Sunday 26 December 2010

If it's Boxing Day it must be Melbourne!




We left the heat and humidity of Brisbane today and at the airport we found a cafe which was showing Channel 9, so we saw the first few overs of the Test, which initially did not seem to be going England's way. By the time we felt we should go to our gate (to avoid getting too engrossed and missing our flight), the Aussies were one wicket down and when we heard the score from a fellow traveller who had stayed longer it was 3 for around 35.

Ray suggested (rather hopefully I thought) that we should aim for 80 all out, but to our amazement, by the time we reached Melbourne, that was about where they were.

We checked into our hotel and after watching a couple of rather nervous overs of England's innings we headed down town and sampled the vibrance and variety that is Melbourne.

At Federation Square, there were deckchairs out in front of a giant screen showing the cricket so we could keep in touch with what was going on. At about 5.00 pm when it was clear that the Aussies were having a bad day there were long rather subdued queues emanating from the MCG. Needless to say Ray just had to capture the scene.

The neighbours of our friends, John and Sarah from Harrogate, were apparently there today as coincidentally were Ray's cousin on his mother's side who he has not seen for about 40 years. She and her son are visiting Melbourne and Sydney for both the last two tests, so we plan to catch up with them tomorrow evening.

Tomorrow we plan to explore Melbourne further (keeping in touch with the big screen at Fed Square) and then on Tuesday it us our turn. It is shaping up nicely.

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