Safe havens

I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again. I couldn't have done this trip without the love and support of my conveniently-located international friends. Staying with first Laura, then Janelle and last night with my school friend Chris and his girlfriend Genevieve has been my comfort blanket. In each of their homes I have been made to feel so welcome. I've been allowed to come and go as I please and have been generously fed and watered. I've felt safe and looked after. And really at home in their homes. I can't imagine how I'd be feeling right now if I was staying in a downtown backpackers. I think I might have caught a flight home a long time ago. While it's been really good to make new friends on this journey I'm on, it's also been a life-saver to see familiar faces from the past. Some from the more recent past and some from the more distant past, but familiar faces all the same. We've had a yarn, reminisced, caught up on the years we've missed. It's amazing how with real friends it doesn't matter how much time passes. When you see each other again you just pick up where you left off.

And I've still got more friends to see. Tomorrow night I'm meeting a couple of Aussies T and I met when we did our South America trip about 6 years ago - how random is that that they live in Melbourne too? Then I'm been given a bed with a complimentary airport shuttle service from my old Strasbourg friend Steve in Brisbane at the start of May, before I head off to see my old school friend Pam in Singapore, followed by a visit to a former colleague who now lives in Saigon. I feel lucky to count these people as friends and am eternally grateful to them for helping to make this journey possible. I really couldn't have done it without you.

As I mentioned, last night I stayed with Chris and Genevieve in the posh suburb of Elwood. They've got a lovely place, right on the beach. I was driven around Albert Park, the Australian Grand Prix circuit that still had the hoardings etc up from the recent GP, then it was back to theirs for dinner - a delicious snapper pasta - and lots of red wine. It was so nice to see them and where they live. You'd have thought they'd have made more of an effort with the bedding though - it didn't even match ;o)

This morning I managed to sleep through two text messages beeping and didn't wake up until 9.20, the longest lie-in I've had since leaving home I think. I was lucky enough to have my morning cuppa in an NUFC mug then I had a paddle in the sea and walked along the beach to St Kilda. St Kilda is an up-market bit of town with some great little cafes. It's a nice place to just hang out and feel like you're on holiday. It was overcast again today but not too cold, although we've got the heating on now. I think autumn is really setting in here. Roll on Brisbane and some sunshine...  This afternoon I took in some art at one the galleries in Federation Square and now we're just waiting for our fish to cook then Janelle and I are off to the cinema to see a French film called Micmacs. Busy busy.