Balmy

IT'S hot and humid in Brisbane today. We've been waiting on a (apparently massive) thunderstorm, but as yet it's not arrived.

AS everyone (who cares) will know by now, England lost the first Test this morning - Hoopy & Mike ventured down to the ground in the hope of a seeing a staunch English defence, but it didn't happen.

WHILST they were off getting depressed at the Gabba, myself, Ali & Charlie 'did' downtown Brisbane, taking in a trip up the river on the CityCat catamarans, wandering around Queen Street mall spending entirely too much money and generally getting a feel for the place. It's certainly a lot smaller and less daunting once you've spent a few hours in the centre -- it's a city that makes little sense from behind the wheel of a car ("the WRETCHED one way system" as Hoopy calls it), but on foot all becomes clear and it's actually really easy to get around.

WE HAD first hand experience of the Barmy Army at the Gabba on Sunday - they chose to congregate right behind us on the ground level of the stadium and didn't shut up for hours! Mike & I left early 'cos we were getting headaches - even Hoopy [who's used to raucous mobs screaming from the terraces at Anfield ;-)] went and sat upstairs after we left. It was all pretty good natured mind you - even the police were taking it in turns to have pictures taken with the lads and also doing 'behind camera' work on request. Obviously a nicer bunch than the muppets of the first couple of days.

ONCE I get the right combination of computer, card reader and decent Internet connection (I've managed any two out of three everywhere so far), I'm hoping to throw some pictures up, if only to prove, as Chandler has suggested, that we're not simply having time off in Bognor Regis and making all this crap up from the telly.

AFTER the cricket finished today and we'd met back up, Hoopy & I went off to the museums. Brisbane museum is rubbish, but the museum of Queensland over the river was excellent.

I"VE been up a couple of late nights trying desperately to sort out a problem with a recalcitrant .co.uk domain that expired without warning last Friday. It's registered through uk2.net who, until now, have always done themselves proud on product, price and performance. However, that view is changing by the hour -- I've now been waiting THREE DAYS for them to get back to me. As is the way these days, they don't pubish any form of phone number, so you're simply stuck waiting for someone to respond to faults on their suport site or emails. Unfortunately, the domain in question is used by about 200 people for email services, so it's a big issue. Once the domain is reactivated, it'll take me 20 seconds (with one hand tied behind my back) to change the MX record and get things working again, but until they pull their finger out of their arse I'm stuffed. Grrr. So much for not working this holiday. Note to self - when you get home, move any and all domains away from UK2 to someone who actually ANSWERS CRITICAL FAULTS when you raise them. Meantime, if anyone can get me a telephone number, I'll buy several beers...

AUSTRALIA ZOO beckons tomorrow, so we may be one down come Wednesday if Chaz reclaims his natural place in the Monkey enclosure.

NOW it's beer o'clock. So long.