Hello everyone!

After a busy first week, here is our much anticipated 2nd blog entry!

We have absolutley loved Melbourne as a city, so much to see and do, which is one of the reasons we are only just blogging now!

Last time we wrote, we had just booked up Great Ocean Road tour, a trip to see the Phillip Island Penguins, and a 'crappy' bus tour. Unfortunatly, due to a fatal illness, i was struck down in my prime, and Sam and Tors had to venture to Great Ocean Road....alone! How did they survive?! How did I survive?!...

Right..this is tors and as john was a little weak and threw up his one baked bean, (actually he was sick 5 times!-apparently-faking anyone?!) we saw the amazing sights along the most famous coastal drive on earth without him (nice and peaceful!) It is hard to describe but the huge limestone structures placed along the sands were pretty impressive to say the least. we have some great pictures, although the weather was not quite so pleasing. We were lashed with wind and rain the whole day, the bus driver (who has done the tour for 5 years) said that it was the worst conditions he has ever had to drive through, rather unexpected for australia as we bought one thin hoody each! we also saw the spectacular rain forest and even managed to spot some wild kangaroo and koala bears. all whilst john was laying in bed the poor thing! (not that he let us forget it!) so, wednesday was a fab day overall, and here is sam to continue our week...

So...thursday, not much to say as john was still feeling 'really really drained!' We were halted in our adventures due to the unpredictable weather conditions down south, with Melbourne living up to its nickname of '4 seasons in one day'. Hence why we have not got a tan as of yet. The pictures are going up ASAP but it is very late here atm and we have to be up at 5.00 am tommorow to begin our journey to Sydney! Friday...much rain so we went on 'crappy bus tour' (city tour of melbourne-freebie due to booking other trips) in the morning, however the sun came out in the afternoon and we managed to open our suncream tops for a grand total of 20 minutes! However coming on to Saturday, very important day as it was Johns birthday, who was thankfully 'pretty much better'......

So my birthday was lovely, thank you all for your cards and msgs etc- they were such a nice surprise. The weather was looking up so we spent the morning at the Yarra River, watching the watersports taking place due to the Moomba festival, and the afternoon relaxing in the Botanical gardens. In the evening, Sam got the party off to a wild start, finishing 2 WHOLE cups of southern comfort and falling asleep on the sofa, but we had a right old laugh drinking and making an array of hostel pals. (even chineese ones!- see we are broadening our minds!) Climbed into bed about 6 on sunday morning, Sam already well rested from his 12 hours 'nap' only to drag ourselves up again at 10am to gorge on the free breakfasts here!

Back to bed for a quick sleep, and up and out for our next tour, this time Philip Island, home to the worlds smallest penguins who swim all day catching fish and emerge back onto the beach each night to rest. on the way we went to a koala sactuary where we learnt an array of facts (did you know they have sex only once, with the male biting the females neck and pinning her against the tree!-john loved this!) we also saw some cute little ones really close in the trees. a real aussie treat. highlight for us all was stroking the kangaroos and feeding them, we didnt realise we got to do this and it was most exciting! after dusk we headed to the beach for the world famous penguin parade which was freezing but a sight to remember as the little fellows toddled in and out of the sea. (Sam and Tors found especially cute, the 100s of plastic tree protectors, which in the failing light- they mistook for the baby penguins...all stood rigidly still, in perfect unison...silent...)

Today (our last day in Melbourne) was the best day yet weatherwise, with not a cloud in sight all day. We took this opportunity to go to the beach nearby at St Kilda, once we managed to get John out of bed! As tors and i worried for his life once more during this evenful week, we were reassured to find out that he was 'just waking up darling!' This was still the case when we returned to the city, when it was time to wind down again. We have however had a bit of trouble on the washing clothes front, as we found that the washing machines dont wash, and the tumble drier doesnt dry, so at this very moment there are many soggy garments hanging up from every ridge in our room.

talking of rooms, our roomate scotty is a real treat. What one would refer to as a 'metal head.' he has many a-ring and leather pant combos and his favourate phrase is 'sweet ass man!' he is from new zealand and loves to gamble and SNOOORE! we have all been awakwe for hours throwing water bottles on the floor, screaming at him and shaking his bed, only to receive louder and more aggressive grunts! overall he is a real pal to us all in room 314!

we apologise for the lack of photographic material, but we are lazy and want to sleep now and you have had many words for now you greedy lot. (also we want to be brown so you feel even more jealous!)

keep messaging us, its so nice to hear from you all, and expect a blog soon from sydney along with all of our great photos.

love to you all!!!! Sam, Tors and John xxxx