This blog is written about yesterday (8/3/13) but I didn't have a chance to do it yesterday so I'm doing it today (9/3/13)

Yesterday I parted with the most cash, well actually almost any cash at all this trip. I started my morning by purchasing my flight tickets to Fiji after breakfast [tick] : one thing crossed off my 'to do' list.

Then my Godmother suggested that, when she went to meet her friend for coffee in the nearby 'Diamond Creek Shopping Experience', I had a wander round and buy the essentials I couldn't fit into my suitcase to bring or had forgotten.

• Hairbrush [tick] : the one thing I seem to forget all the time when travelling, I had managed to leave on the other side of the world... oops!
• Sunglasses [tick] : I had managed to leave mine in the car my Mum took back to Guernsey (well done Esme) but amazingly my new 400 UV glasses were only $5 (£3.43)!
• The other bits and pieces I had purposely left behind due to luggage weight restrictions I picked up too

In the Australian chemists, the problem was, many of the other brands I hadn't seen before, so I couldn't tell which would be the best. So insect repellant and suncream for Fiji will have to be bought with some Australian expertise on hand...I had also forgotten to download a conversion app onto my iPod, so I had no idea how cheap or expensive the product was for what you were getting unless it was obvious. So my aimless wondering round the shop deciding whether I should buy certain products and part with my precious holiday money must have seemed a bit unusual, but at least I had time to enjoy the air-con!

After we got back and had some lunch, I started my research, with advice from my Godmother, on what to see and do around Melbourne while I was there. I also discussed a trip to the red centre and found some great deals online.

Friday night is late-night shopping in and around Melbourne, so my Godmother and I headed out for some time to relax together. She took me to her favourite hardware store, Masters, to buy some things for her Garden. Then we headed off to Northland, the biggest shopping mall in the north of Melbourne. Based very much on the layout of an American mall, shops on a huge maze-like layout on the downstairs floor, and cinemas upstairs with a food hall on one side. It was a great time for me, because all the Australian summer clothing was on sale as we are now heading into Autumn here and the hot, hot days we've been having are most unusual for this time of year. We shopped until the very last moment we could and then stopped for some dinner at Casa Bella.

Pretty much kicked out the door, 4 sets of 2 women (including us) were told to 'fix the bill' as they closed up everything around us. I guess we had all got a bit carried away chatting and was highly amusing that we had all fit the stereotype and had the gift of the gab.

It is now Saturday morning and my first real chance to hang out with all of my Godmother's family. It is Labour Day here on Monday so it's a three day weekend to enjoy for all. I'd better get going and enjoy it too.