If this is Saturday, I must be in Van-bourne or Mel-cover

I swear, the guy across the aisle from me on the plane to Vancouver was from Sydney. I bought the Vancouver Sun at the airport to read back in my room at the YWCA to catch up on world news. One of those colored inserts dropped out and it was all about Australian wine club with specials this week at VanLiquors. I rarely read those human interest stories, but I had to admit the Canberra dateline caught my eye. Some 7 year old at the Australian Zoo was feeding rare animals to the resident croc. Wonder he didn't get chewed up, but then you don't bit the hand that feeds you right?

OK, I'm in Canada, and I work for an Australian tourism venture, but honestly, I could as easily be in Melbourne, Victoria (my former hometown) as in Vancouver, British Columbia (my next hometown). VAN and MEL are very similar and almost interchangeable with similar multi-cultural residents and majestic beauty - and wines. We'll see who wins the pinot noir challenge - my favorite from DownUnder or the BC Wine of the Week: a select blend from an estate in Okanagan Valley.

Cheers, mates, from wherever I am.