Ok, so most if day 2 was spent sat on a plane. Turns out it's best part of 13.5 hours from the secret stop off point to Melbourne. Arse-numbingly boring; although that probably has a lot to do with the inability of the airline industry to give us comfy chairs. Give us comfy chairs... Then we can sleep and stop bothering you all the time! At least there was a decent selection of TV to watch.
Australia has to be one of the paranoid countries I've visited. The Passport control people are some of the most officious I've met. They're actually worse than those at the secret location! For some reason they are the only country who object to your passport being in a clear plastic holder. It's clear for a reason!!! And the list of things you cannot bring in is exhaustive. Even wooden items are banned. I'd be worried if my country's ecosystem were that fragile. They also insist on you telling the cabin crew if you're not feeling well before you land! Then again, the UK fo insist on aircraft and pax arriving from outside the EU being fumigated before departure.
Anyway, enough ranting! Hotel is ok. No bar though. Found a place called Mail Exchange where I enjoyed a nice pint of something!!!
Felt surprisingly in sync with the time here despite moving ahead of myself by 8 hours. See how I feel in the morning!