Jo

Today we are going to move into our new house. We still don’t have the fridge, washing machine or sofa (collecting tomorrow in a day spent going to almost every suburb of Melbourne!) but we don’t care! We will be spending our first night in our new home. I can’t wait Just hope there are no more big hairy beasties lurking about (apart from Ed!)
I’ve spent the week applying for jobs and had an interview yesterday. Not sure how it went really – waiting to hear something back. I also met with Becky (Beakus) yesterday for a coffee. It was great to meet her and chat to someone who has been through this whole process herself.
I returned the Barge to it’s owners the other day so I am carless again. I was subjected to some good old fashioned Aussie encouragement while driving it back though!! Still don’t know what I did wrong to upset the gentleman so much but at least he got it off his chest!
My running is still a bit sporadic as other things come up but I think I’m just about keeping on top of it. The weather has changed a bit now and is windy today and we’ve also had rain. It got dark on me last night while I was out running – not really used to running in the dark but I found my way home OK. At one point it was just like running in Cambs! Wet and windy
As we are moving today I won’t have such regular access to the internet as this is Martin’s laptop. Ed can still pick up my email from work though. Our stuff is still on the high seas and, worryingly, I can’t get any sense out of the importers as to where exactly it is at the moment! I’m hoping it will turn up in about 3 weeks time but who knows…………….
Hopefully, I’ll see some folk at Transport on Sunday.
Stu – it’s a Kia.

Ed’s new job is good and he’s already signed up some basketball practice tomorrow lunchtime, a residential training course in the Dandenongs in April and a trip to the US next month too!! He’s happy with it all so far and we picked up the new car today so he arrived at work in style. Meanwhile, I’ve got The Barge to myself for 2 days I feel another trip to KMart coming on!!
I’ve got a cold so no training for me tonight – boo First time I’ve had a cold for about 2 years so I must be run down.
In answer to meeting at Transport on Sunday, I’ve got a 3 hour windsurfing lesson on Sunday morning so I doubt I could make it However, if the weather is no good for windsurfing then I’ll come along. Sara/JayKay, can you let me know what time you will be there and how I will find you (pink carnation and Financial Times under your arm?) Or I could just wave some Minstrels around and see who emerges??!!

And for eveyone in the UK, here is our new gaff! An Aussie house!

Oh, and THIS was resident when we first looked at it but it seems to have gone now. Gone where??!?

Edit – Found above beasty yesterday when it leapt out of the laundry room at me!! It has been re-homed over next door’s fence Oh, it was a fast runner!

Well, a rented one. We picked up the keys last Friday and I’ve spent most of the time since then cleaning the oven!!! Nice – at least it’s clean now. We’ve got a 2 bedroom small house in Hampton, near the station, bars, restaurants and shops. I’ve never lived so close to the shops before. It’s great. We haven’t actually moved in yet as we haven’t got a sofa or fridge – some frantic bidding on eBay going on here at the moment! The bed was delivered today so we’re almost there. It’s been really lovely staying here with Martin & Jennie but I’m looking forward to moving into our first Aussie house And I’m sure they’re looking forward to having their place back to themselves.
Ed & I had a wonderful evening last week when it was really hot. We got Fish & Chips and a bottle of wine and sat on the beach watching the sun go down over the bay with a sailing race going on right in front of us. We stayed on the beach or ages (well, as long as Ed’s bladder allowed us to – he’ll hate me for saying that, hee hee!). It was so warm
Ed had his first day at new skool today – he’s not home yet and I’m dying to know how it went! He went off this morning in a new suit! Aw, sweet…….. He usually only wears a suit for weddings and funerals. You Aussies are a formal lot when it comes to work! Oh, and talking of work, I had a call from an agency that I applied for a job with and they want to see me tomorrow. It’s only a 6 month contract but that might actually suit me until I find my feet a bit. I’ve managed to do quite a bit of running including a 16km run on Sunday along the Coastal Trail which was fab.
The running is better here than Cambridgeshire that’s for sure and ther’s no mud!! (yet!)

Today we bought a new car – I mean a NEW car! We pootled off to look at cars and suss out prices etc and ended up buying a brand new car!! I’m not sure how it happened but he was a pretty good salesman We got it for less than they were offering the used version up the road and a lot cheaper than the same car in the UK so we are feeing pretty pleased with ourselves. I will have to get a picture of our little Rent a Bomb (aka The Barge) on here before we send it back. I’ve grown quite fond of it especially as it works your leg muscles nicely as you have to stamp on the accelerator and brake to get ANY reaction from them!!
We also went and looked at another house to rent but it was a bit grotty with a resident little old lady sitting in the corner smoking!! Very peculiar. We still haven’t got anywhere to live but have a couple of applications in. Maybe we could live in our new car?
I then hopped on the train to the city to meet Em for a training session on The Tan. It was great (and very humid and therefore sweaty) – no one sat next to me on the train home It was really good to meet Em and others and do a session with people I could (just about) keep up with. The Tan is a dirt track which goes around the Botanical Gardens and attracts hundreds of runners, slow and fast alike, and it also has km markers. There were some seriously fast people there though! I really enjoyed it and will be back for more next week
Ed is sitting doing hard some sums for Martin who is doing the final year of an Electronics degree – there is a lot of head scratching going on

I thought I would post a few photos of our first few days here:
Looks like we’ve been burgled!
Swimming at sunset
Sunset at Hampton
Our first Aussie BBQ

Other news – we’ve now got a bank account (no money in it yet though!), I’ve got a shiney new mobile (purchased from the company I swore I would NEVER go back to and the girl in the shop lived up to their reputation!!) and we’ve hired a car from Rent a Bomb so we can start looking for somewhere to live. I’m going Dragon Boat training with Jen tonight too
Everyone we have come accross so far has been really friendly and welcoming. I’ve found a gym I can use to do some Pilates and Ed has found a great place to help him out with his back. I’ve also arranged to meet Em on Tuesday to join in with a training session of the Sandringham club which I’m really looking forward to.
Thanks for all your comments too, everyone has made me feel very welcome.

We’re in Melbourne at last!!!
After my brother dropped us at Heathrow, I dissolved into floods of tears at the Virgin check in. Trying to explain that I was really very happy caused a diversion and they didn’t charge us for excess baggage! Then off to the lounge for some champagne and a facial before the flight. The flight was fine and I even managed to get some sleep. We were kicked off in HK but at least we could stretch our legs before the next leg to Sydney where we transferred onto an internal flight to Melbourne. They didn’t charge us any extra either and even put us on the earlier flight. Once in Melbourne we checked into the Hilton and promptly fell asleep! We did try to go to the bank to activate our bank accounts but no one had told us it was a national holiday! I thought it was a bit quiet…………
There was a festival on in Alexandra Park so we went and had a look at that before we had some dinner on Southbank but missed the fireworks as eating was more important at that stage!!
Anyway we are now ensconced in Martin & Jennies flat on the beach in Hampton which is very nice. Maybe we will just stay here and not bother trying to get out own place!! House hunting will have to wait for another day anyway as we are going to go the beach this afternoon as it’s a fantastic day!! (no use trying to tell me how lovely the weather is in the UK – it’s better here!)
I think I might have a run later too Need to get in training for the Run for the Kids!! Yikes!!!

Wow, 8 comments on the last post!! A record – I must threaten to leave the country more often
Well we have just spent a very comfortable week at Libby’s place (Ed says we should have moved in there years ago!) and were extremley well looked after. Ed left his job today and seemed to have a good turn out to wish him Bon Voyage (plus some cash and a book on dangerous Australian wildlife!).
We still haven’t managed to sell either car so Ed has gone to Bath tonight to leave his car with his dad to sell while I’m at MY dad’s offloading my car! He will come back here by train in the morning before dad takes us out for a final meal and my bro is taking us to the airport at 5.00pm!! I fear tomorrow will be a rather long day but at least I managed to talk the doctor into some sleeping pills for the flight
Nothing much left to do – I think a gin and tonic is in order now
BTW, running has been terrible recently but I have managed to get out most days this week – I feel very tired now though. My next run will be in Australia!!! Woohoo…
Forgot to mention. we arrive in Melbourne on Monday 12th!!