Tales from Melbourne

This time last week I was about to fly back from Melbourne after visiting my good friends Pauline and Tony from the UK who chose to emigrate out here at roughly the same time as myself. Tony has been largely responsible for much of the good fortune I have had with my career to date so I understand the importance of "Tony maintenance". Seriously though, in the UK he was a mentor to me in the Railway Signalling Industry and despite shouting at me a LOT in the early days he was probably the best.

Robert and Amy who also knew Tony and Pauline before Australia were also invited so about 2 hours before the sun was scheduled to rise we set off for Sydney airport in Marvin.

I won't write much about the weekend, as quite frankly I'm too tired now and also I'm sure you're not too interested but I will post some pictures.


Pauline and Tony's new house. Has a slight air of Kath and Kim to it, but lovely once you are inside.


On Saturday our hosts took us to visit the Puffing Billy steam railway which is not too far from their house in the outer east suburbs of Melbourne. I have never been on this railway before and was pleasantly surprised. As can be seen from the photo, passengers are encouraged to sit on the open sides of the carriages with their legs dangling. Of course being a safety conscious Brit (with a strong even safer Swiss genetic content) I didn't believe this would really be the case until I saw it with my own eyes and of course gave it a try for myself. I made a couple of observations regarding this practice:-

- The window sill on many of the carriages was quite narrow and despite my ample arse padding I still found it uncomfortable after about 10 minutes, but luckily the novelty blunted this pain to a large degree.

- Despite providing a bar across the window which is "supposed" to stop people from falling out, I experimented in the station and found to my alarm that I could fall out through the gap. So let me put it this way: If one Nurton can fit through a gap, at least 3 small children would have no problem slipping through the same space!

- The retaining bar across the window smacks you across the chest when the track is a "bit wobbly", I didn't notice this at the time, but the bruising I had on Monday morning more than proved it!

Overall though it really is a spectacular railway and can truly be described as 'one of a kind'. A must do if you are in Melbourne, especially the scary pub at the end of the line (filled with Biker gangs) which if you are brave enough to enquire, you will discover is hiding a splendid restaurant behind the bar which is not scary at all!


Nurton, Amy and Robert only half-literally "on board".


And finally proof that I did indeed risk my life, this is a photo you couldn't fake. Sexy pins.


Nurton, Bob and Tony in the Howker's newly paved garden. It is worrying how much Robert looks like my old school friend Tim, who is now a Monk living in (or near) Tibet. Maybe it is the lack of footwear?

It was a lovely fun and relaxing weekend. Can't wait to go back in March for the Grand Prix. I might even drive.