Not quite committed to adulthood: Christmas and New Years in Melbourne

It is Christmas Eve and it is sunny!

It is also Tom's birthday so we start the day with a trip to the beach for Tom, followed by a picnic in the park and a night out in Melbourne. The park is so great, they have gas bbq's set up for anyone to come along and use whenever they like! They are all clean, modern and not even vandalized like they would be in England! The day is wonderful and the bar at night is really lovely, a kind of indoor/outdoor garden themed place.

Playing Poi

Throw another shrimp on the Barbie!

AND IT"S CHRISTMAS! We settle in for the day, all wearing matching red and santa hats! Duncan and Carys cook up a storm in the kitchen and I busy myself making the room all candle-y! We even find a good Christmas movie to get in the mood too. Such a lovely day with friends and until we opened the blinds it was as dark as Christmas would be in England! We got lots of lovely gifts for Carys and Tom to say thanks for having us stay over Christmas and I even got Duncan a special gift...a bottle of coke zero. The pure romance of it!

Lovely Puds you got there Duncan!

Family Portrait!

oooh for me? You shouldn't have!

We spend the next few days in Melbourne exploring the city some more, visiting the Victoria Market in the day (where we buy some proper tourist stuff like boomerang and Koala's and get get a picture painted for us by a local artist), take the tram ride around the city centre, visit the casino and riverfront, visit the local St Kilda Beach and enjoy a local football match Melbourne V Newcastle! The Victory (Melbourne) win in the final minute..woohoo (although we were sitting in the away section so we couldn't be too loud about it!).

Our picture being created

Victory win!

Melbourne City

Just before New Years Carys' family arrives so we unfortunately have to move to a city hostel. and it is grim. Our room smells of damp and urine at the same time AND the window has been open all day. There is a foot of space on 2 sides of the bed but we notice it isn't quite against the wall so we pick it up to move it and the whole thing collapses!
After 45minutes they figure it can't be fixed so we get moved into a huge dorm room, with ensuite, and we get it all to ourselves! yay!

It's New Years Eve and the weather has hotted up considerably! It is 40 degrees out and even though it is windy the wind feels like a hair dryer or fan heater on full! It is quite choking. Luckily this means it is quite warm all night long so we can enjoy sitting on Tom and Carys roof overlooking the city for some fabulous views of the rooftop fireworks in the city and by the harbour! It's a lovely evening and a great way to see in the New Year - warm and drunk. (oh and I stole a party blower from a passing child - haha)