Happy new year from a stinking hot South Australia. 100 degrees and sticky, even up here in the hills with a breeze blowing through. They must be hot down there in the city.This is the long summer holiday for Australia, most people take their holidays now as the kids are off school and nobody wants to go to work in this weather. The beaches are packed, nothing moves very quickly and the city seems empty.
A lot of Australians will tell you that the last comment sums up Adelaide all year round and if it wasn’t for the 15 foot sharks prowling near the beaches here, nothing exciting would ever happen.
I think that’s a little harsh; if you’re looking for excitement Adelaide also has some of the best bush fires, worst roads, dodgiest pie fillings and most dangerous drivers you will find anywhere in Australia. It is thrill seeker heaven.
But it is nowhere near as big and buzzing as Melbourne where we spent Christmas. After a year in Adelaide, my first hour in Melbourne was intimidating. So many people, moving so fast with so much to look at, so many places to go, so much to do…..if we sat still for a minute a busker would start in front of us, if we dawdled at a crossing we would get swept up in the stampede from behind.
Aaaaahhhhhh!!! Adelaide is a country town in comparison. Don’t get me wrong, I love it. But Melbourne ROCKS.The plan was to watch England beat Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) and for me to have a few drinks with Jonny Mac (while Mandy drank tonic water) in celebration of the victory but also to absent friends as Paul couldn’t make it in the end….there’ll be a next time mate.
As plans go it wasn’t one from the A Team manual. You will of course know that, as we like to say over here, Australia gave us a bath. I watched most of the game through the gap between my fingers. Just when I thought it could get no worse….guess what.
To confuse a metaphor, England’s darkest hour came just after the dawn. The solitary ray of hope being turned into the deepest moment of disappointment, beautifully drawn out by the Aussies into four hours of the cruellest sporting torture.
Drip, drip, bloody drip. First my bubbly holiday mood went anti clockwise down the plug hole, followed by enthusiasm, hope, manners and stiff upper lip. I know it’s only a game but this sent me beyond empty. I could hardly lift myself to go to the bar.
All of which ruined what was an amazing experience, even Mandy enjoyed three days at the cricket. The MCG is an incredible place, there were 90,000 people watching a cricket match. 90,000! For a game of cricket! We had some of the best seats you could hope for at a stadium which defeats my powers of description. Let’s just say it’s big. And very well done.Anyway, it’s a good job Melbourne is such a vibrant city because we had two extra days to kill thanks to the lack of exploits of the cricket team. No problem in a city like this. If you want to see a stuffed racehorse (Phar Lap) or the rope that hung Ned Kelly, Melbourne is the place for you.
Sydney gets all the attention and it is a great city, but it all seems a bit of a shop window for Australia. Melbourne has got substance. I wouldn’t bother travelling round the world and spending three days in Melbourne, but I would do for two weeks. If you know what I mean.
We spent a night at Dame Edna Everage’s show, the Aussie jokes went mostly over our heads but didn’t really matter, she’s just funny whatever comes out. But almost best of all was the ‘loo with a view’. The 35th floor bathroom with a plate glass view over the city. As free entertainment goes this is scary, (I’m not great with heights), but very very cool. I’ll save you the picture of me using the facilities.We were almost relieved to be back in sleepy old Adelaide, not a stuffed horse in sight, and into the house in the hills. I say house, it is beginning to resemble a zoo.
Sitting on our veranda for an evening beer/tonic water, we found we were hosting two possums, one noisy koala (honestly, they sound like an angry donkey when they start), a handful of kookaburras and a few lorikeets.
I got a call from Mandy last week telling me that as she was putting out the washing, a koala climbed down the tree next to her, looked her up and down and wandered off across the ‘garden’. I ride to work down a couple of trails and scatter a family of kangaroos every morning.
Who said Adelaide was dull?
That’s enough for now, so happy new year and best wishes to you all from me and a rapidly expanding Mandy. It is quite a long walk around her these days.
Cheers
M&W
