Say Hello Wave Goodbye

To be honest, it feels like a big anti climax in Victoria since Jane & Ian have flown back to Sydney just yesterday, which to folks back at home, was Monday morning but as you read this now, to us, it will be Tuesday morning, very early indeed. I hoped they had a good time in Melbourne; they said they did, and they were certainly great guests and we tried our best to show them the sights and tried our best to be good hosts. But who knows. They certainly enjoyed seeing Phillip Island and so did we, much more the second time round. Unfortunately Jane got her knickers in a twist and Ian thought he was coming to visit Geoff & Denise’s lovely 5 bed villa with a pool so the anticipation and the reality was slightly different by the time they got to Berwick in the torrential rain. Phil’s hot chilli didn’t help the situation, but never mind I think they were still pleased to see us, especially as we had given them the master bed with the en-suite. Both Jane & Ian seemed to enjoy Buffing Billy and lunch in the Dandelongs and to be fair so did Phil and I, in spite of the breezy weather. At least it didn’t rain. Saturday evening, dinner was good, we were stuffed and the wine flowed. It was just such a shame that Jane had 2 nights of disturbed sleep.

On Friday night, the neighbours next door had a kids party witch seemed to turn into an adults drinking party by the time we hit the sack and apparently, according to Jane and Jem who were both kept awake, it turned into some kind of domestic violence which kicked in around 1am and ended around 5am. Me and Phil, being in the back wing, didn’t hear a dickybird and neither did Ian. So poor Jane who was already worried about the kids in the snow had a very restless and sleepless night. The next night wasn’t too good for her either. Around half one she heard someone shimmy over the back gate and then voices in the kitchen, then a car speeded off with high revs. We suspect it was Jem with a friend forgetting his keys after a night on the town but he denies all such knowledge. When I quizzed him yesterday about the matter, he tells me, it maybe, Arlene’s ex partner Jeff who apparently is back in Australia and is threatening to break into the house to get back his stuff. Great, I think to myself, that makes me feel really safe!!!!!!!

We spent a really good day back in Melbourne city with Jane & Ian and saw some sights we had missed on our previous 2 visits. The docklands took my breath away (nearly) and I simply adored St Kilda, it was awesome, as the young Oz folk would say out here. I would have liked to have stayed and listened to the live band but none of were hungry that early and were worried about the catching tram back into the city. As Phil has already reported, we got the tram back into China town and experienced the worst meal I have ever had put in front of me. The wine was good but the food was so bad, aside from one chicken satay stick, I had to leave it all. Never mind, it was an EXPERIENCE which I won’t forget and at least the company made up for it. We finished up in the Crowne Plaza bar www.crownplaza.com.au for some very palatable red wine for one last farewell drink. Jane and Ian have been to Oz many times visiting Jane’s Brother John who lives somewhere in the suburbs of Sydney and have given us many tips of where to go and what to visit. In fact Ian was a real whiz sussing out the Melbourne map and trams, more so than Phil, who had been in the city 2 times before. Jane & Ian would have had to set their alarm for 6am so they could have a cuppa and shower before getting into their pre-booked private taxi at 6.45am. I hate goodbyes and needed a lie-in, so we choose not to get up and did our goodbyes when we went to bed, somewhere just after 10pm. It was a real shock to find they had paid for our room when we left, not anticipated or certainly expected so J&I if you find your way into read, T H A N KS for that and come again!!! Only joking, we will pay them back some way and we’ve already talked about meeting up at Jane’s brother’s house for lunch or maybe a BBQ on the beach when we are in Sydney. They can’t provide us with accommodation as they already overflowing with Jane & Ian, Jane’s dad together with Charlotte, Lauren plus Jane’s brother John and his wife Simone and their 3 kids but that’s cool; if we get to see them in somewhere in Sydney’s suburbs than we will do and it will be great. If we don’t, then we don’t, we’ve decided we shall go with the flow. “No worries”….

It is approaching Christmas and my thoughts are back to home. Thanks BTW for all the emails, Vanessa, Jill, Emma and HH. I think maybe I was being a touch too cynical when I mentioned the first snowfall, it is bad and worst still, more ice and snow are forecast. I hate driving and wouldn’t even venture out of the house in the car if I didn’t have too; I am a crap driver after my car crash back in 2006 in the ice where I broke my wrist and knee; I am a real woos. Rather here, in cloudy rainy Melbourne with temperatures today of 24 than back in the UK any day Sheila.


It was rather tempting to lie in the queen bed, wrapped up in white silk sheets with views across the city and the bridge and take a stroll to do some shopping in Strastone Street rather then come back to Berwick but that’s just what we did. It was a little bit of a shame taking the train, then bus, then a taxi and coming home to find a pile of dirty dishes but that’s just the way it is here in number 44.

We knew we had lots of things to do before we venture out on the big road trip to Sydney so it was the best thing to get back early. Phil woke up Jem to get the keys for the car and we drove into to get some supplies. It was a lovely bright sunny day (for a change) and we sat outside a restaurant called S and had a light lunch. Phil had the chilli beef which was served with rice and tortillas and I choose the chicken tandori salad, which, when it arrived, was very disappointing. Chicken was tender and plentiful but sauce was a packet mix, shame really because the service was great, but another meal in Melbourne and I come away hungry once again. Did I already tell you that we driving today all the way to Sydney??? Yep, I’m a little wary but that’s the plan and there is no arguing with Phil once he has set his mind on something. We will be spending Christmas in Sydney and who knows after that. Blogs may be a little sporadic over the festive season because we’re not sure we will have an internet connection along the ocean road from Melbourne to Sydney; but you know us, we will do our very best.