Oaks Plaza Pier Glenelg

... beers and microbreweries.  My only complaint about  Australia.  Having said that, I only ever met one beer that I didn't like so we are not suffering.  Besides, if you don't feel like beer, the Aussie wines are first class and they have what they call "clearskins".  These are usually overstock from the wineries with generic labels that just tell you the type of grape and the region.  We have been picking up some wines from our favourite area in New Zealand ...

... it isn't surprising! The vine-covered trellis provides a lot of shade to the patio and the back windows. Michael cooked chicken on the big gas BBQ, our first Aussie Barbie! Then I looked through all the materials left for us by Phil and Laurena. We decided that the Flinders Ranges were really too far and the trip would be very costly so we opted for a visit to Kangaroo Island instead.

We were no sooner back in Melbourne than we were off again. This time to Adelaide and Alice Springs. Took a flight to Adelaide on a Sunday and the city was dead. Everything closed. Despite that it was really hard to get accommodation. We were sorry we hadn't pre-booked..eventually got the last bed at the YHA. Took an old tram (which apparently only runs on Sundays) to Glenelg and discovered where all the 'adelaidians' (is that plural for ...

... to finally meet. The same afternoon we went to Colin's for a BBQ with Uncle John and Aunty Heather. Colin had a crowd there for early Australia Day celebrations, it was a good night and as we did not get home until 1am in the morning, we had a sleep in the next day. It did take Greg all the next day to recover from his headache. On Monday 26 January, Australia Day we went for a drive down to Victor Harbour. We visited a few ...

... our stories and thoughts go back not just to places but more often its the people we met that made the trip stand out. I wish, as I did last year at this time,that we had got around to see many of more you than we did. You are in our thoughts as the New Year approaches. One of the luckiest advantages of having so many friends and acquaintances is that our six degrees of separation has shrunk by a degree or two. Its such a laugh to meet another traveler in a foreign land ...

... nothing about it that would make me want to move there though. Actually found time for 18 holes of golf for the first time since June. Ok so it was a par 3 course but it had holes measuring from 50 metres to 160, so it was reasonably challenging...and empty as I was one of about 4 people playing that afternoon. 13 over par if anyone is interested. Adelaide is very quite at night, possibly because I was there in the ...

Phew, it's been a HOT one today! The forecast was for a high of 32 C but it's still 30 C just now and it's almost 7pm. We'd always heard Australia (well the West and South at least) experienced a dry heat, rather than the humid heat we've had in, say, Mexico. We were never really sure what the difference was, but you can feel it. And out tour guide yesterday cleared it up - it's because places like Perth and Adelaide don't tend to get summer rain, whereas the south east ...

... At 12:00am I slept until around 9:00am.  They had a bunch of ****** movies playing and I had no problem sleeping through them.  We landed in Sydney without incident and proceeded to customs.  Customs can only be described as a cluster-****.  Huge lines, security everywhere, and guys walking around with dogs.  When they went down the line with the dogs, the poor guy in front of me got sniffed quite extensively.  I laughed to myself ...

... Opposite the town hall. Approximately five hours later we emerge somewhat intoxicated and swing by Tony's magnificent hostel around the corner for a few pints of Stella. The Australian Open tennis tournament is on TV which, for us, is about as boring as it gets. The tram conveys us smoothly back into the city where I abruptly tire of beer and decide I need my bunk at Sunny's. First, I chat with a Welsh couple out in the yard who have just bought a white Ford Falcon XF saloon ...

... a general scene of chaos. Why am I still in Australia, and can I at least send her some money ? Tony is a little aghast to be checking me back in to his hostel so quickly and I cannot begin to explain how I am connected to a love triangle in Thailand and hysterical girls climbing out of windows. Tony has witnessed enough of my capers in the short time I have been here. Later, as I begin to try to wire money to my Thai girlfriend, she ...