The view from our flat above the chemist on King Street, Newtown. We had an awesome place right in the middle of everything which we shared with a musician and a guy we were reliably told was an IT guy who I don't think we ever saw! This is where the photos from my camera stop as its broken but thankfully I've got most of the pictures off it and Charlotte should have the rest on hers..... To Be Continued

A baby penguin

Tazmanian devil! quite possibly my fourth favourite animal in the zoo (he definitely loses out to the koala, kangaroo and penguin but thats some strong competition!) he looks nothing like the taz I kow from the cartoon characters but I'm fairly sure thats what this guy is.

My first Kangaroo! we went to a zoo with Marty and Kate and their 1 or maybe 2 year old Aliyas. The kangaroos just bounce around the zoo which was cool.

Waterfall at the blue mountains. There were loads of huge waterfalls and I'm not sure my camera does this one justice but they were an amazing site - we're heading back off there for the easter weekend I think. I've just had another look at this picture it might not actually be a waterfall at all... that might be the view from a walk we went on with Marty and Kate but its still a good view.

The blue mountains - we headed up to the blue mountains after we got to sydney to see charlottes relatives who live nearby. The mountains are amazing so hence the reappearance of the attempted panoramic shots!

Compulsory neighbours tour - I wasn't expecting anything and I'll be honest I wasn't disappointed. They drove us round the school which could easily have been anywhere, then they drove us round what looked like a rubbish tip and told us various scenes had been made there but we did finally get to ramsay street which looked much like it does on tv although disappointingly there was no Carl Kennedy!

So we met up with some of robs friends and there was only one thing to go and do... bingo hosted by some cross dressers! No idea if this is an australian thing and it attracted a bit of an odd crowd but it was a great night out even if we hadn't got a clue what was going on.

Us being locked up in a padded cell - as part of the 'experience' they split the girls and the guys and put me and rob in a cell together and turned off the lights which was terrifying I don't really trust rob in the light! thankfully it was fairly short lived and then we could go and wander round the rest of the jail.

When Rob came to town! Rob came down from the gold coast so we met up and he suggested we head to see the jail and experience what a 'real life' prisoner would feel like - If I'm right this is Ned Kelly's suit of armour which makes him quite a bit smaller than me...

Us chilling out on a beach along the great ocean road

I want to call these rocks ' The needles' but I'm pretty sure thats a place in the isle of wight... I've just remembered their called the 12 apostles - I think some have eroded away but they've stuck with the name

We went for a walk in a rainforest which was awesome but they told us there might be snakes so we were just a little on edge. Haven't seen any snakes yet though...

My first red parrot?! as you can imagine this guy was impressive but got pretty badly overshadowed by

the Koala!

My first koala!

Our tour bus which played us tunes as we went along such as 'Please don't call me a Koala Bear' which I still haven't managed to get out of my head.

Us starting off what must be the best day yet in Australia. We headed off along the Great Ocean Road to see koalas and some amazing beaches along the coast.

One of the huge markets in Melbourne that was recommended by the guidebook as a good place to buy some fresh food - this picture doesn't do it just it was huge with fish and meat and cheese and fruit and veg. Unfortunately due to our culinary, lets call it 'inexperience', I think we walked away with some plums and the ingredients for a very nice ham and cheese sandwich!

Us on top of an impressive memorial building for soldiers that died in the 1st world war which is huge and has some great views over Melbourne.

Melbourne botanical gardens where we watched an open air cinema showing of 'This it it' showing MJ preparing for the 02 gigs and we spent a good couple of days chilling out with ice creams and reading our books.

We went down to the docklands today but got a bit lost and had a mamoth trek in the roasting sun - I think this was a public holiday and I'd read somewhere that a huge sand sculpture had been erected down by the dock - now I think I was expecting the pyramids of something because I was a bit underwealmed by this sculpture but it is very good - there's also a Levi outlet just by it so I am now the proud owner of some Levi Jeans although I haven't had much of a chance to wear them yet! There is also a very good banana sundae place that shouldn't be missed out on if you ever find yourself chilling out down by Melbourne Docklands.

The MCG which apparently shows lots of good cricket games but we snuck in to watch the final of the womens cup for something and I think it was only me, charlotte and the friends and family of the players that were there!

The big screen in Fed Square in the centre of Melbourne where we watched a lot of the tennis - I think this match was Henin dishing out a thrashing on her charge for the title! They had deckchairs you could sit in an watch the matches during the day or there are restaurants round the side which had heating so we retreated into them and ate very slowly for a couple of the late matches!

This is me trying to pose by some modern art by the side of the Yarra - granted its early in the trip and the posing still needs some work but honestly what am I up to?! This was such a sunny day was really nice walking along the river I wish I could remember what this sculpture was meant to be it looks a bit like a multicultural dog but not sure thats what the artist called it!

We walked up the river from our hotel into town to watch the tennis on the big screen in Fed square on a really sunny day - there's public bbq areas everywhere along the Yarra so everyone was out enjoying them - we've had our first australian bbq now and they're pretty good but we were told shrimp on the bbq is a bit of a myth so had to settle for some very nice meat up at Marty and Kate's in the blue mountains - I don't know whether thats true or if they just don't like shrimp...

The Yarra river it runs through the heart of Melbourne and is much nicer than the thames! I went jogging along it a couple of evenings and it was only a 30 minute walk along the river from our hotel to the city. The cranes in the background are where they're starting to build a new court over at Rod Laver - maybe one to check out next year!

Rod Laver arena in all it glory - they have a rectractable roof like wimbledon but no need for it when we were there.

Mr Murray in action - I had a headache the whole of the first set thinking that we might have gone all the way to australia only for him to lose but the break point in the second set changed everything - me and I think everyone else in the stadium was out of their seats for that point it was awesome - I have a video but getting it online might be slightly beyond me... Anyway he did us proud it was a great match

The players - Murray v Cilic and then an exhibition match - we stayed right to the end and all the buses and trains had stopped so we had to walk all the way back to the hotel but definitely worth it.

Too good a shot to miss - the flags outside Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne before heading into the semi final of the Australian Open.

This is me warming up in Fed Square in case Murray was injured and needed someone to step up in his place! You had to hit the target three times for a magazine, it was touch and go and I had my excuses all lined up... not my own racket, wearing flip flops, hadn't got my bandana on etc but thankfully they weren't needed and we walked away with the prize! Despite my warming up and putting on a really good show no one approached me afterwards so I guess the talent scouts weren't around that day.

One of many 'firework shots' from australia day. It happened to be the same day as murray v nadal so we found ourselves a restaurant with a big screen by Fed square. When the fireworks started we ran out to watch them and the guy working in the restaurant had to chase us with the bill. Australia does great fireworks, hence all the firework shots but I'm only uploading this one...

A big lake we walked around on the way back to the hotel from the beach - this is one of many attempt to do a panoramic shot!

Me and charlotte chilling out with the palm trees down by the beach in melbourne