England won a game!!!!

Lots to tell you about since the last update, so reading glasses on
everybody.

For those of you that heard rumours that England actually won a game, they
are actually true. 68 days since I left home, finally got to see them win
(although against New Zealand, not Australia) in Hobart on Tuesday.

Sydney for New Year lived up to all expectations, the fireworks were just
fantastic. I had a great view of the harbour, with the opera house in
front of the bridge. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of looking at that
combination. Stood at Mrs Macquarie’s Point, with at least 25,000 others
just on that site alone. I knew I had to keep my good position so I was
fixed to the same spot for 3 hours. Definitely worth the wait though.
There’s a few pictures on the Flickr site
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/howcro) and I’ve got a couple of videos too
that I will be uploading when possible.

For the first week of 2007 spent time exploring and having lots of fun in
Sydney. I don’t know what it is but it just has a completely different
feel to all the other Aus cities. Went to the 5th Test Match for 2 days,
same old same old! At least the series being 5-0 makes it memorable, i
think its actually quite funny that it was a whitewash. Roll on 2009, at
least all the Aussies will have retired by then.

While in Sydney – went on cruises on the harbour by day and by night, went
to the aquarium, went up the Sydney Tower, a tour inside the Opera House,
a ghost tour of The Rocks, and saw Sydney FC take on New Zealand Knights
in the A-League (Nz won 1-0). Also went to the twenty20 cricket game which
was a lot of fun, much more entertaining than test cricket and a fun
atmosphere. The Australian batting was excellent, great to watch with some
absolutely huge sixes. England’s batting was as usual.

Then last week, flew to Melbourne for five days. Visited Pin Oak Crescent
(a.k.a. Ramsay Street, Erinsborough). Much smaller than it looks on tv,
and yes they are real houses with real people living in them! Also visited
the school, which nobody really recognised, and the promised star meeting
was a bit disappointing because it was darcy tyler. Didn’t even get an
actor who’s currently in the show! They weren’t filming either as they
were still on break for christmas. Couldn’t come all this way and not
visit the set though!

Also I went to Albert Park, where the F1 Grand Prix is held every year.
Its unbelievable how different it is, I just couldn’t get my head round
it. So much upheaval and change involved, it is almost unrecognisable from
the grand prix track (it is a street circuit, i.e the track is public
roads for the rest of the year)

Went to the Melbourne one day match, Australia vs England, no need to ask
who won. Also met up with an Aussie friend I lived with at uni in my first
year, which was really good as I hadn’t seen him for 3 years.

Now in Hobart, Tasmania. Site of England’s first tour victory! Hardly
convincing but a win nevertheless. That’s the last time i’ll watch
england, one game to go on sunday is Australia vs New Zealand. Think I’ll
be an honorary Kiwi for the day.

Then its back to Sydney for the last week and returning home just in time
to see Chelsea humiliated by Forest in the FA Cup. (OK that’s optimistic
but you’ve got to be when you follow England cricket for this long!)

Thats all folks,
Howard