Yesterday we concluded a full 4 days on the Great Ocean Road. Ed piloted our sessy slate Toyota Corolla around windy, sheer cliffs, up gravel mountain passes, and through countless beachside towns.
We started our journey in Torquay at the Surf Museum where we learned that surfers in the 60s were really skinny and smoked a lot of weed. We followed this up with the obvious visit to Bell's Beach, where major surf competitions are held. Unfortunately we arrived mid-afternoon and there weren't any wave riders to ogle. I think they prefer to ride at dusk when the white sharks feed.
We stopped in the town of Anglesea because we had read that kangaroos hung out on the golf course. I wasn't holding my breath, because I figured this was like promising a dear spotting in Connecticut - like, the odds are pretty good, but there's no guarantee one is going to show up. Apparently Australian animals are more predictable:
After checking the first animal off of our Australian wildlife bingo cards, we motored on to Aireys Inlet to see our 2nd or 3rd lighthouse of the day. This one was mighty impressive; my Mom and I surmised that high gloss paint was employed.
As my FB brethren know, bookings here have been a bit of challenge due to the summer holidays and "the tennis." So I was a little uneasy when the only affordable accommodation I could source that afternoon was at a "tourist park" in Wye River. Limited on time and options, and with both Ed and Penny boring holes into my brain across the picnic table, I called. I used my nicest Yankee manners to get a break on the price, and booked us into a cabin at the campsite. After an obesity inducing dinner in Lorne (never order a large anything in Australia. never ever ever) we hopped in the car for the final leg to the campground and held our breath as we pulled in.
Our 2 bedroom cabin was located on "Koala Road" within the camp and as we pulled up, we were all very quiet. I think, as Americans, we might be slightly, snottily, predisposed when it comes to motor homes and the like and this place was full of them. Imagine our surprise when we unlocked the door to find the tidiest, most spacious, well equipped, shiny new rooms we've inhabited in months. After the best night of sleep we'd had in ages, complimentary coffee and mind bogglingly good muffins from the "world famous" general store at the bottom of the road, we continued down the coast for day 2 of epic views and wild water. Rugged! G'day!
We started our journey in Torquay at the Surf Museum where we learned that surfers in the 60s were really skinny and smoked a lot of weed. We followed this up with the obvious visit to Bell's Beach, where major surf competitions are held. Unfortunately we arrived mid-afternoon and there weren't any wave riders to ogle. I think they prefer to ride at dusk when the white sharks feed.
We stopped in the town of Anglesea because we had read that kangaroos hung out on the golf course. I wasn't holding my breath, because I figured this was like promising a dear spotting in Connecticut - like, the odds are pretty good, but there's no guarantee one is going to show up. Apparently Australian animals are more predictable:
After checking the first animal off of our Australian wildlife bingo cards, we motored on to Aireys Inlet to see our 2nd or 3rd lighthouse of the day. This one was mighty impressive; my Mom and I surmised that high gloss paint was employed.
As my FB brethren know, bookings here have been a bit of challenge due to the summer holidays and "the tennis." So I was a little uneasy when the only affordable accommodation I could source that afternoon was at a "tourist park" in Wye River. Limited on time and options, and with both Ed and Penny boring holes into my brain across the picnic table, I called. I used my nicest Yankee manners to get a break on the price, and booked us into a cabin at the campsite. After an obesity inducing dinner in Lorne (never order a large anything in Australia. never ever ever) we hopped in the car for the final leg to the campground and held our breath as we pulled in.
Our 2 bedroom cabin was located on "Koala Road" within the camp and as we pulled up, we were all very quiet. I think, as Americans, we might be slightly, snottily, predisposed when it comes to motor homes and the like and this place was full of them. Imagine our surprise when we unlocked the door to find the tidiest, most spacious, well equipped, shiny new rooms we've inhabited in months. After the best night of sleep we'd had in ages, complimentary coffee and mind bogglingly good muffins from the "world famous" general store at the bottom of the road, we continued down the coast for day 2 of epic views and wild water. Rugged! G'day!
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