So, our third trip to ‘down under’ is complete. Including our previous trips we have spent a total of 15 weeks in Australia.

Now don’t jump to the conclusion that we might up sticks and move out to that lovely country, l doubt that will happen despite the draw of my daughter living in Melbourne. We love to visit and have been three times in four years albeit with 18 months to two years between trips. This latest holiday started on 9th March and we had three of us going this time with my eldest daughter Charlotte joining Fran and myself. We had booked Singapore airlines mid last year when they had special deals on, we got there – return for £2000, which is actually a bit of a bargain. Previously we travelled with Etihad but on the 2nd trip in ’15 we got fed up with the staging through Abu Dhabi, and decided to try something different, and it cost nearly the same for two of us. Singapore stages through Changi with stops of 3 hours out and 6 hours back. It’s a quantum leap from Abu Dhabi and much better organised. So we started very early doors on the 9th, thanks to GP Cars of Bordon and Colin our driver. The flight was at 11:00 for the 13 hours duration to Singapore, and that was all succesful, very smooth in the Airbus A380, flying overnight and landing at silly o’clock on Friday 10th, coincidentally my birthday! I asked a flight attendant if there was any champagne on board, and they obliged by bringing three glasses of it, a birthday card and a present of a pack of playing cards for each of us. A lovely gesture which was typical of the great service you get with Singapore Airlines. Had a mooch around Changi for three hours waiting for our connecting flight and again all smooth arriving in Melbourne after an eight hour flight at nine pm or so. We were met by Teresa and Kev who had borrowed a bigger car from work (Ford) to move us and all our stuff to their flat where we staying for the first night.

The night we arrived was still my birthday  l opened cards and presents and after a bite crashed for the night. The next day we got an über (very successful in Melbourne) and got taken to our home for the next 7 days, Central YHA in Flinders Street. We unpacked and got ready to go to Langans, a high class all-you-can-eat restaurant above its eponymous hotel. We had the first sitting at 5pm and there was quite a crowd waiting to get in. The wait was worth it, the food was from every corner of the globe and as in the title, you could stuff yourself.

(This photo is from the top of the Garden Tea Room in Melbourne)

It was a lovely meal and we walked around for a bit afterwards to wear it off.