I managed to make it "Down Under" in order to do some collaborative work with Tom.  I stayed in Melbourne for three weeks: October 6th to the 26th.  

There was a lot of rain there, but I managed to make it out for some surfing a couple of times.  Naturally, most of the pictures are from the sunny, warm spring days rather than from the cold, windy, rainy spring days where I sat inside an office and worked.

When I arrived, it was cold and rainy -- typical springtime in Melbourne.  Tom had just finished a two-week vacation at the beach on the Gold Coast, but had gotten sick recently.  It was pretty tough to get going in Melbourne becauase  the car dominates life as it does in America. We eventually settled into an equilibrium and got down to work

I wasn't terribly impressed with the hotel, the Waverly Inn, mostly because it didn't have have high-speed internet.  So I checked into the Bayview Conference Centre -- an old monestary with distinctive cinder-block decore.  I was housed in "Cell Block D".The other inmates were mostly foreign graduate students, so I got along great with them.  We managed to get out to the beach around FariHaven, and Tourquay.  One of the days was spectacular, even if the waves were a little large..

Me and Sven near Tourquay

Sven and Albert -- fellow Cell Block D cellmates.

Sunset Beach views in Fairhaven.

Milena at the Melbourne festival of Arts. Charleston Lessons.

Sven and Ausgnar kickin' back at the crib.

Kristin explains life and how to live it to Albert

Another great meal at the Healthy Noodle.