The Great Ocean Road (05-07/03/09)

THURSDAY 5TH MARCH

Today we’re heading off to Adelaide on a 3 day road trip, so it should be fun. We left our hostel at 06:30a.m and got a tram to Melbourne Art Centre, which is adorned with a massive Eiffel tower lookalike.
We’re met by our guide for the trip, Dave. I should remember that, as not only is it my name but it’s also on his shirt in case I forget. It also turns out that we’re the only two blokes on the trip. There’s Louise (my fiancé), Tamsin (tiny, middle class), Alice (very middle class, what what.), Leoni (unusual name), Sophia (Leoni’s friend and fellow German) and (also German).
The first part of our journey is getting out of Melbourne and on to the Great Ocean Road. Dave manages it and we’re coasting along the GOR at a steady pace and we arrive at our first stop Lorne. Here we saw a few wild koalas and parrots. The parrots constantly attack you; even more so when your significant other puts sunflower seed in your (newly styled) hair. Louise said I looked a bit like a pirate. When I looked at the photos I thought I looked more like a mental person.
We stopped for lunch at Apollo Bay; a necessary stop as we had a flat tyre. While everyone went for some food I helped Dave change the tyre, and along with him I got totally shitted up.
A short drive along the coast (I say short, anything less than 200km I short) and we reach the 12 Apostles. It’s a ridiculously windy day, but it looks pretty awesome. Louise was going to pay for me to take a helicopter ride over the Apostles (of which there are only 8 still standing), but because I’m a wimp and I hate flying, I said no.
Further along the Great Ocean Road are the Bay of Islands, London Bridge and Loch Ard Gorge. Lots of limestone rocks in different shapes in the sea.
We travelled to Warrnambool where we stayed for the night. It’s a bit out of the town so we were isolated. I tried to do a bit of my blog, but travelling all day makes you feel like crap so I went to bed knackered.

FRIDAY 6TH MARCH

Early start number 2 of 3. I don’t do mornings so this is not good. Our first stop is a quick tour through Tower Hill where I saw some more Kangaroos, a case of overkill rather than road kill. Next up was Brambuk Aboriginal Centre. It’s a bit biased against the white man, but that’s to be expected. The Aboriginals did have it a bit shit for the best part of 200 years, so they have reason to be aggrieved. However, it doesn’t mean they’re 100% right, but it’s not my place to say.
The next stop off was McKenzie falls. It’s very beautiful to look at, but it’s a long way down; 264 steps down and then back up. Okay I’m a bit lazy but the two English are a bit keen; they zoomed back up the steps like they were on a route march. Fuck that, I’m on holiday; I’m not here to run around and be in places on time or stick to a schedule.
Having said that the next thing on the agenda is a hike. I’m not averse to doing them as I completed a few in Asia where the heat and humidity is awful. This one was spoilt because of the route marchers. They went off at a 100mph with no regard for anyone else. I thought the rule of hiking was you go at the slowest pace. Obviously they aren’t bothered about anyone else.
We picked up another driver on the way, Sean. He is going to take us on the last leg of the tour to Adelaide. First we have to spend the night in Naracoorte, at Dave’s house/hostel. We were fed and watered by his wife Sonia and then spent an hour in the pub. On passing the pub we walked past another Drive-thru bottle. This is the without a doubt still the most irresponsible thing I’ve seen in my life.

SATURDAY 7TH MARCH

Today is the final early start before we arrive in Adelaide. Our first stop is Naracoorte caves. I’ve never really done caving before so this should be fun. There were eight little challenges to do, and all of them involved crawling through tiny holes without getting stuck. I successfully negotiated three and got stuck in one, so it wasn’t a bad effort. There was a 6ft 5in Dutch lad who almost never got out of a crevasse. He was as thin as a rake and he struggled to get through. If I’d have attempted it I think I’d still be there right now.
We went back to town and went shopping for some lunch. There I bumped into Libby, Jo from Tasmania’s cousin. I only know 6 people in Australia so it was a bit of a surprise when I saw her. What are the chances?
We said our goodbye’s to Dave and his family as he was staying at home for the last leg and we headed to Adelaide. The last stop on the journey was another vineyard where I didn’t taste any wine because I don’t have any sophistication; I’d rather have a beer any day.
The final drive was over three hours and there wasn’t much to see, I did see a bus with Korean Presbyterian Church of Adelaide plastered on the side. Now if that isn’t a small catchment then I don’t know what is.
We made it to our hostel, dropped our bags off and headed for town to meet the gang. Only the German girls and Sean turned up, it wasn’t really a surprise as the other two weren’t really in to drinking or socialising with working class people.
I had a few drinks and then a few more after midnight as it was my 28th birthday. I can’t remember much more as I’d had my fill and was pretty tired.