After spending a week in Melbourne we were off on the road again, this time South and West along the Great Ocean Road, one of the great scenic drives in Australia. Our final destination was Adelaide. We were off mid morning in our white tin box car big enough for two and our packs. By afternoon we made it to our first stop at Apollo Bay, a small a village. We found a great YHA backpacker that was eco friendly outfitted with rain water collection, a worm farm to help with composting efforts, and a complete green construction. Very cool.
Despite the rainy cold weather on day two of our drive we were able to see the 12 Apostles, beautiful rock formations along the coast, awesome views and luckily a “mob” (the OZ term for a herd or pack) of Kangaroos along the roadside. We were able to stop and even managed to get a bit of video of the curious animals. Further along the road we arrived in Port Ferry another charming coastal village. We stayed in an old fishing cottage from the early 1900’s that had been completely restored to the Victorian age with beautiful ornamental details.
We had a refreshing run along the coast the next morning just in time for the sunrise and some the most beautiful light we have seen since arriving in OZ. Then we were off to Robe. We arrived in time for a walk along the beach, a beer and a chance to catch a beautiful sunset. We warmed our selves by a fire by night and I beat Evan in “Spite and Malice” once again. (Although he claims this statement is not true, I assure you that I have in fact beat him more than he might think.)
We made our way along the final day of our journey on the longest straight road we have seen since leaving the US. It was beauty in a different sense. Sometimes I began to wonder if we would pass a car along the way or were we the only ones out there. Another insight into the enormity of OZ.
We have spent the last week in Adelaide. We toured the Adelaide hills and visited a German town in called Handorf where we feasted on sausages and sauerkraut. We had several morning runs along the Adelaide waterfront with the white parrots yapping in our ears. We visited the South Australian Museum and learned of Sir Douglas Mawson the well known Australian geologist and explorer and saw the most amazing rock and mineral collection. (Virginia would have thought she had died and gone to heaven.) AND….I entered a new decade and turned the big 30. Evan of course made it very special with a stay in an old Victorian home called the Buxton Mannor built in the early 1900’s (later I gave him a hard time that he was already trying to get me into a nursing home). He handmade for me a very sweet card, cooked me breakfast, took me out for lunch and arranged for a message. It was a great day…the only thing missing was family and friends.
Our journey takes us north today to Port Douglas which is along the Great Barrier Reef, where hopefully we will sun ourselves and not get eaten by a shark.
***Pictures to come when we can get a good internet connection***