Friday 18th April

Lazy morning today, Sam and Tom had a lie in, in fact they didn’t get up until after 10.30. We weren’t in a rush to go anywhere as mum and dad fly to Florida and we spoke to dad yesterday but didn’t get chance to speak to mum and I wanted to before they flew. For some reason I thought that they were being picked up at 4, but they were in fact getting up at 4 and leaving at 5.30. I stayed in the apartment waiting for dad’s Skype to come to life and it didn’t, by one o clock here, 4 o clock there I assumed I had missed them and we all went out for lunch as Jason had come back to the apartment to speak to them too.

After lunch Jason went back to the office and the kids and I called back at the apartment and picked up Toms new skateboard and went for a walk along the Yarra, it was a beautiful day and the kids had some fun being able to run and take it in turns on the skateboard, then to the local supermarket where the man knows us now for more water and bread.

Tom would only skateboard when no-one was about

Tom not wanting to have his picture taken

Mollie moddeling the free BBQ's

Back to the apartment and an email from dad telling us that they had got up at 4 and were heading to the airport at 5.30, so I knew I would be able to speak to them there.

Jason arrived back just after 4, he got changed and after speaking to both mum and dad, he and I went to the QV village to Dan Murphy’s, the kids were playing on the Wii and were happy just to stay where they were. We had a lovely walk past all the designer shops and had a good look round the QV village which we haven’t had chance to do before. We bought 4 bottles of Lindeman’s, 2 red and 2 white for under $5.00 each, that’s £2.50 for a bottle of Lindeman’s. We couldn’t carry what we bought (beer and blue stuff for Tom) and needed to flag down a taxi to take us back to the apartment, by now it was dark outside, we drove through the Greek quarter and China Town, both areas looked fab with music and street entertainers, we really should have gone out more on an evening and also gone a little further afield, it is dead in comparison in our part of town. Not sure it will be as busy during the week, but we will have a wonder up one evening next week.

We are now having a beer in our PJ’s and will have an early night, we pick up the car at 7.30 tomorrow morning and intend heading to the house straight away, we want to really explore the area, we have some maps etc and have lots we want to do and see, while we have the car we intend buying the essentials we didn’t bring – Iron, ironing board, kettle, toaster, all the things that we knew we would need before the ship arrived and talking of ship, we can track where it is on line, so I checked today, the bu**er only left the port 2 days ago, god only knows where our furniture has been for the last 2 weeks, needless to say a stroppy email has been sent to Crown and we are now awaiting a response before kicking off big style.