(Australia) Sunday, 3/28 and Monday, 2/29 morning

Sunday afternoon, March 28th

 MARK:

We are on the Great Ocean Road that is a winding ocean drive similar to Highway 1 along the California coast.  We keep saying it reminds us of driving to Big Sur.  This is our first bad weather day, it has drizzled off and on and is deteriorating as the day goes on.  Freda is doing most of the driving because she is afraid I will have an accident and then be thrown in jail for no license.  I’ll have to remember this expired license trick in the future!  Even with the dreary weather we have had some highlights.  When we stopped for lunch in a small coastal town we walked through a park and a cockatoo flew down beside us.  We stopped to take a picture and another one landed, then another one, and before we knew it there were 23 around us!   I guess they thought we had food and are like sea gulls.  One of the locals said they are pest and always go after your food.   It was fascinating to us but I guess it would be like a European being fascinated with a sea gull in Florida.

 

 

 

 

As we drove down the coast we would change elevations from being right on the water and then climb high along the cliff roadway to a spectacular view.  They don’t look great in the pictures because the day is grey and cloudy.

 

 

As we came around one turn we entered a eucalyptus forest and we remarked that this is where we should see a koala crossing sign.  Suddenly Freda squeals and slams on the breaks.  Fortunately no one was behind us because she thought she had seen a koala and she did a 180 on this tiny coast road.   Sure enough there it was sleeping up in a branch hanging right over the road.  We stopped and got out and started walking the shoulder of the road and then found about 5-6 others throughout the area.  They are hard to spot because they curl up and sleep on a branch high in the trees.  The one hanging over the road was close enough for us to see its face and its paws griping the branch.  Before we knew it another car had stopped and it was a Dutch woman who now lives in San Diego.  She had binoculars so we could get a better view.  Before we left the shoulder was full of cars.  We took off because we didn’t want to be the cause of a pile up!

 

 

 

 

We got to our destination early today because we didn’t stop along the coast as often as we had planned due to the rain.  It has turned out to be a treat!  Our lodging is on the top of a hill over looking the ocean in a studio type room that cantilevers out over the terrain below.  We are relaxing and enjoying the incredible view.  I must go back and tell another story on ourselves.  Last night when we were trying to find our hotel in a small town where we caught the ferry, we passed what looked like an abandoned hotel that had the name that Freda recognized as our hotel.  Well guess what?  I’m just glad I didn’t make those reservations!   It not only looked abandoned and run down but the drive to it was over grown and in disrepair.  We laughed because Freda said the same thing I was thinking.  “If you had made these reservations you would be in BIG trouble.”   The inside was actually very nice and Freda said it had the best hairdryer yet.  I guess a good hairdryer can make up for a lot!   For me, it was the breakfast, they did it up well and it comes with the room rate!

 

 

FREDA:

It’ was a great day today!  Although we spent most of the day looking through windshield wipers, it was fun seeing different scenery.  It was like driving down Highway 1 in California.  My highlight was definitely seeing the cockatoos and the koalas.  Now seeing a kangaroo that isn’t dead in the road or in a nature preserve would complete my Australian wildlife bucket list!  We were told by the Dutch lady at the koala sighting that you usually see kangaroos at daylight and dusk.  On the way up to our hotel I did see a spot that I think we should go to tonight, but Mark has nixed that idea.  (Maybe after a few glasses of wine I can convince him!)

 I have to admit that last night’s accommodations weren’t too great.  As we drove up and I saw Mark’s face, I had to laugh and tell him that if he had made those reservations I would have asked him “What in the _____ were you thinking?”  But I made up for it tonight.  The view from our “villa” is gorgeous!

 

We drove through Apollo Bay before coming up to the hotel where we are staying tonight and went to a drive through bottle shop – The Thirsty Camel Bottle Shop.  It is a national chain of liquor stores and we got a couple of bottles of wonderful Australian wines that we have actually gotten at home at Whole Foods.  We are sitting looking at the ocean at about an elevation of about 1000 feet.  Our view down to the ocean is a Eucalyptus forest on one side and a pasture with cows on the other.  Every once in a while we see the most beautiful red and blue parrot type birds fly by.  What a view!   We are trying to take a lot of pictures but don’t think they can do justice of what we are seeing.  I just hope I can close my eyes in the future and remember how beautiful everything is!

 

Now that we’ve been together for 10 days straight (!),  we’ve made a list of things we’ve talked about traveling: 

• Don’t sweat the small things.
• Go with the flow.  Don’t let uncontrollable situations stress you out or ruin an experience. 
• Take time before you go to get organized.
• Forgetting something short of a passport or credit card isn’t the end of the world, as long as one of you have a current driver’s license. 
• Be prepared, but there’s practically nothing that a credit card won’t take care of.
• If you are nice and courteous to people, they’ll usually treat you the same way.  A compliment goes a long way. 
• The right luggage makes a difference – the experience depends on what you take. 
• If something doesn’t work out, there is always an alternative option.
• The best way to travel is to “meander with intent.”
• It’s inevitable that I will gain lbs. on vacation.

 

Sunday night

We just finished dinner in the restaurant at the hotel where we are staying (Chris’ Beacon Point Villas and Restaurant) and are sitting in the bar to send this.  We are sitting by the fireplace and enjoying the warmth.  What a contrast to just a few days ago.  I don’t think I can begin to adequately describe this place and do it justice.  We had the most wonderful dinner – one of the best meals we’ve ever had, not just in Australia!  Signing off for the evening – Mark is enjoying a wonderful port and I’m finishing the bottle of a wonderful dry South Australian Riesling that we had with our dinner.  No roo tonight – but a delicious duck, prune and pistachio terrine for our “entre”, and main meal of quail and rabbit!  You all may not recognize me when I get back to BR! 

Monday morning

We just came up to the restaurant and Mark realized he could take a panoramic picture with our camera, so did so here.  The restaurant has about a 180 degree glass wall looking over the ocean and into the woods around us.  It’s still overcast, but can get an idea of the vista we are enjoying. 

 

We.’re finishing our lovely lattes and then are  driving to Port Fairy today.  There is potential in the weather – we see a little blue in the sky.  Love to everyone – we miss you all!