Just a quick update today, as I wrote a lovely, long blog entry in Port Douglas, which I promptly lost when I ran out of internet time :(

After a fabulously relaxing ten days in Port Douglas, Far North Queensland, with Mum and Dad, I have now arrived in Melbourne. We went our separate ways at Cairns airport (where I amazingly happened to bump into Liana, a friend from school), with Mum and Dad jumping on a plane to Sydney before going to Hong Kong and then home, and me heading right to the South of Australia to begin my East Coast travels.

Last night, I arrived at the hostel about 7pm and within about ten minutes had made my way downstairs to make sure I got into the "world famous" Neighbours night on time! This was brilliant fun, with a pub quiz (one of my favourite things ever, although this one sadly did not have enough questions on Neighbours), a chance to meet a few of the past and present stars of the show (Dr Karl, Donna, Steve Parker and Dylan Timmins, awesome!) and then see Dr K's band perform live. It was incredible! At least for a hardcore Neighbours geek like me. The place was filled with Brits and Irish, who all love the show, much to the bemusement of most of Australia, I think. Today I am going to do the Neighbours street tour, just to make sure I tick of as many cliched soap-related activities as possible.

The weather here is much cooler than it was in Port Douglas, where the sun shone and my skin became adorned with a patchwork of heat rash and sun burn, having become accustomed to the long winter I have been experiencing. Still, I absolutely loved lying in the sun doing nothing apart from people watching and reading and occasionally taking a dip in the risky stinger-infested ocean. We also visited Cape Tribulation and the rainforest and went twice to the local market, but mostly I had the pleasure of doing little and eating a lot, in all sorts of posh retaurants that are rather beyond the budget of a standard backpacker (thanks Mum and Dad!). It was also very luxurious to have a double bed all to myself; sadly last night saw me return to the top bunk of a bed with no ladder, beside a window with blaring traffic noise.

I have a week in Melbourne, and most of that time will be spent with Hannah Ord, an old school friend turned resident of Australia. We'll be going on a road trip to the Great Ocean Road which should be fun! Then next Tuesday I start heading up the East Coast. Apologies that I haven't been able to upload any photos - I don't wholeheartedly recommend the efficiency of STA travel blogs' uploading system! But they are on facebook if you're friends with me there, and if not, I'll bore you with them when I get home in August!