Liz and Richard's 2007 Adventures

Adelaide - now we're in OZ

Arrived in Adelaide - new country, new car - a 6 cyl Holden.  Lots of power for the coast roads, very comfy and a lot bigger than our tiny Nissan in NZ.  Shock at having to drive in city traffic on wrong side of road.  Left turns are right turns.  More confident after a month in NZ but still freaked out every time we turn a corner and there's a car parked on the wrong side of the street (common here).  Relaxed with our favourite pressure valve.....a walk through Adelaide's Botanic Gardens

Food was more sophisticated than in NZ (we were never in Auckland, though).  Had a very good shrimp risotto and fish in filo pastry at a yacht basin north of Adelaide.

Off to Melbourne via the Great Ocean Road............see next posts

"Toto - we're not in Kansas anymore"

Road signs on the Great Ocean Road

Great Ocean Road - First night in Robe

Off to Melbourne via the "Great Ocean Road" (aka GOR), with stops at small towns along the way.  It's about 800km from Adelaide to Melbourne but we're going to take 5 nights to do it.

The GOR was built as a make work project for returning WWI vets (that's I not II).  It is a spectacular piece of civil engineering.  A combination of the Amalfi Coast and the LA/SF Coast Highway....only it's 12 hours of curves, bends, hills and threatening cliffs.  The initial portion is through drought ridden territory....barren fields, stock clustered around water tanks and salt flats bordered by heath

Sadly, there was quite a bit of Kangaroo road kill.  Wombats are nocturnal and the size of a small pig.  We were warned that hitting one was equivalent to driving into a soft drink machine sized block of concrete.....but didn't see any.

But Koalas.......Liz was excited.   We (or at least Liz) started looking up rather than at the road.  She found one, and then another.  A quick u-turn and our first Koala in the wild (others would follow with far greater humour - to come!).

We also saw a number of emus grazing  by the road - all camera shy.  We didn't drive at night so didn't see any wombats.

Passed the world's largest lobster (called crayfish here) on the way to our first night stop over in Robe.  The coastal towns are a string of Monterey like postcard beach front villages.  Robe was charming.  Because the towns were built in the 20s, there is a lot of Art Deco architecture and traditional homes

Robe had the most spectacular Bougainvillea we've ever seen....

.....and some good food.  We finally capitulated and ordered some usuriously priced lobster, plus shrimp in a succulent garlic sauce.  As always, the lobster was tasty but not worth the restaurant mark up.  We can do the same in our motel room with fresh bought at half the price

On an eating binge, we found the local Chinese restaurant - packed with locals who know good value.  Great fried rice, spicy beef on a hot plate and dreamily tender breaded calamari.  We over ordered and ate take away for breakfast for the next 2 days

The scenery was becoming more dramatic as we writhed our way to Apollo Bay

En route we passed through Mount Gambier, notable for its blue hole (an overrated limestone sinkhole), cottages out of a Miss Marple episode

And our FAVOURITE sign.......

Is this a.......

- guidepost for observant Muslim ladies?
- directions to the Fingerprint Museum?
- Nuns on a Pilgrimmage?

We'll never know!

Then 4 wonderful days at Apollo Bay - our own personal Carmel.  Comfy accommodations, dramatic scenery, great food and an incredibly welcoming host.......see next post!

Great Ocean Road - Apollo Bay #1

Our residence in Apollo Bay was a comfy cottage, comprehensively appointed -
fireplace and birds to feed; all with a view of the sea and the rhythm of pounding surf to lull us to sleep

We miss our birds (caged and on the beach).  The cottage delivered a host of highly visible new birds - parrots, water hens, magpies, etc

We loved and fed all the birds above, particularly the water hens who would knock on the door for their breakfast.  They moved like Bots from a Star Wars episode - folding and unfolding their huge feet as they avoided stepping on their own toes.  Watching them run (and they are fast) would bring tears to the eyes of a Robotics Engineer.

Our favourite - in fact our favourite wild birds ever - were the Australian Wrens.  They are creatures from an animated movie.  Their legs are too long for their bodies. Their tails point up like raised middle fingers.  The do not walk - they bop from place to place.  They are incredibly cute.  Try to take a photo and they're out of frame before you can focus.....here are some bad shots of our babies

Most frustrating - the above photos are the brown females.  The males are bright blue and they bop even faster than the females.  Following is the only photo (a bad one) of this fast moving creature (and following it is one we "borrowed" from the internet!)

Our days in Apollo Bay had an agenda of 3 activities:

1) coastal scenery
2) walks through the rainforest
3) dining

The 12 Apostles are 11 (one fell down in 2005) stacks off the coast.  We viewed them on a cloudy day but they are still awesome.....note the miniature people on the beach

As we wander the coast a favourite frequent sign is show below

Our questions were always......what ARE the options?

- drive into a 700 pound cow?
- negotiate with it?
- offer it a ride?

We have fun when we drive!

Great Ocean Road - Apollo Bay #2

The owner of the cottage (Nick) took us on a wonderful tour of Apollo Bay.  He's an ex fisherman, head of the local fishing co-op, entrepreneur, and a wonderfully charming and interesting man.  He is also at 65 in the kind of shape that is so tough and leathery that you would want him on your side in a tough bar.  Many questions were asked.

"Why are lobsters (crayfish) so expensive in NZ and OZ". - because 90% are shipped to China.  Nick took us on a tour of the local co-op where they collect and ship.  He tossed (literally) a bunch on the table for us.  Some were as large as 5 pounds.  Note the two colours - sandy and dark red.  The Chinese pay more for the reds.  The co-op also ships abalone and is one of the last sustainable abalone fisheries in the world.  They also catch spider crabs - the female shown is a foot and a half across......they go to China too

Some of our culinary conundrums were resolved....all the great lobster, crab and abalone is being shipped to China at Dom Perignon prices

Coincidentally Nick and his wife were off to Machu Picchu and the rest of South America the next day for 6 weeks......of course we recommended restaurants.

Nick was one more Alpha Male of the many we've met in NZ and OZ.  Because we've avoided the cities, our world has been defined by people who can pilot a fishing boat in all weather, herd cattle, fell a 200 foot tree or shear a sheep.  While they are all very physical personalities, they are also very plugged in on marketing issues and universally articulate about the delicate balance between conservation and exploitation.  Again the personalities and conversations are our richest memories.

Great Ocean Road - "It's Raining in Sausage Gully"

Liz has fallen in love with Koalas.  Nick kindly took us to where there were lots

Koalas spend most of their time sleeping and digesting 60 feet up in the crotch of a Eucalyptus tree.  Nick felt that Liz should see active Koalas, so he simply shook the trees.  They're big trees, but Nick is a big guy.  It worked.  The Koalas got active.....too active - they got pissed......rather, they pissed......all over Liz's hat.

We're still laughing.

Great Ocean Road - Rainforest Trees

While the whole region is suffering from drought, there are still rainforests (albeit dry ones) in the valleys and many waterfalls (often reduced to trickles).  We took a number of walks.  As you have inevitably discovered we love trees.  The trees in these coastal rainforests are awe inspiring.  The inspiration for Tolkein's Ents are everywhere - 6 foot diameter boles soar literally hundreds of feet into the sky.  They peel their bark in 30 foot streamers, littering the forest floor like the morning after a graduation dance.  Around their bases is a secondary forest of fern trees.  We love the fern forests - they are primeval.  You expect T Rex to come waltzing out of the undergrowth.  Tough to depict the feeling in the photos, but we were enchanted.

Great Ocean Road - Tree Ferns and Waterfalls

More Trees!  And Water!!!

Met some interesting new dive buddies on the Great Barrier Reef

Unfortunately they tended to get a little frenzied around the sushi bar!

(Just back from our 4 night Liveaboard dive cruise to the Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef - 10 dives in 3.5 days - we had a great time!  Back in Sydney now - pooped out!)

Great Ocean Road - Here are the waterfalls!

Here are the waterfall shots......