Melbourne

Hi everyone,

we are back online and I have an awful lot of catching up to do with this blog so here goes!

As you probably know by now I had the surprise of a lifetime when I arrived tired and disorientated in Melbourne - if you remember Katie and I were only two days away from not getting to go at all because my visa hadn't been approved.

As Katie and I made our way down to collect our luggage, Katie started to suddenly act all strange. She wanted to nip out and "see about the buses" and then she said, "You've got to turn round and take a look at this guy behind you" and I thought, well I can't be that obvious but finally I turned around and there he was, a grinning big brother standing there with his camera out to take an action shot. I believe my surprised look here surpasses my Taggart suprised look from back when I was a child (ok 18) acting prodigy. ;o)



And then of course I realised what was going on, and that Katie was in on the whole thing. Here she is with me looking very pleased with herself for an amzing covert operation successfully completed.



And here am I with Paul - who also looks very pleased with himself for collaborating with Katie on possible the greatest surprise since the time I woke up on Christmas day to open an empty eggbox that directed me to look behind the curtain and I found a flippin snooker table! That was a classic from my Mum, Dad and Santa.

Well done to Paul and Katie (and everyone else who knew! It's not been confirmed if Santa played a part in this one or not) What had promised to be an amazing trip had just turned into a sensational one (just the type that journalists like eh Paul?)



And so, to the tennis we went...............