Melbourne Day 1&2

Happy New Year from Down Unda Mates!

Hope you all had lovely New Years and have long since recovered from the hangover. Managed to find an Internet Cafe (obviously) and am currently hiding out from the 95 degree sunny weather by drinking a flat white coffee and catching up with all of you.

Let me begin by saying, the plane ride was honestly the longest one of my entire life. FOURTEEN HOURS. That was enough time to eat, watch a movie (Superbad), sleep a full night, wake up and get ill from the sleeping pills, get sick, get moved to a bed in business class for a few more hours sleep (and not to share too many details but it was not until I actually GOT sick did they let me lay down), recover from being sick, watch some more tv, eat and then land.

But all in all the jet lag is actually pretty minimal considering I am 16 hours ahead of you all. (If anyone wants me to let them know what happens to them tomorrow, I can tell you :) )

So far so good in Melbourne. The weather has been awesome - low 80s to upper 90s - and we have managed to not get lost or do anything incredibly stupid just yet. The city is VERY easy to negotiate, public transport is good, the streets make sense and our little B&B is comfortable, clean and quiet. There are coffee shops EVERYWHERE and practically every restaurant has outdoor cafe seating.

Loves it.

Wednesday we explored the Central Business District, walked along the Yarra River (which reminded me TONS of Southbank in London along the Thames - except for the 80 degree weather), Chinatown and then headed out to Brunswick Street for some laid back cafe hopping at dinner time. Yesterday we hit the Queen Victoria Market (everything from super fresh produce to boomerangs) and St Kilda Beach area where I found my happy place in a swinging chair with a glass of rose in hand and a view of the beach as the sun contemplated setting. I would post a photo of me sittting there with the biggest grin you have ever seen but this Internet cafe computer doesn't want to make friends with my camera.

Next time.

I already have a sunburn - which is already turning into a tan - and Kjersti and I have both already lost track of what day and what time it is. Only our itinerary keeps us honest at this point.

Today (Friday) we are renting a car and driving south to see the little penguins on Philip Island and some Koala at the Koala Conservancy there. Tomorrow we explore the Great Ocean Road to check out the 12 Apostles and then on Sunday we drive to Sydney.

I'll try to post one more time before we hit the road north...

Later gators!