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originally uploaded by tamouse.

The last few days in Australia were great. We went to Phillip Island and saw Koalas and Penguins (no penguin pictures unfortunately, photography is forbidden there). One koala came down and wandered along the railing in the tree-level boardwalk for quite awhile so we got a real good close look at him (or her!).

Sunday I spent the afternoon with Jax and Damien again and then spent the evening up at Bev and Lloyd’s one last time.

The flight home was unextraordanary. I cried when i left Australia, I really had such a good time and I met so many wonderful people, I didn’t want to leave.

Collingwood beats Geelong ending their 27-game winning streak!

Last night we went to see the footy (Aussie Rules Football). Ivy’s dad patiently explained the rules to me and I thoroughly enjoyed the game. Lots of action, lots of men grabbing men. Collingwood played a very aggressive game. Geelong just coudn’t keep up. It was very fun and very exciting. Collingwood is Ivy’s Dad’s team, so we were very happy at the play and outcome of the game. There were a whole bunch of Geelong supporters at our section of the stadium and a couple of Geelong supporters had to be taken away.

Aussie rules footy is a really a great game, better than soccer. Fast moving, high scoring, lots and lots of action, and very physical.

After the game, we went to DT’s, a gay family bar which was a lot of fun and met up with a couple of other friends and chatted late into the evening. I’m having the best time in Australia.

Landed in Melbourne after a long flight with a short stopover in Aukland. Ivy and Hannah were waiting for my right outside customs with big smiles and hugs. I felt so good finally meeting Ivy in person and seeing Hannah again.

Ivy had to go into work, so Hannah and I went to her work. I met Hannah’s business partner, Jesse, and we had great conversations about the things they are working on and generally geeking out. We went downtown on the tram for the afternoon and hung around a nifty magazine shop. We all picked geek magazines to read. From there, Hannah and I went to pick up Ivy from work, and we road the tram back to Jesse’s house to get the car the went off for the evening to friends of Ivy and Hannah’s, Ben ad Lloyd. They are an absolutely wonderful couple a little older than me that have an open house so people just drop in. Lloyd threw together a very nice simple meal and we sat around and talked late into the evening.

Saturday, we went to the Victoria State Library, which has a couple of large reading rooms. One is absolutely huge, with a domed glass cieling letting in natural light and is just gorgeous. We walked around looking at the displays they had there. On of the most interesting was the complete armor of Ned Kelly, an outlaw who has become a legend of Australia.

Next we went to the Melbourne museum, where Hannah and I got in for free, her on her student card and me cause I’m old. We saw a few exhibits, the best was CSIRAC, the first computer built i Australia. CSIRAC is the only first generation computer still in existence in it’s entirety.

On Sunday, we met Leesioh from a chatroom and had a great lunch on the way down to Ivy’s parents’ pllace. We spent Mother’s day with Ivy’s parents and had a lovely time. I met Ivy’s sister and her nephew and niece. Ivy’s mom put on a great dinner with vegetables grown in her garden.

After we got home, we watched a video of Bill Bailey and all had a good laugh.

On Monday Ivy and Hannah had errands to run, so we went downtown, I hung out at the library reading then we headed back to Jesse’s house and hung out thare then back to Ivy and Hannah’s for a bit, then another errand, then we went off to the airport to see Ivy’s mom off on her trip to the UK for a few months where she’s to take care of her sister.

I am having the best time here in Australia. I am so glad I came here.