At last! I just spent 2 quid and 15 minutes watching this ****** computer crawl its way towards a home page. I have found possibly the slowest and most expensive internet access. Well done me.

Left Melbourne 2 days ago, heartbroken coz i loved being there. I saw many places off the tourist map, including a ride in an ambulance and a day spent in casualty with my accident-prone cousin, a night spent at the footie then for celebratory drinks and getting egged by rival fans, and an evening at a CD sale throwing up after eating unknown edibles at a terrifyingly kitsch German restaurant (they played Waltzing Matrilda with bells - ghastly). "It's just not cricket." (i'm learning all the sayings from Ash) . I loved my hosts and my new mini-network of friends in Melbourne so am sure to go back sometime and try to soak up the city a bit more.

I'm currently in Alice Springs enjoying guaranteed warmth and sunshine. I'm at an outback lodge a few miles from the town and at the foothills of some 'mountains.' For under 10 quid a night i have a dorm to myself, a tv and ensuite bathroom, pool access and a i read in the early evening as tiny rock wallabies come down from the mountains and nibble grass just feet away from me. How cool?! Its a bit hard trying to find things to do on the easter weekend so i'm joining whatever tours are running. Today i went to a desert park and absolutely loved the cute tiny desert rats and geckos. There were also massive red kangaroos that were digging holes and collapsing into them in the midday sun. Autumn is a perfect time of year to be here - you're warm but capable of spending all day outdoors on your feet.