Melbourne, Sunday January 18th, 8.00am
After 92 days we finally bade farewell to Mavis. Over that time we have had a scary motorway blowout, seen the canopy ripped off in a cyclone, a burglary (back to that in a minute), made and unmade our beds 92 times and had numerous electrical problems to name but a few of the unexpected delights of hiring a motorhome. But we have also travelled down almost 4000km of majestic coastline, seen some amazing places and met some fab people. To think we are only just over half way through our trip.
The last week has been one of contrasts- from the beautiful Wilsons Prom to the rather downmarket Phillip Island, followed by Melbourne which on day 3 is still taking our breath away.
After 92 days we finally bade farewell to Mavis. Over that time we have had a scary motorway blowout, seen the canopy ripped off in a cyclone, a burglary (back to that in a minute), made and unmade our beds 92 times and had numerous electrical problems to name but a few of the unexpected delights of hiring a motorhome. But we have also travelled down almost 4000km of majestic coastline, seen some amazing places and met some fab people. To think we are only just over half way through our trip.
The last week has been one of contrasts- from the beautiful Wilsons Prom to the rather downmarket Phillip Island, followed by Melbourne which on day 3 is still taking our breath away.
After a short but really interesting stop at Buchans cave, we made it to Wilsons Prom.
Buchans Cave
Watching the surf on Squeeky Beach, Wilsons Prom
Wilsons Promontory is a huge nature reserve on Australia’s most southerly tip, run by Victoria’s Park Service. There are no settlements and the only residents are the park rangers and numerous kangaroos, koalas, emu and wombats. The sea is as deep a blue as any we can remember from our trip. The park service run a small campsite at a place named Tidal River which is so popular amongst Victorians at this time of the year that places are balloted 6 months before. However, we discovered quite by accident that there 16 camp spots held each night for out-of-state and non-Aussie visitors. The ‘Lucky Luceys’ as we have often named ourselves on this trip, got one of the 16 spots and we spent a wonderful 2 days in the park. It got hot- close to 40c on both days- and was very relaxed.
View from our camp on Wilsons PromEach evening after dark a very enterprising chap ran an incredibly popular cinema screen showing the ‘latest’ movies to campers and any passing wombats, who seem take great interest in cinema goers food- especially popcorn!
We bade farewell yet again to a place we did’nt want to leave and plugged in Philip Island to our aussie accented navman- who Olivia now impersonates with an eerie accuracy. ‘Turn right in 300 metres......’
Apart from being 90km from Melbourne and home to the Aussie Moto GP, so attracting thousands of city visitors each year, Philip Island’s real fame is as the home of a 60,000 strong colony of ‘Little Penguins’ who each evening at sun set, gather in the surf after a days fishing to make the perilous journey across the beach back to their burrows. This procession has become a major tourist attraction but one is managed to have minimal impact on the animals, a objective it meets very well.
We then spent an afternoon packing the van up before it’s return. How we managed to get everything in it I cannot understand, but more worryingly how are we going to get everything back in another van in 2 weeks time and then finally reduce our baggage to 25kg each for the flight home? That will be a challenge of Krypton Factor proportions.
Melbourne. Our apartment is majestic. The 14th and top floor of a building on the banks of the Yarra river overlooking not only the main shopping street and arts centre, but also the Botanical gardens, the MCG and most importantly of all, Flinders Park and the Rod Laver Arena, the home of the Aussie Open tennis. The city is buzzing.
Apart from being 90km from Melbourne and home to the Aussie Moto GP, so attracting thousands of city visitors each year, Philip Island’s real fame is as the home of a 60,000 strong colony of ‘Little Penguins’ who each evening at sun set, gather in the surf after a days fishing to make the perilous journey across the beach back to their burrows. This procession has become a major tourist attraction but one is managed to have minimal impact on the animals, a objective it meets very well.
We then spent an afternoon packing the van up before it’s return. How we managed to get everything in it I cannot understand, but more worryingly how are we going to get everything back in another van in 2 weeks time and then finally reduce our baggage to 25kg each for the flight home? That will be a challenge of Krypton Factor proportions.
Melbourne. Our apartment is majestic. The 14th and top floor of a building on the banks of the Yarra river overlooking not only the main shopping street and arts centre, but also the Botanical gardens, the MCG and most importantly of all, Flinders Park and the Rod Laver Arena, the home of the Aussie Open tennis. The city is buzzing.
On our balcony with the cbd behind.
Saturday 17th January dawned not only on Maddie and Georgia’s 13th birthday but also as the day the secret we have carried with us since leaving home could finally be revealed. ‘Auntie Ang’ was flying half way round the world to join us and the girls did not have a clue. When the apartment door was opened at about 10am to reveal Ang holding a 13 candle cake the shock left them utterly speechless, for about 5 seconds, then mayhem broke out. Maddie screamed, Georgia, mum, dad and Ang cried, whilst Olivia did the splits!
13th Birthday girls....
Chicks in the city...
She will be with us for the next 2 weeks.
On a final note, the stolen handbag.....
Lu’s close friend and former work colleague, Sarah, who we haven’t seen for 10 years but hails from and lives in Melbourne, called us earlier in the week to say she ‘had’ the handbag. Via a long series of events it had arrived on her doorstep, looking a little weather bedraggled but still containing the purse and credit card, Olivias prescription shades, some make up, old family photos and a screwdriver(!)
We were gobsmacked.
Take care
Andy
Lu’s close friend and former work colleague, Sarah, who we haven’t seen for 10 years but hails from and lives in Melbourne, called us earlier in the week to say she ‘had’ the handbag. Via a long series of events it had arrived on her doorstep, looking a little weather bedraggled but still containing the purse and credit card, Olivias prescription shades, some make up, old family photos and a screwdriver(!)
We were gobsmacked.
Take care
Andy
2 comments:
Lovely update on your blog. I don't need to be with you to picture the scene of Angie's arrival, especially Olivia doing the splits!! Wonderful.
Don't need to tell you how envious I am that you are actually there for the Aussie Open, must easily match the atmosphere of Wimbledon if not surpass it. Trying to watch what I can through BBCI, but not always successful.
Look forward to the next chapter of your experiences.
Lots of love
Mum xx
Hi Luceys!!
I hope someone videoed Ange's arrival? Priceless, although at least £250 from Harry Hill if someone did the splits? I would give £500 to charity if it had been Ange, it all rather sounds like an episode of the Simpsons!!
Suze, Karl and I are all practicing so that we will be able to do the splits for her as she arrives into work on her 1st day back!!
Anyhoo, enjoy the tennis and the weather. You will be pleased to hear that there has been gales since Ange left!!
All the best from good ol Blighty!!
Dan
xxx
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