I’m on the train home from the city after having a riotous dinner with Alice. We worked together in London, and like most of my good friends, simply pick up where we left off.

She is based in Sydney now, but was working in Melbourne this week. I tootled in after a crazy, awful, busy day.

Within about 5 minutes, we were back in the vernacular, bouncing Inglish off each other. She’s just been back to the UK, a FIFO for the Spice Girls and visited Boots for me. I’ve got a shopping list for her from Primark. And pickled onion monster munch and Penguin biscuits.

We laughed and laughed and laughed.

It was good to see her. And as she’s back down here again next week, we can do it all over again.

I love my Australian friends, but I like being able to talk about flip-flops and Revels, Lorraine Kelly and Sainsburys.