We couldn’t really be bothered with visiting Australia or New Zealand on our way round the world as we’d heard they were rubbish. But we had to stop off in Melbourne for a days to visit a few friends who have moved there. (There’s no one worth visiting in New Zealand).
We met up with Aaron on the first day before he kindly went on Holiday and let us use his house for the whole 10 days we were there. And his car, his DVDs, his booze and a few other things he doesn’t know about.
We were looked after by Coz, who took us on a trip down the Great Ocean Road. We stayed in his friends holiday house, that had the most amazing sea views from every room.
We also got to meet mini Coz – Gabriel – as well. Neither Iain or Gabriel seemed to know what to make of each other though and were more interested in feeling the wind in their faces.
We went out to the leafy suburbs to see Mark and Sam for the first time in about 3 years and met Eva for the first time. Iain managed to provide an excuse for Mark and Coz to go out for a ‘few beers’ in town, a rare treat for Dads but all too common for a travelling bum.
We’d arrived in Australia just in time to share a Belgian beer or two with Martin at his leaving do. You certainly need a few drinks if you’re leaving Melbourne after a few years to go back to Carlisle.
We also met up with Marie (without her travelling companion, Gabriella), our Swedish friend from the Mongolian yurt trip.
Food pic #23: Proper home cooked breakfast from Sam.
Iain visiting his favourite Melbourne site from his last visit. The impressively bog-eyed Steve Davis mural.
Sea views on the great Ocean road that are almost as good as the ones from our flat in Brighton.
We hang out with prams these days.
