Monday 9th October - Best Man ahoy!

Today my family were still recovering. Not a great surprise really seeing as each of them had had a fall of some sort. So I spent the morning walking the circuit of the main grid. I set out from the hotel and turned right. Right again and up William Street passing on my way the Melbourne Law Courts. Where William meets La Trobe is Flagstaff Gardens....

Where I duly sat for a while and wrote my journal. Then I walked the length of La Trobe to Exhibition Street and the Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens....
And this was the sight that greeted me... beautiful to see the sun playing through the trees - and my curiosity was drawn to find out what was at the end of the path way...
The Royal Exhibition Building no less!



The figures and detail of the fountain were inspiring...
This one shows the frogs squirting water upwards while the duck billed platypus squirts downwards!
Walking along the building and through the entrance garden you find the Museum...

And this kangaroo flanked lamp post!

More water features!
The afternoon was impacted by a phone call to go and find Martin at his hotel. Stu was supposed to meet him at 1pm but instead I went as an envoy!

Stu and co caught up with us in the Young and Jackson's pub where Stu was on orange juice and I was on the Dogbolter! Well it had been 24hours without a drink!

All safely gathered we went for a wander through Alexandra Gardens, Kings Domain and Birrarung Marr Park - and into the Botanical Gardens. We then headed towards the river and the Rod Laver Arena complex. The tennis centre! Hence the sign post below!

They have some good gigs here in Melbourne! Look Pearl Jam - which Stu is going too - luck so n so!

Then we wandered back towards town and I believe we had dinner at The Blue Train - nice cheesecakes!!

There they go! l-r Mum, Stu, Pop and Martin. Spot the one without a hat!!!