Bye Bye Melbourne...

Hi All - Just biding my time before I head to the airport to fly to NZ, Until five minutes ago I was well looking forward to it until I read a an email from Jen at Work saying that the weathers crap in NZ and the hostel she stayed in Christchurch a couple of days ago was a complete dump.. which turns out to be the place I'm staying tonight... mmmmm brill.

Apart from that all's cool... I've really enjoyed being in both Sydney and Melbourne but I am longing to get back out into some big open country. Living & Visiting in a big city is great but coming here was about seeing outside the cities and I'm now itching to get back out there into the wilderness. My planes lands in NZ at 11.35pm (their time) and my tour starts tomorrow at 8am... so if the hostel is crap I wont get chance to see it as I wont be there long enough.

Spent the last couple of day wondering around the city - Yesterday met up with one of the girls (Eunice) from the diving course - she lives in Melbourne and showed me some of the site's.. We went up the Rialto tower to the observation deck on floor 55.. amazing views... the lift literally too 20 seconds to get to the top.

Then we went to a fantastic Sushi bar... which was playing funky piano jazz music. After some great sushi (and I thought M&S Sushi was great) we headed to the Contemporary Museum in Federation Sq. There was a photography exhibition on new Australian Photographer's - There was some fantastic work but others were very badly Photo-shopped and quite embarrassing to look at ...

Last night I met with Sharon who use to live in London.. Had a great night and ended up in a greasy spoon equivalent of a Chinese restaurant - packed full of Chinese families - so that means it was going to be good... Well the fried pork dumpling we had for starter was bloody ace... the main meal was a bit whooooo - what the frig is that... but still nice. You had to take your own drink and they supply the cups... pretty freaky really - but cool and CHEAP! Loads of Pork Dumpling and too large bowls of noodles and soup $23.00 or 12 pounds... bargain - seriously it is cheaper here to eat out than go shopping.... After that we went to a hoxton like bar - it was an old cargo container transformed into a bar... great place I know everyone in London would have loved it.

Right - feel like I've bored you all enough now... How all's ok -

Trouble - I've posted your Birthday card - Speak to you before then...

Mort did you get my text message - let me know!!

Ill post next in New Zealand - where the weather is going to be glorious and the hostel is going to be 4 star...

Take Care - Rich