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I can't sleep, a combination no doubt of the Diet Cokes, flat whites and chunks of that wonderful Australian delicacy, Rocky Road, that are coursing through my veins.

This new political dawn didn't exactly get off to a rip-roaring start. For a start, I got to see a bit too much of it. I left work, just as the sun was rising, and was then awoken just a couple of hours later by a presenter in London asking me what this election result means for the British monarchy? At least I was in bed at the time rather than on air.

Fascinating question, and one I'll happily return to. Just like what the Rudd victory means for the relationship with the Bush administration? What it means for relationship with Beijing? What it means for the relationship with Australia's South Pacific neighbours? But not now (although feel free to weigh in yourselves).

More thoughts on Kevin, Julia, Wayne, Peter et al, in the week (have you noticed, for instance, how most of the incoming Cabinet could easily make up the cast for a Star Trek-style space odyssey - although Peter Garrett would surely play the role of Starship captain rather than , who would probably be cast as the slightly geeky one who looks after all the computers). But I'm not sure whether this blog will last much beyond the Howard era. And certainly not in its daily form.

But I do want to thank you all for your nice notes, thoughtful comments, acerbic criticisms, and occasional sledges. One of the reasons why I wrote in one of the early blogs about how I loved the invective of Australian politics was in the ardent hope that I would become the recipient of it. And, readers, you obliged. Someone called me an "A1 Galah", which I'm told is not entirely complimentary.

A quick word on the Sydney correspondent job description, which a couple of you have picked up on. I promise you it's a ´óÏó´«Ã½ thing rather than any anti-Melbourne thing (anti-Canberra, for sure, but not anti-Melbourne). Just as our squadron of Washington correspondents cover all 50 states, and our Rome correspondent covers Italy from the toe-cap of its boot to the foothills of the Alps, we try to cover as much of Australia as possible - every state and territory, in fact, over the past 12 months. But having now learnt that it encompasses an area 10 times the size of Britain, I do think we need to take a look at whether the parliamentary seat of Kargoorlie merits a correspondent all of its own.

Funniest moment of the campaign? For me it came in Bondi Junction, when I ran into Bob Hawke. The former Labor prime minister was just telling me all about how green issues had really taken root, when a busker saw him and, in tribute, started to play the national anthem. Trying to make sense of this to the listeners back home, I said: "Mr. Hawke, they're playing the national anthem."
"Yes," he replied, without missing a beat. "I gathered that." Then, fabulously, he started humming along.

As for the most memorable moment? Well, forgive me, but that came over a candlelit dinner in the Tasmanian seat of Denison. For it was there that I asked my Australian girlfriend to marry me. I'm delighted to report that she gave me her first preference. And she will always have mine.

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