On Tuesday I had a history lesson, two of them in fact. First there was the history of Australia, as we went out to the National Museum of Australia, which is by the lake. It’s a pretty amazing looking building, very funky!

We had a look around all the parts of the museum, from the animals, where there was a taxidermied kangaroo and other animals like a platypus. There was an interactive map of the growth of certain animals that had been introduced to the country. The rabbit one was alarming but I’m not surprised, given the term “at it like rabbits”. We were also quizzed on what is the highest point in Australia, my friend, Evie, said it was Mount Kosciuszko but it’s actually a point called Big Ben which is on Heard Island. Every day really is a school day!

I found the history of the Aborigines the most interesting part of it, bits about their culture and their struggle for acceptance in the modern society were really eye opening, especially as it all happened relatively recently with the apology and the protests and so on. It was really emotive stuff, finding out all about it. I also had no idea that the cricketer Jason Gillespie was of Aborigine descent!

They had a display about cricket, with various bits of memerobilia, including a pair of Rod Marsh’s wicketkeeping gloves – another pair of his is at the Australian Institute of Sport, they get around! Evie and I had a giggle at the knitted egg cosies, they looked so silly!

After the museum it was time for the history of Canberra, so we went to Regatta Point. A smaller but very informative exhibit, with lots of interactive bits and bobs, it was really interesting to find out about how the location for Canberra, the city’s design and its name were decided. They had suggestions of what Canberra could have been called, ones like Empire City and New London really amused me, but the area suits being called Canberra, I reckon.

I really like how Canberra isn’t like most other cities that I’ve been to. I really like the mix of the trees and almost country-esque setting combining with what would make a stereotypical city with the big buildings and so on. Plus Lake Burley-Griffin is amazing, Evie and I are going to hire some bikes towards the end of my trip and cycle round some of it. I like how the Governmental building are organised in a triangle, it’s easy to remember!

Yesterday afternoon we went over to the Australian Institute of Sport to do the tour there. They have some stunning statues outside the building, one of a gymnast and one of a wheel chair basketball player. Both of these were at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and were then moved to Canberra. Our tour guide was a very tall volleyball player called Jasper, who was only about 20! The students at the AIS can work in the shop, on the reception and on tours to earn a bit of extra money in their time there. Previous alumni includes Glenn McGrath and John Eales.

The first part of the tour was a fun part where we were able to have a look at some memerobilia and have a go at some of the sports there. In the cricketing section there was another pair of Rod Marsh’s gloves – I told you they get around, Dennis Lillee’s aluminium bat and some Don Bradman stuff. There was also an Australia rugby union shirt signed by the 2007 World Cup squad – cue a bit of teasing from me on how well Australia did at that tournament…

Evie and I had a go at an interactive throwing the cricket ball at the stumps – I was useless, Evie wasn’t: the cycling – which I was good at, and the basketball/wheelchair basketball – I was useless, Evie wasn’t. The basketball proved why I always play in defence!

The rest of the tour was good, from the gymnastics hall being split in half – the guys on the right hand side, the girls on the left. The gym was HUGE and really warm, while the swimming pools were just completely state of the art, way better than what we have back at home! No wonder the Aussies are so good at the Olympics…

Evie and I decided to brunch this morning. We went to Kingston Grind, which is apparently really tough to get a table at and their coffee has had good reviews (not that I’d be drinking it as I can’t stand the stuff). We each had a big breakfast: sausage, Turkish bread toasted (we don’t have this back in England but it’s very nice), bacon, tomato, mushroom and eggs. It was so filling but I did miss having baked beans and brown sauce with it – you really can’t take the girl out of England! Oh and instead of coffee I had a lovely chocolate milkshake.

After brunch we got the bus into Civic where I had to cash some Traveler’s Cheques ahead of our trip which takes in Townsville, Brisbane, Byron Bay and Sydney, that killed some time ahead of our cinema trip to see Toy Story 3 in 3D. I wasn’t warned when buying popcorn that Aussies do not do sweet popcorn, just salted. The film was absolutely fantastic! I laughed, I cried, there were jokes old and new and it was such a good story line. In fact most of the audience was made up of people in their early 20s – we’ve been waiting 11 years for the film to come out! I’ll have to go and see it again definitely, it should still be running by the time I get back to England – it’s sad that most of you won’t get to see it at the cinema until the end of July!

I saw a nice piece of art, well I say art, it’s just a canvas with some of the places in Australia done prettily in the shop Typo for $40. I really want it, I think it’d look good in my room, it would just be a bugger to ship home! Will see if it’s there and possibly cheaper towards the end of my trip, then I might buy it…

Tomorrow Evie and I are off to Townsville in North Queensland to start a mini tour of the East Coast, taking in Brisbane, Byron Bay and Sydney as well.

It’ll be great to have some warmer weather!