Ahhhhhh Europe, Well Nearly!

The Melbourne page actually starts just before Melbourne.

As you will recall, (if you've been reading carefully!), I drove down to Melbourne with Clare from Canberra which was a bit of an adventure in itself. Don't think that Clare did all the driving, I did my fair share! The countryside from Canberra to Melbourne was sintilatingly beautiful, particulariy driving through the Great Dividing Range. Unfortunately I don't seem to have any photographs to prove this so you will just have to take my word for it.

The trip took 2 days and 1 night, with the night being spent at a campsite along the way. Had I of seen the "Blairwitch Project", I don't think I would have stayed there as it was bang smack in the middle of a forest just outside of a place called Merimbula on the South East coast.

Now you all may have noticed that thus far, since leaving Sydney, I had been very lucky with who I'd met and where I'd stayed. Well, things are no different when I arrived in Melbourne, for Paul once again came to my aid in providing me with a friend to stay with. This friend, Gary, the pomme ex-pat architect, just loves Melbourne so much he can't bear to go home. Gary was an absolute star in letting me crash on his floor while I was there.

The night I arrived Gary was having a bit of a party. Not being one to shy away from the odd beer or three, I joined in and we all had a really top night.

The next day I placed a call to the Canadian girls I had met in Byron Bay before Christmas time as I knew they were now living and working in Melbourne. Coincidentally, I found out they were living just around the corner from Gary. Anyway, I spoke to Jody and we agreed to meet up after she got off work.

The rest as they say is history, as shortly afterward we started going out!

When Jody was at work, I would put my time to good use by sightseeing and meeting friends of friends. Melbourne struck me as the most European-like city in Australia, with its beautiful architecture and cafe culture. Both Gary and Jody lived off of Chapel Street, a vibrant mecca of diverse culture happenings. This street particularily reminded me of Europe.

One of my excursions while in Melbourne was an excellent trip down the Great Ocean Road. It was also on this road trip that I spent some time hiking in the Grampians. I think the pictures will show you just how beautiful this part of the country is.

After a month of being in Melbourne, it was time to move on. The problem I faced at this point was where to go and who to see. I had the following dilemnas:

• I wanted to go to Perth (as was my original plan)
• Jody wanted to go to Cairns and wasn't planning on leaving for at least another month
• I had friends from the UK that were in Perth but leaving soon

As it transpired, I ended up comprimising this part of the trip. I decided that I would go to Central Australia and meet up with my friends from England. After this I would go on to Darwin where I would leave these friends, and travel south down the west coast to Perth where I would work for a month. After this, if funds would permit, I would fly/bus to Cairns to see Jody!

That was the tentative plan when I left Melbourne..... I wonder if that was actually what happended in the end?