16. Melbourne!

We just want to say that getting from Sydney to Melbourne was such a pleasant experience... unlike air travel in the US. We arrived at the airport to find no crowds, no commotion. It's not that no one was traveling, it was that the travel was so efficient and organized. In the center of the terminal are kiosks where you can weigh your bags -- a very, very important thing for us!-- so you don't have to wait until you are checking in with the airline employee to find out one bag is over weight and then start opening bags and moving things around while other people wait in line behind you! So, we weighed our bags (all ok) and then moved to the kiosk to check in and print the baggage tags and boarding passes. We then attached the tags to our bags and moved to another area where we scanned the boarding pass and sent the bags through. Done! Easy! No problems!

Even better was the security line. No ID check, no baggie for liquids, no shoes removed, no frisking, no full-body x-ray. Only computers and aerosol cans needed to be out when they x-ray the carry-on bags. A quick walk through and we were done. While the process was stress-free and easy, we did think it odd that no one -- ever -- checked an ID.

Amanda and Eleanor met us at the baggage claim area and then whisked us through Melbourne to Barbara's and Denis' apartment. Wow, what a place! Very close to the city, a tall building with all the amenities either in the fancy mall attached to the apartment building, or just around the corner on the main street. There is a pool and spa and workout area, and of course great walking options in the neighborhood. As we strolled around after our wonderful Japanese dinner, Lindsay was sizing up the shopping options. Clothes! Shoes! Chocolate! French bakery! More shoes! We spent the evening visiting and planning the rest of our stay. What a great way to start our holiday in Melbourne!

Barbara and Denis are so generously allowing us to stay in their beautiful home while they are away at the beach. We can't thank them enough. And Henry and Amanda and the girls have delayed their trip to the beach to play tour guide for us. Again, we are so grateful.

Not surprisingly, Lindsay is sleeping in a bit and I'm enjoying this beautiful morning. Amanda will be by soon and we will be off to explore in Melbourne. We have a late, fancy dinner planned to celebrate all the birthdays, so we'll have to get in a nap this afternoon. Lots to do!