Toolangi Park Lodges

It'll be hard to leave tomorrow. Not because of the emotional ties. But bcs we don't have a vehicle. Or a swag come to think of it. The vehicle has been going to be 'ready tomorrow' for some weeks now and when we went to collect it from the 4wd shop last night, the shower was grinning at me in its box and the fridge hadn't actually had any connections run through to the back (well done A for checking - I'd ...

We're still grinding our teeth and adding things to the To Do list, having anxious moments followed by huge bouts of over excitement, bcs on Wednesday we're leaving on the start of our 'shake down' trip. The aim is to test out the new vehicle (2009 Landcruiser 76 series, Wagon) and our vehicle packing skills (currently non existant) before we really start our BA (Big Adventure) in January. So ...

... was relaxing here, and a few good hearted back packers were hanging out. I ended up making friends with this German named Marco. He offered to take me the length of the Great Ocean Road, since he was exploring it and going in the same direction as I. We set out the next morning and hit up as many unique spots as we so desired. Saw a Kangaroo on the side of the road, and as we rushed to a stop to take a photo, it scurried off. But no matter, I looked up ...

... days!) and had dinner. Then we took Todd back to his posh motel and we went back to our extremely dodgey caravan park (think Windale) So ive got some photos for everyone - not much happening today - really really windy!! Will probably hang around Melbourne and then Todd has another game tomorrow night so we will stay for that and take off on Sunday for the Great Ocean Road.

... caravan park in Doncaster East - just outside of the City and very close to where Todd will stay when he gets here tomorrow. PS - john has found our new friends in the new caravan park already - we have only been here for a couple of hours!! - see the photos for our next friends - i fully expect to see them in the kombi by tomorrow :) And for those that love stats - $605 in accomodation ($25 avg per night), $582 in fuel and 2714kms so far!

... I wasn't fond of the wines, but it had beautiful grounds) and our favorite--Hanging Tree Winery. My favorite part of the Rosemount Estates wine tasting was when Tina, our wine server, actually sang a few songs. Turns out she has a phenomenal voice. While that was a nice perk, the Hanging Tree Winery was truly a treat. It is owned by a couple--Colleen and Diamond--who seemed straight out of Wyoming or Montana in their dress (cowboy boots, hat and fringed jackets) and ...

... or doing, like getting their take on Americans, listening to Kitty and Mia's humorous arguments over clothing items, showing my inadequacies in putting together puzzles, or owning Guy on a regular basis. It was a great experience for both Ana and I and were fortunate enough to have a wonderful place to stay during Christmas. We bid the Solomon family farewell on the 30th and continued on our quest.

Success To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded. Often attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson, it is ...

... in NSW in Australie!!!) en voor we het wisten was het weer tijd om in te checken. Daar stond voor ons een Boeing 747-400. Zoveel volk dat naar Melbourne wil en bijna geen Belgen. En we waren weg voor zo'n 12 uur vliegen. Deservice aan boord was geweldig. Lekker eten en super veel films en spelletjes (Zodiac!). Ze deden hun best om ons te laten aanpassen aan de uurverandering (luikjes dicht, lichten uit, iedereen een dekentje en slapen).

We did a grueling 18 hour bus journey down from Sydney to Melbourne then booked into a hostel in the centre of the city for a couple of days. We really liked Melbourne they had some wicked areas and some really interesting things to see. We visited visual and graphic museum which had loads of short films and interactive exhibitions. We also decided to invest in a couple of ski jackets as the weather has been ...