Firstly, I’ve never before included a picture of myself.
This is because a) you all know what I look like, and b) there are always more
interesting things to look at. However on this occasion I did feel that what
happened between me and Libby off of Neighbours - and it was a beautiful,
natural thing between a man and a woman - needed to be recorded for posterity.
It does compromise me a bit for paternity suits and stuff, but that’s a chance
I’m willing to take.
Secondly, it was my first blog from a fictional location.
Yes, Erinsborough doesn’t actually exist. And neither does Ramsay Street. The outdoor scenes are filmed in a real street called Pin Oak Court, in Vermont South.
Any time you see a picture of someone next to the ‘Ramsay Street’ sign, you’ll
notice that they always have a hand on it: this is because the sign isn't stuck to the ground. It arrives and
leaves with the tour bus, and it has to be held upright. Sorry to spoil the
magic.
Anyway, this is my second trip to Melbourne (see July / August
2008 below), and once again I’m indebted to my good friends Sarah, Sean and
John for having the good grace to come out here in advance and prepare the way
for my visit. Melbourne is a lovely place, overflowing with top quality
restaurants, bars and everything else. It’s also rather frightfully expensive
(a beer is usually anywhere between £6 and £10 at current exchange rates) but I’ve
had free accommodation so who cares? You can’t take it with you, etc.
On Saturday the four of us spent the day in the Yarra Valley
on a wine-tasting tour, which also involved sampling some delicious fruits and
soft cheeses, as well as a three-course lunch. At first we were all being very
cultured - comparing notes about tannin inflections, top-notes of elderflower,
and voluptuous aftertastes – but the spittoon was left dry all day, and by
hometime we were all pretty sozzled.
On Sunday Sean and I went to the Melbourne Cricket Ground to watch Aussie Rules
football: Collingwood vs Hawthorn. The latter play in black and white stripes,
so we supported the former, and the former won.
Better still, at 9pm, along with Sarah and John and my new mates Paddy and Humphrey, we found an Irish bar in which to see Sunderland AFC open a big, fizzy can of freshly squeezed whup-ass all over our nearest and dearest from up the road. Paolo Di Canio has secured a warm place in my affections! The next day, at Subway, I paid tribute to him by having an Italian BMT on Italian herb & cheese for my lunch. La vita e bella. (Unless, of course, you’re a police horse getting punched by a rioting Geordie cretin.)
Better still, at 9pm, along with Sarah and John and my new mates Paddy and Humphrey, we found an Irish bar in which to see Sunderland AFC open a big, fizzy can of freshly squeezed whup-ass all over our nearest and dearest from up the road. Paolo Di Canio has secured a warm place in my affections! The next day, at Subway, I paid tribute to him by having an Italian BMT on Italian herb & cheese for my lunch. La vita e bella. (Unless, of course, you’re a police horse getting punched by a rioting Geordie cretin.)
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| Melbourne |
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| AFL at the MCG |
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| Posh used-car garage car #1: vintage Ferrari |
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| Posh used-car garage car #2: vintage Mustang |
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| Sean and I have been enjoying some of this. Sarah doesn't mind, but Libby isn't best pleased. |
