Melbourne

Am now in Melbourne for a few days! Arrived on Thursday and leave on Tuesday for the Whitsundays.

Still trying to squeeze in as much as possible, went for a tour of the Great Ocean Road on Friday - didn't get off to a great start as the minibus suffered a blown tyre on the freeway!! But the driver (and a few passengers) managed to change the wheel and we were off again - lots of twisty and windy roads with fantastic beach views!

Yesterday went to the City Museum and the immigration museum; second museum about immigration that I have been to - I just find the whole subject so fasctinating - what courage it must have taken to sail thousands of miles to create a new life for yourself.

Today I am busier still, popped along to the Queen Victoria Building where there is a very big market - all kinds of things - fruit, meat, seafood, clothes, tourist stuff, etc etc - even took a photograph of a pile of baby octupus all ready to cook! (ewgh!). Have just been to the Old Melbourne Gaol - fasctinating stories, visited the Watch House where we all got treated as suspects!! Had a photo taken of me holding a serial number! Will put that one up as soon as I get back home!

Now I am in another natural habitat - Victoria State Library - I don't suppose that many tourists know that these libraries provide free internet access!! Then this afternoon I am off to Melbourne Museum and then on the way back to the hotel I plan to stop for an iced chocolate drink at KokoBlacks - a well known chocolate haunt for Melbournians!!

The Grand Prix is on in Melbourne at the moment, but it does not appear to disrupt city life too much - only when the spectators are coming and going from the racetrack, then you see them in their droves - all wearing those laminated passes around their necks!!