Hey!

Well we are still in Melbourne, and I am in fact writing this from the same internet cafe as before. It is about 20 degrees cooler and I am significantly poorer though!

Our quick visit to Melbourne did, in the end, turn into a month long fiesta of fun as we both like Melbourne so much that we dont want to leave, but after having seen the sights, walked out of a job (more about that later) and the weather deteriorating we have decided like sunflowers to head towards the sun.

Well, I wouldnt say our time in Melbourne has been as action-packed as New Zealand, but we have done a fair amount whilst we were here. Once we left the Wiggetts house we started the hunt for some work for a week or so, having scoured the internet and recruitment agencies we finally came up with selling electricity in a call centre, which sounded like a fantastic opportunity to further our careers (yeah right!)... little did we know we would barely last the week! Tom got to the point where he was seriously considering medical research, or selling a body part as an alternative to working there. Although I didnt enjoy it either, having been hardened by my 6 months in recruitment, I wasnt quite at the point where I wanted to chop off my arm as an alternative! However, after a week of being abused over the phone, and poor management, we couldnt hack it. To be perfectly honest, what really did it for me was when, during a power cut we were unable to sell the product the manager blamed us for having 'bad attitudes', and failed to acknowledge that a power-cut may not be the best time to try and convert people to a new electricity retailer! especially seeing as half of them did not have a phone that was working!

Anyway, moving on from that little episode, we have done lots of other stuff, which was much better than selling electricity.

Many of you will know that Melbourne is the home of 'Neighbours' and being massive fans we could resist going to 'Ramsey Street', but shock horror it is actually called 'Pin Oak Drive'! Despite this major set-back we soldiered on and went an had a look at Harold house and the Kennedys. It was very bizarre as it is just a normal street, nothing going on and people own and live in the houses there. The only difference is the bus loads of backpackers that turn up every half hour, gawp, take photos and leave again. On the Neighbours front, we also went to a Neighbours night last night at the hostel of one of our friends from work. It was AMAZING (well i think so!) and we met Paul Robinson, Lynne Scully and Elle Robinson. I was quite suprised at how good looking Paul Robinson is in real life, and you should have seen Tom with Elle (if you want a laugh go and look at the photo!) we had a great time and got thoroughly trolleyed which is always good.

Other than this we also went and saw all the other sights and sounds of Melboure, we went to the Melbourne Old Gaol where Ned Kelly was hung, which was pretty grim. We went to the famous Victoria Market which was great, and we bought lots of nice deli food that we couldnt afford, and lots of other things including an outdoors cinema and the big laugh out at Federation Square. Another major bonus to us staying in Melbourne for this time was that the Melbourne international comedy festival is on at the moment, which is the Southern hemisphere's version of the Edinbourough Fringe. During our time here we have seen Mark Watson, who is a welsh comedian that is quite often on programmes like 'Never Mind the Buzzcocks' and 'Mock the Week', we have seen Kristen Schaaal, who is the kookiest comedian known to man, and is the obsessive stalker in 'Flight of the Conchords'. We also saw Ross Noble the other night which was fantastic! I was so excited that he was here as he is a comedian that I have always wanted to see live and although he is English he actually lives in Oz. He was so so briliant and had his usual ramblings about spinning cows and granny jelly love. He ended the show, and then said 'any questions?' so we had a hilarious question and answer session at the end.

One of the real highlights of our time in Melbourne has got to be the Australian Rules Football game we went to. We went with people from our hostel, and first watched a rudimentary video showing us the rules of Aussie rules. I left this none-the-wiser as to what was going on, but picked a team anyway and I am now a true Richmond Tiger supporter (I have the scarf and everything!). Tom, being Tom, picked the opposite team and so he was rooting for Collingwood Magpies. We went and watched the game at the MCG, which is the 100,000 seater Wembley of Aussie rules (despite being a cricket ground?!), and the madness ensued! Having watched the game I am still none-the-wiser as too how it works but as far as I can tell it involves pretty much doing whatever you like to get the ball though post. They say 'Aussie Rules' but I am not sure what rules they were as I certainly didnt see any! It was fantastic to watch though, with these lean, mean men running, bouncing and punching there way all over the field. Tom assures me that his team won - but I am not so sure...Either way my 'boys' put up a valiant effort!

Well, having written all of that, I am now aware that Melbourne was pretty action packed! We are going to miss this city and the people we have met a lot...but onwards and upwards!

I hope you are fantastic. Thanks for the photo's of the snow Dad...I must admit I had a bit of an evil laugh looking through them.

Keep in touch on the 'wall'. Miss you all loads,

Liz and Tom xxx