We've arrive safely in Australia via Singapore with only really bad jet lag to show for our troubles.

To start at the beginning, after a tearful departure from Newport bus station at 4:55am Saturday (21st), and just managing to avoid a large excess lugrage fee, we boarded the 12 hour flight to Singapore. Would recommend Singapore Airways - nice food and over 60 films on demand (for the record I watched The Departed (good but overated) and the lastest Rocky (crap but was feeling the effects of nicotine withdrawal by now and needed something unchallenging!) and a couple of episodes of Fraiser and the American version of The Office).

Singapore was lovelly - really impressed - like a much more clean, tidy, english speaking/westernised, less chaotic Thailand. Everyone was really helpful and nice in the way they always are in SE Asia (I'm convinced it's the weather). Would love to spend more than our 2 days/1 night and sure we will someday. Weather was unsprisingly HOT HOT HOT. As we were a little hung over from the flight we just had some great meals, shopped and totally forgot to have a Singapore Sling! Maisie was feeling patriotic and decided to shop for Britain - like a Newport version of Paris Hilton, with Alison & I carrying the bags and picking up the tab. I had a really bad cold and was worried they might quarantine me in case I started another break out of bird flu. Then before you could say "God these bags are heavy", it was back to Singapore Airport for the 7 hour flight to Melbourne.

Apart from a slight problem with Maisie's Australian visa and really bad turbalence caused by a massive thunder storm over Central Australia the flight was fine.

Well what can I say  about Melbourne? We've only been here 3 days, but so far so good. 

Mainly we've been busy meeting Alison's agency people, opening back accounts, applying for tax codes and visiting immigration to get the right visa in our passports. All this was done with an amazing lack of hassle, infact I've spent longer queing in Newport Central Post Office than in Melbourne's immigration department. Everyone, including "Officialdom" very helpful, with the famed Aussie "No Worries" attitude.

Melbourne is a beautiful City. Big but not unpleasently so. It reminds me slightly of a less hilly San Fransisco (though that's probably just the trams) We're staying in Richmond, which is a 10-15 minute tram ride from the City Centre (or CBD as us Melbounians know it).

We went dowm to St. Kilda beach yesterday afternoon, and while not the best beach arround by a long shot, it's a lot nicer that Barry Island!
It's a fantastic place to have a beer and watch the sun set, which is what we did.

Alison and Maisie are well and enjoying our first steps down under. Supprisingly Maisie really likes it here and double supprisingly she's looking forward to starting school so she can make some friends.

I've set us up with Web cam's, Yahoo Instant messanger and Skipe accounts to keep in touch with the family. However, seeing myself on web cam does dispell the hansom love god self image I have of myself!

I haven't taken many pic's of Melbourne yet, but I'll be posting those I have taken on my Flickr account page, which can be found here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/exorcising-ghosts/sets/72157600138630740/

Those that are on there need a little sorting and editing, which I'll be doing over the weekend.

We haven't experence and scary Australian spiders or snakes, though a sparrow did try and have a peck at my chocolate brownie whilst I was sitting outside a coffee shop!

Okay, time to go. Our big task over the next few days is to find somewhere to rent more perminantly and then a school for Maze. Keep tuned for more thrilling installments from Terry Does Melbourne.