After a long day on The Spirit of Tassie, we bee-line to the abandoned house we left Herby!!! There was a bike ride on in the Port of Melbourne that day, so the road was blocked, so we decided to park the van (double park it mind you) while I ran down the street until I found Herby. It was a great idea, in theory... After being on the boat for 9 and a half hours I really enjoyed the run through the packed street. On the way back was another story. It was a little further down than we expected, so here I am, running back to the caravan with a half dead herb garden in my arms, people looking at me thinking I've stole it, because just a few minutes ago I ran past them empty handed!!!!! However back at the van, we assessed the damaged. Herby was in a bad way, but with some love and care we thought he would pull through. Pulling ourselves together, we set our sights for a free camp just south of Geelong. After a great sleep, we wake and can't wait to get onto The Great Ocean Road. We stop at Torquay, the surf shop capital, and the girls spend their report card money on good boogy boards. ' We stack the fridge and stoke the cudboards' and go hunting for a beach for the girls to test out their new boards. We found two great beaches, and were in awe of our surroundings. The scenery was beautiful, the company was extraordinary as usual and we had to stop ourselves saying, "that would be a great photo, pull over".
Wye River is where we spent our first night along The Great Ocean Road. Washing got done, another swim in the beach and a glorious walk, hand in hand with Troy first thing in the morning. What more could one ask for???
We set off early the next morning in search of our next stop. Driving through Apollo Bay, we stop at the Information Centre and find out what's the best things to do. Knowledge is key!! Cape Otway Lighthouse, here we come. Another great lighthouse on the Shipwreck Coast, we walked to the top and spoke to the lighthouse keeper, who, mind you, was a little more interested in our travels than the workings of the Lighthouse. Another history lesson done, and back to the van for yummy turkey wraps for lunch. We were a bit beat after our long walk, but still had enough energy to stop and take pics of the hundreds, yes hundreds of Koalas in the trees. It was incredible, to see so many of them in one place, yet only metres down the road, the trees were all baron and near dead from where the Koalas had been. Johanna Beach was in our sights and we couldn't wait to get there!!!!
Wow! Johanna Beach. A free camp with great facilities, right on a very popular surf beach, on The Great Ocean Road. The Information Centre had told us it was a long weekend in Victoria, so we decided to stay put, and ride out the long weekend, and the music festival just down the road. Six days we spent there. The longest we have spent anywhere on our travels thus far. We broke it up with day trips to The 12 Apostles, which were amazing. To think what Mother Nature can do. Kaicey, being switched on and all, says mum, "I think they should call them 'The Great Apostles', because there isn't 12 anymore", clever girl. Elley says, " They should just call them what everyone knows them as", good point,,,,, the Twins however, thought it was great, but was wondering how come they didn't see any possums, let alone 12!!!!! Just down the road was Loch Ard Gorge, not as popular, but just as amazing. There were 3 designated walks and everyone of them had us engrossed with it's beauty. Back to Johanna Beach for a paddle and play on the beach the next day, building sandcastles (which was so good, tourists were taking pics of) and collecting miniature shells. We were rested and decided on The Otway Fly Treetop Walk. Pretty cool. 65metres high among the tree tops, one of three Tree Top walks in the world!!!!!! The history of this place dated back to Dinosaurs, which were ever present in the walk. After six days and the long weekend over, it was time to move on.
Along The Great Ocean Road, we stopped to see London Bridge, which part of it collapsed in 1994 where 2 people were stranded and had to be rescued by helicopter. The Arch and the Gotto were pretty, but we have seen some amazing things and are probably getting a little spoiled. A pit stop in Warrnabool to replenish supplies and then we had our sights on a camp at Killarney Beach. It was so hot, which we had been waiting for, so all of us swam in the most beautiful, clear, calm water that we have ever seen. Alot of fun was had by all, and to top it off, we seen a spectacular sunset, which made us feel like we were on the plains of Africa. A-bloody-mazing!!!!
Three nights and we were getting itchy feet, so we pack the van and head to Portland. The Blowhole and Petrified Forrest got our attention at Cape Bridgewater. We then set Sarah to Dartmoor, a free camp on the Glenelg River, with Tree Carvings of The Great War and a park called Village Green, where 20 or so, Story and Nursery Rhyme Characters, are carved into the stump of a tree.
We have our sights set on the South Australian border tomorrow. Every time we finish a blog, we get worried that the next one won't have much context. Every time, we are proved wrong. We hope that you all still enjoy our blogs. I must admit, if it wasn't for Troy, the most amazing, funny, loving and sexiest man alive, the blogs wouldn't be half as entertaining. So, thank you my sweet husband, thank you for the laughs, thank you for the material, for if it wasn't for you, life and the blog would be just plain boring XXXX
I must also say a big shout out to a wonderful woman, who helped shape our beautiful daughters into the intelligent people they are today. The one and only, Mrs Irene Faulkner. Kaicey's Prep Teacher and Elley's Year 1 and Year 2 Teacher. Everyday I teach those girls, I think, how would Irene approach this. We are forever grateful to you Irene xxxx
Jenny Rutley, keep an eye on the mail for the next week. Love you my second Mummy xxxx
Love ya's all
The Travelling Bryants
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