If I could boil it down, there was just one thing (well two if you count the Neighbours tour!) that I refused to miss out on whilst in Melbourne; that was The Great Ocean Road.
I’d spent a lot of the previous 9 months or so enjoying fellow traveller’s photos via Facebook of it and I’d decided that it was something I just had to see with my own eyes. You see, when I came to Australia I had absolutely no idea of the things I would want to do – the whole year was entirely a make it up as you go exercise! Whilst getting exceedingly drunk over a Chinese meal one evening, Bee and I decided we’d do this trip together whilst she was in Melbourne.
In case you don’t know, The Great Ocean Road is a spectacular highway running approximately 150 miles from Torquay to near Warrnambool. The scenery is jaw dropping at times with beautiful beaches, coves, forests and dramatic coastline in abundance.
The tour included several personal highlights for me. First was Bells Beach. As a (bad) surfer this was a place I’d dreamed of seeing. Unfortunately for me I had no time to paddle out, but hey, if I had done so I’d have only been thinking about the men in grey suits the entire time!
Second highlight was Split Point Lighthouse, AKA the ‘Going round The Twist’ lighthouse! As children me and my sister loved this show. I couldn’t believe I was really there. I admit to singing the theme tune as I walked up to it!
Third was The Twelve Apostles. I always think of them being similar to Bedruthan Steps back home, but in truth that’s not fair – The Twelve Apostles (or what’s left of them) truly are a sight to behold and in a single photo pretty much sum up the entire trip.
After this, I had to say goodbye to Bee who was heading to New Zealand imminently. From a high to a low, but that’s life. I’d spend a bit more time in St Kilda (see my adventures with Andrea in the previous post) and then I’d catch an overnight bus to Adelaide.
