building", it was built in the 1930 so has really classic architecture. Right near the top of the building they have problems with the old roof as birds keep flying in! After that we took the road up towards the "Victoria Parliament" building and "St Patricks Cathedral". We then did a circle following the river, passing the very new and impressive Melbourne Cricket Ground. Along the Yarra river this week is a huge watersports festival so the area was quite busy. We then took the train to "Richmond" to shop in the 80% discount stores. It was needed as the south of Oz at the moment you need a jumper in the evening! In the evening we got back at 7pm for the "Greenhouse Backpacker" bar crawl, meeting our dorm-mates (4 Welsh Guys)to go out. For $3 you had a free drink in each of the 3 pubs that we went to ("The Charles Dickens pub", "Paddie O'Reillys" and "The Elephant and Wheelbarrow"). It was a top night, we met so many people and just had a laugh. Today (Friday) we met up with Dee, Annies Godmother, for a tour round the major shops of the city! We went to "Brunswick Street" near where she lives as this area is a little different, chilled out and alternative. It had lots of hippy/alternative shops, a different crowd to the main street .She was really nice and great fun, and we all went to lunch at "The Ritz". "Brunswick Street"was a good place to go as it had a different atmosphere altogether, one I really enjoyed. In the evening we went to a nice pizza place before heading to bed for our early start on Saturday!