Day 14 – Melbourne, The Great Ocean Road Trip Day 2 – Saturday 3rd October

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We awake at 0645 slightly dusty after several bottles of wine the previous evening. The plan for the day relatively simple - head out for the 12 apostles. 1 good breakfast down - recommend our B&B btw albeit a touch expensive perhaps but really really good. We’re on the road at 8.30pm ahead of schedule and on route. Given we’re ahead of time, we decide to do at least 1 site en-route to the apostles, we opt for the Cape Otway. We take the long drive down from the B100 stopping 3 times enroute to admire the Koala bears - Claire was adoring them. We eventually get to the light house then a category 1 situation arises. I turn to Claire and say;

“It’s a bit breezy, do you think we should take our jackets? Sh*&, I’ve left my jacket in the B&B.” Now, how quickly did Claire turn purple - submit your answers to [e-mail] (A) half a second, (B) one second or (C) she categorically just exploded and gave me the Sir Alex Ferguson hairdryer.

So, after a ‘debate’ we decide to go back for jacket immediately foregoing the lighthouse visit despite being there much to my annoyance - in hind sight, a silly thing to do. However, we return to collect the jacket heading back out of Apollo Bay about 10.15am, nearly 2 hours later! This time, destination is point to point - nae fa*&^& ing around. 12 Apostles ETA - lunchtime and yes, the first 50 km of road did look familiar. The road climbing out of Apollo bay was amazing, the sunlight reflecting from the crashing ocean waves, the green countryside, beaches and rugged landscape - worth coming for alone. Here the road predominately went inland until Princetown - approximately 10k from the Apollo’s. So we had about 60k of inland routes through meandering roads. At times, like the hairpin bend at Monaco however testing the poor Capri. The roads were nearly always easy to drive, bar 1 or 2 bits that were badly damaged so the journey was really good.

We spend an hour at the 12 apostles, a wonderous place. Here we take loads of photographs of this stunning view, the rocks towering above the sea with the waves crashing against them. The ferocity of the waves is quite scary at times. We debate on whether to do a helicopter tour, and opt not to as the views from the viewing platforms were stunning. We head from here inland on the quick route home on almost perfectly straight roads via Colac. Upon arrival home, Shelley has made a beautiful chicken curry for dinner in the slow cooker. A quiet night for us all again.

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Photos

Great Ocean Road
Apollo Bay