Abacus Birdcage Gramophone Lamp.

One of the biggest comedy festivals in the world has dominated events in Melbourne over the last couple of weeks, It would have been rude not to sample its delights so off I went into the city & sampled a few evenings of comic genius and giggles. I initially went for a UK act, which admittedly was very nationalistic and ‘flag-waving’ of me as although I love this county, I had the impression that I didn’t really connect with or ‘get’ Australian humour. This show, Russel Kane- Human Dressage, was so funny I was very close to tears, he has been nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Award three times and is very witty at describing the attributes, emotions and cultures of people and nations, all whilst wearing, and pulling off may I add, a male pair of leggings, very impressive! Later in the festival, feeling bad for my previous patriot choice, I went to see Melbourne’s own comedy duet, Anyone for Tennis? This show named ‘Abacus Birdcage Gramophone Lamp’ is a completely random collection of sketches, music, theatre and humour based around these four objects. The words original, innovative, insane and quirky come to mind when trying to describe their act but still do not do justice to the bizarrely odd, BUT HILAREOUS things they performed in that hour! Compared to the duet Flight of the Concords, I think these two will go far in this new-age peculiar comedy field too. Oh and yes, they did wear old-school tennis outfits & headbands throughout…and in the finale, yes they do try to blow up the audience with a homemade bomb! Lets not to mention the slight nudity.

I’ve recently quit the gym in an aim to start saving some money for London and so have been walking ‘The Kokoda Trial’ with friends as much as possible. This is a very steep track, also called the ‘1000 steps’ in Ferntree Gully which depicts & replicates the trial which was walked and took lives of those Australian soldiers who fought and died on the Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea in World War II. It is a walk through thick tree ferns, gum tress, surrounded by wet forest & sounds of wildlife, although exhausting I love it, its a beautiful place, just mind the spiders! Whilst on the sombre subject of War, on the 25^th April, just a couple of days ago, fell the annual public holiday of ANZAC day (Australian New Zealand Army Corps). This, a recognised day to honour and remember both nations loses to wars across the decades, originated from those who died at Gallipoli in Turkey during World War I. I went to the ‘Dawn Service’ at 5am, starting in dark and ending at sunrise, at the huge Shine of Remembrance along with thousands of others on the Sunday morning of anzac. It was a traditional service of firing guns, speech by veterans and song, and although not Australian and had to stand silent whilst everyone sang the national anthems, I still felt right being there as the British flag flew alongside the their own, many soldiers having had English backgrounds. We all wore our poppies with pride.

Im assuming its because it has been getting colder recently that I’ve been having cravings for home-comforts, which probably I should have ignored, but instead I indulged in! My little Welsh friend Dee, and I walked past the sweetest Tea-Rooms last week tucked away in the city, and couldn’t resist (www.threethousand.com.au/eat-drink/hopetoun-tea-rooms) …four cups of tea and two cakes each later we were fully satisfied. However, it didn’t stop there, soon after we found a shop called ‘Treats from Home’ (www.treatsfromhome.com.au) on Collins street which stocks all British brand name-food and goodies, a little saviour, and purchased some Galaxy chocolate, it tastes even better after eight months of not passing the lips! To put and end to the pommy- yearning I cooked a giant traditional roast dinner & apple crumble last Sunday for ten of my housemates and Australian friends with plenty of left-overs. Now content and gratified, it’s back to the ozzy lifestyle, I solemnly swear to carry on wearing my thongs and singlet throughout the autumn months!