After dropping off Ruby at the airport...we were picked up by Janine and Leonardo. Janine is one of Helen's mums friends and for the final days of our Great Australian Adventure we would be staying with Janine, her husband Dom and their two adorable boys Dante and Leonardo.

From leaving the airport; We headed into Melbourne and headed straight for Parliament House where Janine's sister (who works at the House) took us on a private tour. We then had lunch at a cafe by the Queen Victoria Market. The market has been at the same site for 139 years, and eerily enough it was formerly a burial ground. We went for a wander by the Yarra river taking in the sights of the Southbank where we had a yummy hot chocolate in Lindt. On our way home we picked up Dante from school and Nick had a kick about in the garden with the boys before we settled for dinner.

The following morning all of us minus Dante who was at school headed into the city, our first stop was the Skydeck 88 of the Eureka Tower which took in stunning views of Melbourne....and after taking in the views we had a fabulous Italian lunch on Degraves Street. On our way back to the station we stopped by at Chokolait as their hot chocolate is apparently legendary - Janine and Nick found it too rich preferring Lindt's hot chocolate while Helen absolutely loved it. When we got home we chilled out while Nick had another kick about in the garden with the boys.

We headed back into Melbourne for dinner at Gingerboys - an Asian fusion restaurant and the food was simply delicious however Janine did gobble down a whole chilli thinking it was a carrot. We walked through Melbourne to the Crown Casino where we met up with Glen, a old London friend and his girlfriend for a couple of drinks. It turned out that they live in the same surburb as Janine and Dom so we headed home for a couple of drinks in the local.

On our last full day in Australia, we went on the Melbourne Cricket Ground tour, "one of the worlds great sporting venues". This was the 'must do' thing for Nick. At the stadium we met an old diving friend, Paul and a deaf family.

The MCG held the first AFL game in 1858, the first test between Australia and England in 1877, it was the central stadium for the 1956 Olympics and the 2006 Commonwealth games. The tour took us through the stadium, changing rooms, media rooms, management rooms etc. Nick thought it was amazing, while Helen thought it lacked personality as the stadium is not a 'home' stadium for anyone in particular and forgive her so saying so "it's just another stadium".

However the highlight of the MCG was the National Sports Museum, which was absolutely brilliant especially as Helen beat Nick in interactive games of Archery and a game where you have to react quickly turning off all the lights (if that makes sense?).

We both went for lunch with Paul at a pub opposite Flinders Street Station then headed home for dinner and to wrap up warm for an evening at the Rugby. We went to see the Wallabies Vs Wales (25-23), obviously we didn't bring Wales any luck with the Wallabies getting the final points after the whistle went :(

On our last day in Australia we got dropped off at the airport by Janine and Dante, both of us had a sinking feeling in our tums...as for some reason it felt like we were leaving home. WE LOVE AUSTRALIA!

We were well and truly spoilt by Janine, Dom, Dante and Leonardo and hope that we can return the favour when they visit the UK. We loved every minute with them and thank them for opening and sharing their home with us.

One thing about Melbourne; the standard of food is top notch, it's got an European cosmopolitan feel about it and is certainly the one city on our travels that most feels like home to us! One thing for sure, we will be back!