The Big Blog

Things required for reading this post:
1) A nice hot cup of tea.
2) Plenty of time.
3) A high boredom threshold.
4) Maybe a couple of biscuits.

Right then. You ready?
OK here goes.

I last left you in Auckland and in typical blog style that is where I shall pick up the story once more. After a couple of days in Auckland the Fox was off to Oz whilst Em and I had a few days left in NZ. We got a ferry over to Waikeke island just off the coast near Auckland. It was a nice quiet little island where we had a campsite and beach to ourselves for free!. We only stayed a couple of nights but it was nice and relaxing and we had a little swim in the sea. That left us with a couple of days in Auckland to sort out photos and be dragged around the shops.

On the 4th we flew to Melbourne. It is a nice enough city but nothing to write home about- unless that is you count blogs as writing home, because then i guess it is, cos i'm writing about it. What? Oh dear I'm rambling already and there is still some way to go.
After a couple of days in the city we hired a car to drive the Great Ocean Road. We drove out to the end of it in the evening, found a spot to do a spot of cheeky free camping and spent the next day driving back to Melbourne on the GOR. (oh BTW Em and foxy, the Gibson steps really were just those steps we walked down. They supposedly give you a different view of the 12 apostles). Anywhoo, it was scenic and all that but perhaps a better name for it would be the Relatively Nice Compared To Other Ocean Roads Road- Catchy don't you think. The driving of it was fun and I was pleased to discover that I hadn't entirely forgotten how to drive a manual car.

After the RNCTOORR we had one last night together in Melbourne and were surprised to find it so quiet in the city. Then the following morning Em and the Fox set off to Adelaide meaning that it was the end of our Fellowship-(sorry, i'm in Oz now- I'll stop the LOTR references).
I stayed one more night in Melbourne and discovered why Thursday night had been so quiet- everybody was saving themselves for Friday night. The bars were full, there were allyways full of bars which were packed with live music in the streets. I just wandered around soaking up the atmosphere- drinks were too expensive!.

The next day I booked a last minute cheap train ticket for that night, then had the day to see more of Melbourne- The botanical gardens, the MCG and the afternoon to chill in the park in the sun reading LOTR and having a couple of beers. Oh that reminds me. I've bought a shiny new camera!, I was just sharing Emma's but as she is going up the West coast and i am going up the East, that probably won't work anymore.

I'm in Sydney now and your tea is getting cold, but as I was saying, I'm in Sydney and I absolutely love it! Most people prefer Melbourne. Not Me.
When I got to Sydney it was cold and raining and cold- oops I already said cold. Suffice to say it was Shitty. It seems the East coast has been getting battered by storms lately. However everywhere I go, I do as is advised by Crowded House, I take the weather with me and it is now bloody lovely. For my second day it was sunny and warm (and sunny). I went for a walk down to sydney harbour bridge, the opera house and the botanical gardens. It was 'the long weekend' for the Queen's birthday so there were street entertainers and music in the streets.
I've found a really cool place to stay and it's pretty cheap. Last night we dressed up as women so that we got free champagne at the karaoke. I will try to get the videos of me singing Britney Oops I and Hit me baby on u tube, but i fear that may be too technical for me. I had a great night and didn't spend a penny. Had free champagne plus i got free drinks for my awesome singing. Luckily I had shaved my beard off a couple of days ago (NOT THE BEARD!!! - Ok thats the last one) so i was a passable woman.

Yesterday I walked the Bondi-Coogee coastal path where i took a copious amount of photos of water crashing on to rocks. It was also a really nice walk, plus that means i've pretty much seen what I want to in Sydney. Tomorrow I'm heading out to the Blue Mountains to have a bit of an explore and do a bit more cheeky free camping. I'll then head back into sydney afterwards so that i can leave some of my stuff here. But thats the future- theres no need for me to tell you that now. I will also get some photos on the website and hopefully make links to them as well as Emma's and Foxy's blogs. The links should appear somewhere over there -------->

So there you have it. Your bang up to date now, so that will be all for now I think. I am leaving now. Goodbye
xx Matt xx