Friday 15 November

Captain Cook's cottage had been painstakingly rebuilt

The sun came out at last today, and so did the crowds. After a late start, we walked to Victoria Market where I bought some socks and looked at the opal jewellery. We then took two trams to Treasury Gardens and looked out for a place for lunch.

After visiting the JFK memorial, we crossed over to Fitzroy Gardens with its beautiful trees. We met Matthew and Sarah at Captain Cook's cottage. Inside we saw the 18th century kitchen and bedrooms, and heard a dialogue in North Yorkshire accents. Then we admired the pretty garden.The cottage of Cook's parents was transported brick by brick from Great Ayton. We posted cards in the red British pillar box outside.

Rod Laver tennis arena was open for us to stroll round

Then we looked round the outside of the nearby MCG and Olympic stadium, and also went into the Rod Laver tennis arena. We found a tram going towards Matthew and Sarah's house where we had tea and Anzac biscuits.

We had dinner in the courtyard of Jimmy Watson's restaurant. We had sparkling wine, barramundi or pizza, and desserts, plus New Zealand SB. We looked in a bookshop before returning to our hotel.

We stopped to stroll in Flagstaff Gardens opposite and saw possums in the trees - an adult and a mother and baby.Cute!