A little holiday to end the holidays...

Well here we are in Melbourne for a few days, courtesy of my wife needing to attend University as part of her Master's Degree that she is doing.
While she goes and studies for a few days I am being free to do what I want down here as I completed mine a few years ago.

So what plans do I have???

We did a few things in the city today that had to be done (the yearly eye tests as we ARE getting older!) Thankfully for the second year running I don't need my glasses changed, but it's still a pain needing to take them everywhere.

When I mentioned this they kindly raised the subject of contact lenses, "and it will only cost $90 to set you up".
Well, this sounded too good to be true, so I stopped the lovely lady and bluntly asked her "So you're saying I could have contacts for just $90?" (I knew it was too good to be true, particularly as she started to shift in her chair a little.)
"Well...umm...aahhh...".
She then quietly, very quietly mentioned that there would be a slight 'production cost'. When pressed further, this 'production cost' was close to $300, and it would need doing every 6 months!!
We left on good terms, and I told her I'd think about it.
I'm not discounting the idea, it was just the sinister way that she was trying to hook me in that was a bit dodgy.

We then went and checked into our digs which are in a great central location. After going for a walk and tram ride to see where Jen has to go tomorrow, I suggested that we walk back to our digs, as it wasn't really that far. She was on to me straight away and knew why I suggested this plan of attack, as my route took us straight down Elizabeth St, coincidentally past all of the motorbike shops.
Some of you might know that I had a bike for a few years, but sold it as the two younger boys were on their L Plates and any time I rode the bike to school meant that they missed out on driving practice, so I sold it...regretfully. It has always been my plan to get another one, and as our youngest is soon to get his licence, I have started to keep an eye out.

It wasn't a big bike, but it was good first one.

I had to kill some time along Bridge Rd in Richmond while waiting for my eye appointment, and it became rather nostalgic when I found myself walking past the block of flats I lived in with a few school mates years ago when we all worked in banks and lived like slobs for a year. While everything in this area near the town hall has been redesigned and redeveloped since, the old digs haven't changed a bit.

Many great parties here, no wonder we were invited to leave!!

And while I still had time on my hands I just couldn't resist the temptation to duck down Punt Rd to see if the Tigers were training. Unfortunately they weren't, but you can guess where I'll be at 10.30 in the morning!!

So, my plans for the next two days are to just have a ball exploring Melbourne, something I've really been looking forward to. Just me, going where I want, when I want. And doesn't that sound so selfish!!!!

Well, the plans look like going a bit haywire, as one foot has decided to just hurt really badly for no good reason. What started as a bit of tenderness has now reached the stage where I am struggling to walk at all as my foot and ankle have decided to go on strike. I even packed the runners and a few sets of running gear so as to hit The Tan a few times...wishful thinking it now seems.

The only thing I can think that could be the cause is the fact that I have just come off a course of anti-inflammatories, and now my body is reminding me what it can do to my best laid plans.

At least I was still able to get a bit of exercise in the gym here, because if I couldn't I would just about go around the bend.

The funny thing in the gym was that when I went in, there was just an old bloke on an exercise bike  reading a paper at the same time. From what I could see, there was an element of leg rotation going on. Not much, but at least movement was detected.

So I just hopped onto a rowing machine nearby, plopped in the headphones and started to give it a go, but nothing too strenuous mind you as there wasn't much competition in the room.

Or so I thought.

Just then two young bucks who didn't look like they needed to be in the gym in the first place rocked up and started their workouts. Not wanting to look like a total flog, I upped the tempo in order to preserve my "macho-ness" and look a bit better than I actually was. For the first few minutes I was fine, until it dawned on me that they were not in the gym for a quick fix, they were here for a good session!! And then the old guy on the bike packed up and left, leaving me and the two Manpower Candidates alone!!

Eventually we all made eye contact, gave each other 'the nod of approval' ( you know, "Yeah mate, I can see you're doing a solid workout, good on you") but I knew they had me worked out from the start!!

Thankfully they finished first, gave another 'nod' (and a bit of grunt as well!) and left.

I kept pumping for another minute or so until I was sure it was safe to go back to my more mediocre pace, picked my heart and lungs up off the floor and headed back to our room, exhausted, but glad for the workout regardless.

I'm just hoping that I'll be mobile enough in the morning to get to training and back to the motorbike shops for a long look at what is around.

And to end the week, middle son Will is coming down on Friday and we are off to see the Tigers hopefully belt Carlton at The G. As the weather is going on the stink over the next few days, I gave Will the task of purchasing good seats, and from what he has told me tonight it seems that he has done a mighty job. If we win that will great, but if we lose, I'd rather watch it from good undercover seats!!

So, the two days of prowling Melbourne has got off to an eventful start, which is what I love, because wouldn't life be boring without these things to test and challenge us.

Cheers!!