Mike and Nancy, Jersey Boys, and Echuca

On Monday morning Nancy and Mike arrived at my Melbourne "home" and Judy was still here too.  Nancy cooked up a great pasta meal and we enjoyed some wine.  It was nice to be surrounded by friends and family all at the same time.  Judy left for her Sydney and Queensland adventure early Tuesday morning.  Nancy and Mike know some people here in Melbourne so they spent the day with them while I went to Tracy's for Melbourne Cup fun.

I didn't actually see Mike and Nancy again until Thursday evening because their Melbourne cup luncheon turned into a driving adventure, dinner, and a late night back to my place.  Wednesday they went off to see the Penguins on Phillip Island, and Thursday they spent the day on the Mornington Peninsula with the same friends.  Thursday after work we finally met up again at my place.  They had bought a ticket for me to go see the musical Jersey Boys with them as a thank you for allowing them to stay with me (totally not necessary but totally appreciated).  The show was fantastic and I'm really glad we were able to go.


Friday after my long day of work we reunited again and headed to Lygon Street for another great meal.  A couple bottles of red wine later we were back at my place enjoying some fresh strawberries and a wonderful dessert wine (thanks Tammy and Graeme).  Needless to say my sleep that night wasn't as much about sleep as it was about having a nice amount of wine in my body.

Saturday I was up early to catch the 9:15 am train to Echuca. Before leaving for Southern Cross Railway station I had to say goodbye to Nancy and Mike.  Nancy will be back in Melbourne in a little over a week but I won't see Mike until I'm back in Canada.

Back to the Echuca adventure.  Lu and her husband Ian are on exchange from England and they are living in Echuca, Victoria.  Echuca is about 3 hours away by train and it's right on the Victoria/NSW boarder.  In its glory days it was a port town because it's right on the Murray River.  It played a huge role in getting wool to the ships to be sent off to England.

Lu was kind enough to meet me at the train station even though she had a house full of company.  Although I was staying in their home they weren’t actually go to be there because they were staying at a cabin about 30 minutes away. After a quick trip to their place to drop off my bag they dropped me off at the Port of Echuca.  I wandered around the old port and after getting some lunch (at apparently one of the best fish and chip shops in Victoria) I boarded the Alexander Arbuthnot steam paddle boat.  I took a sixty minute trip up the Murray River. What I noticed most was how low the water is.  In the photo below you can see the roots of the trees being exposed because the water levels are so low.

It was pretty cool to see other paddle boats travel up and down the river as most are very old with a lot of history of their own.

After the boat ride was over I spent some time checking out the Echuca Warf and its history.  

Euchca Wharf 

I went on the yellowish boat in the front

(more proof of low water levels)

The shops in the port/wharf area.

It was pretty interesting to see the displays and learn a bit more about the town.  Once I had enough history I walked around town a bit more. I  ventured over the bridge into New South Wales and the small town of Moama.  Moama and Echuca are two towns side by side but in two completely different states.

From Moama I walked back to Lu and Ian’s place.  By this time I was pretty exhausted because it was very hot out.  (I’m not complaining because I’ve been waiting for a hot day like this in Victoria for a very long time).  I did a bit a work on my report cards and was in bed early.

This morning I was up early and after working on my reports for an hour or so I strolled back to the wharf area.  I had a snack at the Beechworth Bakery (I went to the original one a few months back in the town of Beechworth).  I enjoyed my treat on the back deck looking out towards the Campaspe River.

 It was another HOT day (still not complaining though).

Campaspe River

I snooped around Echuca a bit more before heading back to Lu and Ian’s to collect my bag for my train ride back to Melbourne.

It was a good weekend to recharge my battery after non stop company and adventures.  It also allowed me to get a bit of work done on my report cards (there isn't a whole lot to do on a three hour train ride except report cards - or nap).  I’m determined to not let them cut too much into my adventures and time with company.  My time here is going by very quickly.  Only six more weeks of work which means I’ll be home in six and a half.  Wow time is ticking by even quicker.  I'm excited to be reunited with my friends and family but I still have way too much I want to see and do here in Australia.