AM/PM

Wow, what a long flight. Don't really know why I'm surprised, its sort of predictable. Watched some good telly vision including a generous dose of family guy, mr bean and that Louis Theroux (sp?) documentary about the mental Christan extremists from the US who hawk dead soldiers for fun, saying everyone's going to hell. Nice people. Attonement, Beowolf, Bourne Supremecy were all watched, too, and I fell to sleep to a live Wolfmother gig (not real live on the plane, that'd be silly). Good stuff! Felt weak after a diet of Oriental Vegetarian food, however, suplemented by Werther's Originals and 'Victiora Bitter' er, bitter.

Stopped off in Hong Kong, or as I call it, Honk Gong. Twas foggy however, so I only managed to glimpse some rather steep, spectacular hills under a thick mist veil on the way out. If I looked really hard, I probably could have seen a man in a conical woven hat waving at me. Sat next to a man who promply went to sleep with his hairy ears, waking only to have a go at the airstuard/ess who dared to offer him a meal. The cheek of it. Had to wake him up, after much tension, to go wee wee. I fared better though, leaving me open to 1/2 an hour of him telling me how the plane could take off with one engine which meant that the 2 engine 747s had a higher power to weight ratio than the 4 engine 747s and how he flew cargo 747s and how all pilots break the rules to get sleep with sleeping pills just like these *shows them to me*. Thanks.

The Oz outback was the only piece of land I really saw before darkness decended, (see pic that I can't figure out how to turn) its INCREDIBLY big, taking us about 4 hours to fly over it. It's incomprehendibly large to mere pommies, so hopefully I'll make it as far north as I would like.

Anyway, 24 hours after bidding the 'rents a lumpy throated good bye, I arrived in Melbourne airport, in Australia! 45 mins of queuing for immigration later (and accidentally ticking the >$AU10,000 Cash box...), I was greeted by my host, Nina.

Thank God (other deities are available) that ozzies drink REAL tea! Big worry, as in the US there was only crappy ice-tea and herbal stuff - Propertea was a specialist, quaint stuff. That sorted, I greeted the dog, called Lucy, like my mum, except an Alsatian (who I have taken to talking to with an Ozzie accent, as if she wouldn't understand me without) and provided a bottle of Jameson's Duty Free to my wonderful hosts; Nina is my mum's cousin and went travelling themselves around Oz when they were 17! Their house is just like one on Neighbours (in the same city, too); an open-plan bungalow with a nice place to chill outside. Before I went to sleep, I was greeted by a wee cockroach, who ran like one of those zombies from 28 Days Later under a cupboard, only to reappear to face the onslaught of a handy bug killing spray. Apparently it only paralysed the bastard, so I think its still twitching in the bin. Serves it right.

Deeeecent night sleep, though writing this my body clock is complaining somewhat.

Went exploring the 'hood in glorious sunshine, bluebird skies, not-too intimidating heats (23 degrees ish), shorts, t-shirt and flip-flops. Its pretty suburban, and full of 4-lane roads, similar to the US. Funny little clicking pedestrian crossings, which click like a dolphin when it is time to cross. Being stung for changing my remaining pounds (there's no pound sign on this anti-pome (read racist) keyboard), I bought a new simcard, which currently ain't working with my phone... Going to try and get it unlocked at some point. Why wouldn't an Oz Virgin Mobile sim work, whereas my UK Virgin Mobile one does?? Grrrrr...

Ozzies still have 'Safeway's supermarkets here, which is crazy. They also have different cartoons on Kellogs Rice Crispies. More observant observations later.

Going for some pizza later with Nina & her sons and Keith, should round off a good 1st day :D

Sorry for the length, but I need to protect against snakes.