Australia

So long and thanks for all the fish

25.03.2007 26 °C

We arrived to a bone-dry Victoria, suffering it's worst drought on record. Everywhere brown, dry and cracked. The last three weeks have seen some good rainfalls, though, and the worst does appear to be over.

Our first fortnight was spent largely with family in Gisborne, west of Melbourne, and catching up with relatives and friends. We spent a lovely weekend with old friends in Melbourne, whilst the kids played in the pool - BBQ, wine, beer, loud music and a lot of talking - amazing how you can meet up again after so many years and it might as well have been yesterday!

The new freeway system in Melbourne is brilliant!

We spent an enjoyable couple of days in Anglesea, on the Great Ocean Rd; out of season and very quiet and peaceful (which we needed after the weekend at Gary & Gayle's!).

On our second weekend we went to stay with my old friend Jack, up Upwey way in the Dandenongs. Very beautiful - feeding rosellas, kookaburras, cockatoos, butcher birds and possums from the balcony........

We went to the Mossvale Music Festival in East Gippsland, home of the World's longest worms (not a lot of people know that!). There were more hats and beards than you could poke a stick at. Some excellent music - notably an American band called The Mammals, and blues singer Eric Bibb.

Our last week was spent with Jack in the beautiful little town of Marlo, at the mouth of the Snowy River, about 400kms from Melbourne.

We kayak'd on the river with the kids, went out fishing in the boat. We BBQ'd the fish that one of us caught (suffice to say that it wasn't Jack, Frith or the kids!), and had sundowners and dinner on the veranda of the Marlo Pub, overlooking the magnificent Snowy Estuary.

Now we're getting ready to fly off to the Cook Islands tomorrow, it's was very nostalgic seeing old friends again and the hospitality has been fantastic. We'd like to thank everybody for making it such a magical holiday - and special thanks to Sheila and Bill for looking after us so well and for so kindly giving us use of their spare car(s) during our stay here.

Will miss:

Heather:

Woody & Tonka, Marlo, Family

Rhiannon:

Sunsets, Marlo, Birds, Possums

Frith:

Family and friends, Automatic cars, Marlo, Australian Bakeries, Cascade Light

Graham:

Best friends, Family, Marlo, The Dandenongs, Cascade, Wine shops.

Won't miss:

Heather:

flies, mosquitos

Rhiannon: