Melbourne

23rd December - 6th January

Stayed with friends Rob and Bron in St Kilda for our first two nights in Melbourne and their hospitality was unbelievably brilliant.

We all went round to meet Rachel, one of my brother's friends, on our first night as she'd amazingly offered us the use of her flat for 9 days for free as she was away for most of Christmas.

Did some last minute shopping on Christmas Eve in Melbourne CBD with all of the other nutters and had drinks with Rob and Bron at Madame Bruxelles, a pretty swanky rooftop bar.

Christmas Day was brilliant and we managed to take a trip to the beach in between present opening and huge food consumption. Looked like it had snowed overnight in Melbourne, but discovered that Bron had bought some fake snow and been up early to sprinkle it around.

One of Bron's friends and her parents came round in the evening just in time for the cheese course and a Christmas quiz - some extremely dodgy marking cost me the title.

We stayed in a decent hotel for the nights of the 25th and 26th and had two great days at the MCG watching the cricket on the 26th and 27th. Couldn't quite believe how England absolutely smashed the Aussies and how much the Aussies hated losing - hahahahhahaha. Beers were 6.50 dollars a pint and they weren't even pints.

Aimee, one of Sarah's friends was sat on the row behind us on the first morning and we also caught up with Jonny and Hayley, more friends from the UK. The '4 seasons in one day' adage over here was never more true as the weather veered from hot sun, freezing shade and rain on each day.

We moved in to Rachel's lovely flat in St Kilda on the 28th and it was great to be able to unpack our rucksacks and relax with a roof over our heads after the campervan - though still having van flashbacks of heat and rain.

Met up with Wyndy, one of my mates from the UK for a few beers the next day and the barman managed to keep a straight face when asking for 9 dollars per pint - he may as well have been wearing a mask and brandishing a gun.

Wandered around Federation Square the next day and then took the train out to Burwood to catch up with Tom and Sophie, Sarah's friends, for lunch. Saw their new house which was pretty cool.

We went on a Rob organised Yarra Valley wine tour with 16 others for New Year's Eve. The temperature soared to 40 degrees so it's just as well our minibus was air conditioned. We all cracked into beers at 10.30am so it was going to be a long day. We made 4 stops at different wineries along the way and they were all very different.

Had a bit of an education on wine tasting from one of the staff at one venue and plenty of people bought bottles at all of the stops.

We all then headed back to Brighton to Kane's place (a mate of Rob's) for a BBQ and to drink our own weight in alcohol. We managed to get back to St Kilda by about 4am after stopping off at Rob and Bron's on the way back for more drinks.

Had terrible hangovers the next day, but had Katie and Alfie (mates from the UK) over for lunch and dinner and perked up after the first drink - massively concerning.

Saw Kate, Sam and Finlay (more friends from the UK) on the 2nd for lunch and wandered up to Fawkner Park for a chill out.

Had dinner with yet more friends from the UK the next day and Sarah spent the 4th with Kate and Finlay while I watched the cricket, with us both having met my old friend Cathryn and her husband for lunch.

All in all a great stay in Melbourne which was massively improved by some unbelievable hospitality and the chance to catch up with a load of friends from the UK.

Next stop, New Zealand.