Well - here I am. In Australia. In Melbourne. It has been a somewhat turbulent journey though and I am now sitting in not so sunny Geelong North....

Prior to my arrival in Australia, I was a little hasty in embracing wholeheartedly (and without reference to a map) the great accommodation Kelly found that was within my budget. As the owner of the motel assured us (and she is very nice) there is indeed a Deakin Uni about 20 mins walk away...just happens to be the Geelong Deakin Uni Satellite campus rather than the one where the conference is actually being held!

When I arrived on Sunday at Melbourne airport I began to be concerned after, having not found a shuttle bus to Geelong I hopped in a taxi which bowled along, and along.... About an hour and a half later and $AU 125.00 poorer, I arrived. Having found a map of Geelong I located the uni (great relief), but then could not find the correct road names - 'bugger' I thought, sulked, had a little tantie, and then set off to see if I could figure out what to do.


So, here I am about 100km away from where I should be, but luckily there is a train into Melbourne (takes about an hour - and it's only about $AU15 return, so it shouldn't blow the budget too much more) and then I'll hop on a tram to Burwood (another hour)...to where the conference is. Oops.

Geelong is rather attractive down by the Bay. It has an esplanade which I have run along several times now, on the first morning during sunrise which was breathtakingly beautiful. Unruffled sea, dyed blue, green and gold.