Adelaide
Trip Start
Jan 25, 2006
1
7
14
Trip End
Jul 20, 2006
Adelaide,
Australia
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
We are back with our last entry for Oz before departing to Thailand on 28th May. We left you in Canberra and then moved on to Wilson's Promontory via Lakes Entrance. The hightlight here was free camping and it was a freezing cold night.
The next day we continued our journey up to Wilson's Promontory which was lovely. As soon as we entered the National Park we encountered Emu's and Kangaroo's just roaming around. We were even lucky enough to see a wombat as they do not usesually venture out in the daylight. We put on our walking shoes and went on four different tracks to get a good taste of the island. The scenery was beautiful and it was very quiet as we were well out of tourist season (we were the only people in the campsite!)
'The Nobbies' at Phillip Island
. After walking 22km, we left happy, but tired. We drove onto Phillip Island for the night and again were the only people in hte campsite.The following morning we took a walk up to "The Nobbies" (see pic) and walked along the coastline. The weather wasn't great so we decided to hot foot it to Melbourne. Billy was happily driving through the city centre and we kept seeing signs about tolls, not realising that we had driven straight through a congestion charge area!
In the morning we decided to use another mode of transport - the tram and headed into Melbourne. Our first port of call was starbucks for a buy one get one free offer (well we are backpackers!). We spent the day touring the city centre and realised that it was very compact and easy to walk around. We had a well earned Chinese meal that evening and some beers in happy hour.
The next day we went to Queen Victoria market to see if we could find some cheap Aussie tat, but decided that buying hot jam doughnuts was more fun! Billy couldn't contain his excitement as we headed towards the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) to watch some Aussie Rules Football. It only cost eight pound fifty for each ticket and we could sit wherever we wanted (see pic)
Grampians National Park
. The game started with a punch up which was cool and the game lasted over 2 1/2 hours which was long considering that we didn't really have a clue of why they were chasing an egg around the pitch!!! We tried to book a Neighbours tour to be really cheesy, but it was fully booked and we were gutted. We were hoping that we were going to be able to meet Hancock as his alter ego 'Harold Bishop' or Maddo as 'Karl Kennedy', but alas it was not to be!We then went shopping much to Billys distaste and I got a dress for Neil and Hannah's upcoming wedding. Yes, I know I got one before leaving, but I think it will be too big and you can never have too many!!! The rest of the afternoon we looked around parliment, Fitzroy gardens and the Docklands region with its many bars and restaurants. After this, we were knackered and decided to have some tinnies in a local brewhouse followed by an excellent curry and more beers. We left quite ratted!
Our final day in Melbourne was lovely and sunny. We visited the Anzac Shrine of Remeberance and the botanical gardens as well as walking around the Rod Laver Tennis arena. I decided that as usual I needed cake and the only thing that would surfice was the largest piece of chocolate mars cake that you have ever seen! We followed this with a night at the flicks watching Final Destination 3
MCG Aussie Rules Football
. More of the same we found, although Billy didn't find any of the deaths gory enough - sickko!We woke the next day pleased to be leaving city life behind and started our journey on the Great Ocean Road. We started at Torquay (supposedly the surf capital of Oz - didn't seem like it as the waves were about an inch high!). We carried on to Aireys Inlet where we had a nice walk and devonshire cream tea (I had the scone and Billy had the tea - I'm such a bloater!!!). From here we moved to Lorne and booked into a caravan park for the night.
Our first task the next morning was to find Arsenals fate in the Champions League final as it was played at 4am Oz time and nowhere was open. I was not pleased to find that we had lost and that it seemed to have more to do with the ref than anything else! We then followed the coast around to Apollo Bay, stopping at various sights on route. We then went to Otway N.P. to walk on one of only three skyways in the world. You are 47m high at the tallest point and it is a track that goes through the canopy of the rainforest. Billy wasn't impressed by the swaying and the fact that it was see through. Our nights stay was in Port Campbell and the waves here were huge as they crashed on the marina.
McKenzie Falls in the Grampians
The next day we went to see the 12 apostles and Loch Gorge where we did some coastal walks. The scenery was amazing (see pic). The end of the Great Ocean Road took us to Warrnambool where we stayed overnight and watched 'The Da Vinci Code' at the cinema which was very good.
We then headed inland the next day to the Grampians National Park. We found out that there had been a massive forest fire caused by lightening in Jan this year which covered over 300km of forest. Even so the forset was starting to regenerate and we did some short walks. We stayed in Halls Gap which was a quaint little village with lots of coal fires as it was very cold. We shared our campsite with lots of kanga's.
The next morning we did some more walks and then the weather turned nasty so we decided to head to the northern entrance to the Grampians, Horesham. We drove to Mt Arapiles State Park and the highlight of the day was a lovely domino's 'el scorcho' pizza!
Our journey continued on to Fleurieu Peninsula stopping at Bordertown where we saw white kangaroo's, Port Elliot and Victor Harbour. We walked over to Granite Island at Victor Harbour and decided to join a little blue penguin guided tour where we saw them all returning home from a hard day fishing at sea. It was very cute!
The next day, we wandered around horseshoe bay, before going up to Glenelg near Adelaide. We are now in Adelaide writing this. We will be meeting up with a family friend Maureen later today where she will be showing us the sights until sunday when we fly out to Bangkok. Thanks Maureen!!!
Take care all, our next entry will be from Asia, goodbye civilisation!!!
