Avoiding heat and beer testing

The heat starts to build earlier and today well into the 30s. Early stroll took me to the Great Exhibition Hall. Very Grand.

but too hot to stay outside so into the Melbourne Museum. Now like all city museums it has its fair share of fossils and dinosaur bones but they had an inside/outside recreation of a Queensland Forest complete with animals and fish and very tall growing trees that was superbly done
Generally interesting and the way Australian institutions treat indigenous culture is odd. they praise it and hide any reference to what has happened to these tribes (not so true of NGV). So these sails from the isands in pride of place

A very moving section on WW1 following the lives of named people who jined up and non sanitised versions of their outcomes - one General committed suicide through guilt.

A quick trip to a brewery pub to check out local brew, only as a favour to our publican of course. A cloudy beer not unlike one produced at home. A tough job but someone has to do it.

Then to Melbourne Uni to an Art gallery. I walked into a room not knwing it was to be used for a lecture. Several artworks adorned the walls including

The lecture was to be for medical students in part of their course on ageing.  Thank heavens they weren't to be surgeons seeing the way organs had gone for a wander in anther direction. They had to earn how to describe what they see to make it intelligible to somebdy who had bever seen it.
Chatty John had to to talk to the lecturer who turned out to have a PhD from Cambridge so we compared notes on many things including the size of skies in various places.

Walking back (shady sides of al streets) I coud not help to ntice the difference in architecture
Old

 New

Far too hot to stay outside and hotel happy hour is at 4pm - whooos it has started.

p p pick up a penguin

Not allowed but you might see them. Another tram this time to the seaside area of St Kilda. A great Italian meal washed down with typical Italian wines (made in Australia) then out along the pier to the end. Totally entertaining kite surfers put on amazing displays. And a common cause breaks barriers and so people happily chatted - did you know a mix of B vitamins can reduce anxiety? Learnt that from a Tasmanian GP.
There is a spit going out made of large dumped rocks so many nooks and crannies for the fairy penguins to roost. Patience was needed as virtually dark before most came in. Still there was a warm up act.

This guy (plus his mates the diver bird and water rat) put on displays in front of the crowds and then as it was almost dark the first of the penguins came in. Many went to an area where nobody was allowed and their squawks were amazing. Some swam under the boardwalk we were on to get to the rocks behind us. This one was illuminated by a warden with a red light (no flash allowed), a colour they cannot see.

We are sailing, we are sailing

My doctor once prescribed a sea cruise but the cruise company would not take the prescription in place of money.Took the ferry to Wiliamstown. The ferry starts near the Eureka building, the tallest in Melbourne. At the top there is a viewing platform that moves out over nothing - then the floor turns transparent and I am informed that there is a sound effect of breaking glass. Guess the cleaner has a lot of work to do on that floor.
The building has a to covered in real gold (flaking off) to represent the Eureka gold mine and the red strips represent the blood of the miners killed by police some time ago.

To Williamstown down river through the dock area, the town that came about after the first settlers in the area landed (they got the convicts to build it of course).

I would now like to introduce you to something vicious, Toblerone cheese cake

I asked the waitress how many calories it had. She claimed they all fell out when it was cut - so this is no calorie Toblerone cheese cake. 

Lovely mix of old and new architecture with tree lined roads.

Then back on the ferry for the next adventure.

Subsidence

A term to bring fear to the heart of any UK householder. Here it seems normal from my observations of the results and histories recounted. All due to the fact that the earth bakes dry to depth and then swells in the rains. Some is temporary and doors that wouldn't shut in Summer doing so in Winter. Even more modern properties built on 1 concrete slab seem to have problems with the slab possibly tilting.

Perhaps UK insurers should shrug off their fear and realise that with changes to climate they will have to accept it as normal offset by the number of contractors that specialise in the remedial work and hence far less expensive than UK.

I'm in love

She is young, beautiful and strong willed. I hasten to add she is 2 and if Prince George needs a consort who can handle politicians when he is king, then he she look no further. utter determination to go exactly where she wants ignoring pleas to return even when attempting the record for the first person to walk across Melbourne Harbour wearing a nappy.

T

This is Zoe -  a girl with a future uness she attempts that abrted record.

A day at the Seaside

Visited a younger branch of the family yesterday in a suburb in Mount Waverley (mountain not spotted). A fairly affluent part of Melbourne and house prices on the up. In general as a Brit might imagine, bungalows with air conditioners attached but increasing these being replaced by 2 storey houses and large new blocks beginning to resemble the British approach of cram in as many as possible.
Lawn mower enthusiasts weep - the whole area is heavily treed, mainly conifers, giving shade and cooling and that plus ultra dry ground means that at this time of the year not much else grows. Obviously at the right time it does as I ate some of the veg grown and saw the home made jam stocks.

We drove to the Mornington Peninsular that forms the East of Melbourne Harbour and ended at the town of Sorrento. I presume Italian immgrants settked here and judging from the shops and restaurants there is still a strong Italian population. Delightful lunch and beach walk followed, of course by ice cream. From there to a viewpoint at Arthur's Seat (that is something to sit on and not somebody's car) and the vast area of Melbourne Harbour with the skyscrapers of the city just visible though the heat haze was before us.

I had said that I wanted proper Barramundi and I and the now further extended family ate wild
Barramundi, a hunchback looking fish salmon sized, cooked with an Indonesian slant and steamed in a steamer that I claimed was less a steamer and more a supertanker given its size.

A delightful friendly, laughing family day

Culture

Federation Square hsts a variety obuildings including the Australian Centre of the Moving Image and the National Gallery of Victoria.

Primrily I went to NGV to see the indigenous art and it was worth it. Styes ranged from what may be considered commercia and ripe for print sales to naive and dream impressions. Lots of sculptural items too.

But also found the galleries devoted to non indigenous Australian artists fascinating too and lost mysef (not difficut in a buiding that shape). My favourite stye is Impressionism nd several artists had studied in Paris during that era. Some glorious items. The trend towards celebrating the Outback when Australia moved towards city living early in the 2th Century presented some haunting landscapes.

Trams

Got my "Myki" card - in UK think Oyster card prepaid transport swipe card - and went appropriately to the Tram Museum

Fascinating. The brightly coloured one at the top was done by some artists from Karachi. The one on the right in the bottm photo used a cable for haulage.

Greta place but volunteers love to talk - escaping tricky.

Brits - think 99p/l petrol cheap?

99 here too - 99c or 50p!

You cannot choose your relatives BUT

if I could have, I could not have chosen better. The whole reason for this trip was to meet 3 (2nd) cousins, people who I had never met and knew limited amounts about. Coming from a branch of the family not good at family things, I was obviously nervous to say the least. But as soon as I climbed into the car with the two male ones and their wives it felt as if there was a click and I was suddenly part of something larger. Add the last one and her daughter and I felt I had been part of this group for ever. Frankly if I had to leave today I would feel the whole trip totally utterly worthwhile. So, so glad I came,

Whilst I will be seeing the youngest (my age so really young!) and his wife for longer at the end of my trip, already regretting not scheduling moore family time.

If this sounds emotional...

going round in circles

The problem with having a politician watch - it has 2 faces so you can see UK and Oz times simultaneously - is that I am so used to looking at the top face (UK) that I was in a rush to get flowers for a relative and be back at the hotel before 11am when I was to be picked up. So I was an hour out and decided to take a tram tour. Several elderly trams make a free circuit of the centre of Melbourne that takes around an hour nd at each stop there is a recorded commentary. Great for getting your bearingss and working out what to visit. Seems all trams in the centre are now free within that ring as well.
It isn't a complete circle as it goes up a small siding near the harbour and an English couple were sitting opposite with the wife having the tram map open. Now each stop is announced but the woman couldn't find where she was.
A guy leaned over when he heard this and said "never let a woman map read". Sat navs must have saved many a marriage.

reckoned without jet lag

Now for many 23C is not hot but hitting the streets with 4 hours sleep in 2 days and jet lag proved not to be so clever. with it that warm.  But did find the amazing Victoria market around a quarter mile square of covered market - could have bought boomerangs by the dozen. I had one once but threw it away - several times. But literally every ingredient for every cuisine. Skyline full of high rise and tower cranes with new blocks everywhere yet sandwiched in between old buidings like the Royal Mint.

Could not appreciate and do other and get bearings so forget food and bed by 6pm with solid 11 hours sleep. 24 hours without food no bad thing with my tum but breakfast beckons.


Plan today is lunch with my 3 cousins (second) in Brighton (haven't found an Australian West Witton yet but there probably is one) so off to market to buy flowers for the female one.

A few days of low 20s to get used to before it moves into 30s next week. 

Gloss worn off a bit

Dubai airport involved a train and bus journey and loads of walking. And the 777 seems dated compared to the quietness and quality of the Airbus. Couldn't stay on board at Sngapore so had to get off, wait and then back through security to feel my old seat still warm.

Did get to watch "The Martian" and get some sleep but total on whole trip no more than 4 hours.

First Australian I get to talk to is driver to hotel - who turns out to be a Croatian instead.

Sitting in hotel lobby, Radisson on Flagstaff, waiting for a romm with a lovely iew of the gardens opposite. You have to double take as it looks faintly different to an English park and of course it is the types and hence shapes of the trees.

Should be able to post photo or 2 later today. I can bore for England!!

Wow - ths is an experience - 39,000 FEET OVER TURKEY

Well boarding was a mess and the plane was 30 minutes late but after boarding it is like a high quaity restaurant/hotel. Loads of friendly staff, drinks, towels etc. Funny how you don't have a Sunday lunch for ages and then 2 come in convoy. So smoked salmon starter and roast chicken main, Generous portions and delicious. Silver service. And curiously I was personally presented with an iced cake.  Think I can only manage 1 slice.It has  "Bon Voyage" iced on it - why, who knows.

I'm in a window seat and between me and the aisle is my mini bar (soft drinks), table and controls for motorised seat. Confusingly I have both a 24 inch touch screen in front of me and a 10 inch tablet to the side which somehow are supposed to talk to each other and then a remote control I'm afraid to touch. Even the blinds are electric.

Trying not to sleep this leg and Spectre sound effects helped.

Who needs Heathrow

Started at 3pm , lovely Mercedes limo (gloat) but found drivers paid not just minimum wage but only paid when moving. Over 2.5hours to Manchester Airport as Manchester traffic so so slow. Check in with Emirates was welcoming and efficient but I'd forgotten how stressful security was. Thought they were going to remove my filings as well as all other metal. never mind, got through  even the sniffer dog ignored me and finally wended my way, around a km it felt, to the Emirates Lounge through the concessions. Wow. Thoroughly spoilt and as readers will know, being married to a vegetarian means no traditional Sunday Lunch a lot of the year.
SOLamb, roast potatoes, honeyed roast parsnips and carrots followed by chocolate pie and washed down with champers (double gloat). Unstressing quickly.

Now waiting for a  2 storey  block of flats they claim is an Airbus 380 and can fly to arrive.

Leaves 8.30 for a 7hr 15min flight to Dubai which will include more food and champers (triple gloat) and then just 1hr 50 to change to a 777 for a 16hr 20min flight. 1 stop on that to refill lemon scented tissues (if you haven't read Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy this joke won't apply to you). At least 2 meals, more champers on that. A hard life but determined to take advantage.

See you at the other end!!

I'll not go hungry nor thirsty

Just got the menus for all 3 legs of the outward journey. Wow. Sounds marvellous. But the odd thing, esecially for an Arab airline, is the complimentary booze list is far larger than the menu. I gather booze is not served whilst flying over a Muslim country but otherwise...

As for the wine list, a trifle short, 2 red, 2 white and champagne plus  a 20 year old Tawny Port. I should sleep well.

Thai Silk Boxer shorts

Did you know it seems you can ony get Thai Silk Boxer Shorts (nightwear for the use of) from, logically, Thaiand? So when I ordered some more for the holiday I was annoyed when they didn't arrive only to find my shorts had been seized by a customs officer. Thank heavens I wasn't in them at the time. It seems Customs have got wise to companies trading in the far East on Ebay and Amazon  and escaping VAT. So new Satin pyjamas it will have to be. Now I don't usually bother to cover up at night but not only did I have to consider fire alarms at hotels, I also fear my cousin's wife's hysterical laughter if I didn't hide my white floppity bits.

40 kg

Just realised my lovely Labrador Jay weighs 34kg so I could have him in my luggage but no way will he climb in the case. On the other hand I am in danger of packing one of the cats who has used the open case as a bed.

Down the pub I was asked who I woud miss most, my wife or my dog.

Small woman wanted

Oddly since I announced this trip several ladies of the opposite gender have asked if they can stow away in my luggage. More I feel for the destination than my secret allure.

Alas I feel that anyone who weighed under the limit of 40kg would still not fit in the case but imagine the problems if there was one who did.

If they were lucky security would think she was inflatable. I might have heard the request over the tannoy to deflate her as she could burst at cruising altitude or the security person might try themselves to find the valve (note spelling).

Ho hum just socks and underwear etc for company.

Hey it must be happening - just ordered $1,000 so shall have to go to spend it.

PS Royal Mail track and trace lst my money for over a day somewhere between London and Gateshead.