 All on time at the airport and board the plane from Perth to Melbourne and suddenly Jaidos decides to throw up over samara and sam, the cabin crew clean it up and we get the Melbourne in no time.
No dramas with the busses this year, we pick up 2 new Toyota commuters and head to Albury.
Arrive at Albury to find out we have been double booked (and i checked and checked prior to the trip) for our accommodation. We are found something by Ian Ritchie Real Estate, probably better than what we had originally, and have a pool and a great house for the boys, the girls had the same as the previous year.
 Have a great night meal at the Commercial Club and kids settle for a big 10 days of tournaments.
Friday we hit the courts at Albury for day 1 of Margaret Court Cup. Kids get off to a good start, but its soooo hot! Cook up a huge bbq for team and the kids have a swim in the pool!
Saturday, another hot day, some tough matches, matt and mike pull out another awesome comeback in the 16s doubles crowning themselves the comeback kings. Dolza and Crowe and Offerman and Bouckhaert pull off big doubles wins. Big spag bol for tea.
Sunday, can’t believe it’s getting hotter, play is suspended for a lot of the day, which means lots of swimming! We hit the commercial club again!
Monday its gonna be 46 and play suspended again, and the pool is getting greener, the automatic timer on the filters is busted, pool out of action so the pools out of action and its the hottest day yet! Players crash out late in the day, meaning a rest day tomorrow.
 Tuesday and its hot again so the kids have some free time downtown in Albury, we hit the local pool and waterslide, then its off for our traditional night meal at the Hume Weir and the mub baths. Great fun, but very eerie hot conditions, you can understand the extreme fire risks throughout NSW/VIC.
Wednesday and a cool change for the ITF Teams events. All the kids get a full day of tennis, which they have been hanging for since the heat, Galante fires up for some big singles wins, then it rains! Rains, which feels like home, but we are knocked out of the comp in the group stages. We hit laPorchetta for dinner and we see the big boys smash about 5 large pizzas, and the littlies do their share!
Thursday is day 1 of the Victorian Grasscourts, and its freezing, i haven’t packed a jumper for the trip and it is like ice. Players off to a good start and picking up several wins.
Friday and our big stars Offerman, Partington, Thompson suffer tough losses and are into the conso draws. The Esperance boys play some very competitive matches in the conso, which is great to see an overall improvement in 7 days straight tennis!
Saturday sees the last of the players knocked out in the quarter finals, but not before kellie b takes care of the no 1 seed in the girls 10s, to end her tour on a high. We head home for a swim (yes the pools all fixed by now) and pack up ready to leave at 6am for Melbourne. Last night at the commercial club and the kids dessert bar took a hammering with kane and co serving up a storm or ice cream, custard, cakes, mousse, etc etc.
We hit Melbourne on Sunday and 1st stop is tennis warehouse, this is an amazing store with every racquet under the sun, the kids hit for an hour or so then we hit, nike, adidas, quicksilver and factory outlets. Then its off to the city and the DFO’s (for the girls). We then check in to our Villa D Marseilees, which is one huge mansion (with justa little finishing off to do, but sleeps 24 in 9 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms and has upstairs and downstairs. Took the kids to a great chinese restaurant in Sanctuary lakes for tea!
 Monday day 1 of aussie open and its raining! The girls were a tad noisy last night and kellie b slipped and fell on her bum, while all the girls were mucking around, sending a crash through the house, the girls (after a few words got to sleep) cause of the disturbance we had the girls wait on the boys for breakie, pouring milk and juice, buttering toast and doing dishes. Then we get facepainted up and head to the open. We find parking then it rains, then we watch some tennis, then it rains, it did this till 7.30pm when we packed up and went home to the nice warm house! Girls very quiet mon night!
We pack the bus and head to the tennis for day 2. We pack onsite and have an awesome day. We watch Federer, Nadal, Williams, Safina, Del potro, Rodick, Dellacqua, Davydenko all hit before their matches. We have an awesome day befor e we say goodbye to Meklbourne and head to the airport. We meet former glory star Eugine Dadi and have a chat, he’s off to perth with nhis new team wellington. They boys pump into the Pakistani cricket team and get photos and autographs.
We fly out and return home full of memories and good times.....bring on 2011!
|
