Tony's Tales: Summer Down Under ???

Best wishes to all from the Frencham Family for a Happy and Healthy 2011. May it be everything you make of it.

Well, we have just returned from our annual visit to Melbourne for Christmas with friends and family. Of course it is the Australian summer and we were happy to be avoiding the bitter cold in Europe and the mega-snowstorms in the US. Despite the fact that we live in Dubai and have a nine-month-a-year summer we were all looking forward to the carefree attitude of an Aussie summer.

Well, this wouldn't be much of an intro if the weather turned out to be great. Now, don't get us wrong, southern Australia has just come out of a five year drought and the returning rain is very welcome. We also feel desparately for our northern Australia cousins who are now suffering under some of the worst flooding in memory. All that said, Melbourne was cold for much of the first week and it felt more like winter than summer.

The worst of it was the day we had set aside to join Melissa's sister Jenny, husband Stuart and three young boys Riley, Ethan and Logan on a steam train trip in the nearby ranges (Dandenongs) on the famous Puffing Billy. With boundless enthusiasm and open carriages the trip started well, but as the train climbed to the cloud line and the driven rain started it was obvious this chilling day was no southern summer. Enough of the whining, but you get the picture.

The explanation for Melbourne's weather is geographical: to the south is a vast ocean that extends to Antarctica and so when it blows from there it is very cold. When it blows from the north it comes across the hot Australia interior and can easily exceed 38C (100F). As an example of how mental the Melbourne weather is (and perhaps how resilient the crazies are that hail from there), the max temps for Dec 27 thru Jan 1 were 18C, 23C, 30C, 24C, 41C(!), 23C -- those are some swings!

Fortunately there is more to Melbourne than the weather. We had a wonderful time (albeit compressed) catching up with family and friends -- our thanks to all for the fun and informality -- we will be back every year and wouldn't miss it for the world.

Of course for Tony there is also sport. He was barely off the 'plane before he was headed to his beloved Collingwood Football Club to be photographed with the 2010 Premiership Cup after 20 long years since the last flag.

And of course there was the traditional first day of the Boxing Day cricket test at the 'G. The great friends and the 84+ thousand crowd made for a wonderful day, except that Australia continued it's downward spiral and England deservedly dominated. Fortunately the beer was cold and the pies were hot and there is always another victorious day ahead.

We are now all back in Dubai and today was the first day of school / work. We are looking forward to 2011: to the challenges; to the opportunities; and to the people that make it all worthwhile. Again, our best wishes to all of you -- cheers.