Map of where i am

Courtesy of Windows Live Local and MS Paint (God i miss photoshop and fireworks)

Wednesday 28th June - PICS UPLOADED

**PHOTOS UPLOADED**

Hmmm i haven't been doing very well keeping this blog updated have I?

Well i have been busy with the underworld in Melbourne, murders, suicides, accidents, you name it and i've been there or at least seen the aftermath. I'm learning lots and getting a feel of whether i could do forensic pathology as a future career.

Apart from that i have now moved out of central Melbourne and am now living in the suburbs (Pascoe Vale)with someone from work. I have yet to explore the area, but it seems ok, there is a McDonalds 2 mins away. Only problem is now i have a 45 minute commute to work rather than a 7 minute one. The great thing is that it costs much less than living in the CBD and i can therefore use the money to do other stuff.

Last weekend I did some good stuff;

Sat morning i headed off down to St. Kilda and had a wander along the pier stopping for a coffee and to watch the sea birds dive bomb fish from a great height. I also saw some native penguins living in the breakwaters of the pier (they were all huddled together in some rocks so no photos - sorry :( )

After that i headed back to the city for a guided tour, as it is winter and there are not very many tourists, the tour 'party' consisted of me and ..... the guide. During the city tour i began to understand the saying of 'Melbourne - the city where you can experience 4 seasons in one day'.
The tour was quite good and its always interesting to hear about inner city history, and architecture from someone who knows a little bit about it, otherwise you miss alot of stuff. The tourguide told me about how fast Melbourne had developed, gave me an overview of some of the famous characters of Melbourne, and let me know why Melbourne is also known as "Smellbourne"

After the tour I visited the Melbourne museum, there was a very good 'LIFE' exhibition on, which included a tropical rainforest indoors, a Darwin evolution exhibition, lots of animal exhibitions and a human anatomy and autopsy exhibition (coals to Newcastle anyone??!). I began to get all light headed when i heard some girl describe the layout of the human instestines to her boyfriend/husband ...... "of course the large bowel comes before the small bowel you great galah ...." i patiently stood next to them and bit through my tounge ;)

Sunday morning, i headed off south east on a train and ended up in a place called Brighton Beach. From there i followed an art trail south for about 10K's to a place called Black Rock. The Port Philip Bay coastline is pretty amazing (and so are the houses the line it) - apparantly I saw Shane Warnes house, although at the time i didn't know that! The art down the coast was mainly landscape paintings from the 1800's (i appreciate landscape art alot)

During the walk i came across the most facinating public toilet, all automated an when you take a leak, it plays music. If you are in there for longer than 10 mins, a loiter alarm sounds and the doors open (God help those people who like to take their time, or are feeling a little bunged up!)

Sunday afternoon i went up the Rialto towers, 251m (824ft) above Melbourne, with great panoramas. Needless to say i spent the whole time leaving my sweaty palm prints all over the oberservation deck towers (not a big fan of heights!)

Anyway, feel free to check out my melbourne photos (starting at Newcastle Airport upto about yesterday - they can be found here >>

Wednesday 21st June

Been real busy at the institute, so not had much time to sight-see. Did a decomposed autopsy the other day, which was nice ........

Melbourne is a paradox for me, in that it is so like home and yet, so different.

For example,
They do
- speak English (just about!)however, i have noticed all English immigrants now have developed an Ozzie twang (even i am starting to use phrases like "he's gone walkabout" and "no worries" )
- drive on the same side of the road as us
- have messed up keyboards (i keep typing @ instead of ")
- have rather racist undertones (something that reminds me of the uk maybe 10 years ago)- despite such a multicultural environment
- have trams
- have lots of 'trendy' bars .......... yawn

They don't- have multipacks of small bags of crisps, just huge single bags
- serve pints (although everytime i go into a bar i ask for .... 'a pint' duurh!) - instead they have 'pots' (bigger than a 1/2 just) or 'schooners' (smaller than a pint)
- say "excuse me" when they want to be past you or "goodbye" when they put down the phone
- have seasonal affective disorder (SAD) everyone seems pretty happy and content
- have much water (they have a HUGE water conservation program)
- have many pubs

There are lots more ....

Been out most nights trying to find friends in local watering holes, i particularly like a certain Rock bar called 'Cherry' situated on AC/DC lane (i tell the truth!) and the Irish bars serve a mean pint of Guinness (albeit expensive! - $7 - 8). I have found a place close by that sells pots for $2.50 (about pound a pint)

Right thats enough talk of alcohol, makes me sound like i'm turning into an alcoholic .....

..... m'off down to bar for a schooner, will write later!

0/

A week in Oz

Since i have arrived i haven't had much chance to access a pc, and therefore have been unable to keep up contact. However, i now have better pc access and should be able to post more often. Uploading of photos is still an issue, so you will have to make do with some i have stolen off the net.

Where i have been so far;-

Melbourne

This is looking across the Yarra from towards federation square


This is the two banks of the Yarra looking towards the city


Elizabeth St looking down towards Flinders Street station (i live near here)


Royal botanical gardens


I live on Flinders Lane at the moment and there are cafes around that look like this

Been down to St Kilda (a costal resort)


Been to melbourne zoo, saw some local animals, plus the standard issue lions, tigers, elephants etc etc
http://www.melbournezoo.com.au/

Melbourne aquarium (worlds only frozen giant squid!)

http://www.melbourneaquarium.com.au/

Went to Queen Victoria Market on Sunday (didn't buy anything)
http://www.qvm.com.au/home.php

I have been other places, but don't have time to write tto much at the moment, so check back for more later :)

Safe and sound

Arrived Monday in Melbourne after 34 hours of travelling. Flights were pretty non-descript (a bit bumpy at times), LAX was a nightmare, total chaos plus i had no US dollars to spend on a drink, i was dehydrated and tired, needless to say i slept through the take off from LAX to Melbourne.

Flying into Melbourne i passed over Sydney at sunrise and saw the Operahouse and harbour bridge from a great vantage point.

Weather in Melbourne is overcast at the moment, but its such a great contrasting city that the weather doesn't really detract from the experience.

I have been welcomed at the Institute of Forensic medicine and was asked to do an autopsy on my second day there!

Backpackers is pretty basic, but it clean and friendly (and cheap).

I'm off to visit a rock bar i have just read about, will write more and post some pics when i get access to a PC at VIFM.

Later 0/

Feel free to leave comments!!

Click on the 'comments' link underneath each diary entry to leave comments, or just say hello

:)

How to view my pictures

I will occasionally put photos in the diary entries, but most of my photos will be uploaded to my online album which can be found here >> Photobucket album - Click the links on the page to see me!

1 day to go!

-------------------------------
My route is as follows;-

Newcastle >> Heathrow >> LAX >> Melbourne >> Cairns >> North NZ >> Fiji >> LAX >> Heathrow >> Newcastle

I leave LAX on 10th June and arrive in Melbourne on 12th June (Completely missing out the 11th altogether!)

Great Scott!

(not bad for someone who doesn't like flying!!)

-------------------------------
What i will be doing;-

** Melbourne - Working in the Victoria Institute of Forensic Medicine and generally sightseeing (Ramsay Street here i come!)
** Cairns - Relaxing, diving the Great barrier Reef and visiting the tropical rain forest
** North New Zealand - Meeting up with a friend and hiring a camper van to see the sights
** Fiji - Spending a few nights on Viti Levu, but will mostly be hopping around the Yasawa islands

June 6th - 4 days to go!

All loose ends tied up now, i just need to buy a suitcase and pack it :D

June 1st - 10 days and counting

Woohoo !