The Trains....

I am starting to commute for the first time. I have found a train station which is 10 minutes from where we are living. I have purchased a Metcard for a month. This allows me to use the trains and trams in Melbourne. The cost breaks down so that it is only costing me about $7.50 a day (about 3 pounds) to travel to and from work.

I have looked at the timetables and it takes about 30 minutes to get from the station to the centre of Melbourne. The station in Melbourne is literally a 5 minute walk from the office. Seems too easy.

Anyway I enter the station at around 8.15, plenty of time. I board the train. They seem to run every 5 minutes so if you miss one the next one is not far behind. I find out there are basically 2 different services. Express, which stops at just a couple of stations but then goes round something called the city loop which is an additional 4 stations which is like the Underground in London and the service which stops all stations but doesn't go round the city loop. Confused yet?

I was. I boarded the first train that came, they all end up at the same place so who cares which one you catch.
The trains are packed and there is only standing room available. It feels very similar to the undergound in London.
I arrive in the centre of Melbourne at Flinders street station and I follow everyone pretending I know what I am doing...only everyone soon realises that I haven't a clue. I am unable to exit the station as my Metcard is rejected. I cannot see anyone around who can help me.
I see 3 policemen so I decide to ask them. The chap was really helpful (and probably thought typical pom) and pointed me towards someone who "validated" my card so I could get out. I then realised you have to put your ticket into a machine to vaildate it every time you travel.

At work access is starting to appear. At the moment I have at least seven passwords and I haven't even started yet. I am advised to keep a spreadsheet of all my password as there will be a lot.

Rob the guy who has given the girls some toys to play with has offered us a television to borrow as we don't have one. We arrange for him to come over tonight to deliver it.

On the way home I try and find my train back. I eventually find the line that is the one I came in on and saw my station. Kerry picks me up when I arrive at the station and we head home.

We have something to eat and bath the girls and put them to bed. Rob turns up and we get the TV out of his car. He walks in and says "blimey I know you said you have no furniture but I didn't realise you really don't have anything."

Rob has also brought an arial lead and we set the TV up. He has also brought with him a bedside light for us to borrow. We discuss some things and I mention that I have not got the e-mail from Pickfords to send our new contact details to for the delivery of our furniture. Rob invites me round his tomorrow as I have backed up my pst files to my memory stick and a DVD.

At work (being IBM) we use Notes for e-mail so I am unable to access it from my work laptop.
I look for my memory stick and realise that it has been lost in the move from the hotel. Not to worry I have it all on a DVD so we should be ok.....