Melbourne

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Friday 20 November

It has rained overnight and is overcast.

We chatted for quite a while last night and catching up.

A slow start to the day and Paul had very kindly taken the day off, so we took a trip in Melbourne city. We took the local train service and then ambled around, until meeting Fran for lunch.

Whilst on the train we were standing and two young ladies who were sitting offered Paul and I their seats. That's a first for me and I must be getting old. Then back to Northcote arriving at 3.15 pm.

In the evening we drove to visit Paul's cycle shop and the across the road to Chu Manchu for some Vietnamese food for our dinner.

A stop for ice cream on the way home and watched houses in the country, which featured Suffolk amusingly, not too late a night.

The weather has been cooler here and gentle rain earlier in the day with occasional stronger showers.

Saturday 21 November

Another slow start to the day and we surfaced at 10 am. Liz kindly prepared some toast and coffee for our breakfast.

Paul and Liz are going to a friends wedding later today. Paul was off to work before we got up and Liz was off to get a gift, so we showered and got ready to depart.

Pat wanted to do Phillip Island a short way from Melbourne and it turns out that Paul & Liz have a friend with a cottage on the Island and they arranged for us to be able to stay, which is fantastic.

We had picked up the keys last night whilst out, with instructions and Paul wrote out directions for our journey.

A visit to the website and we paid our AUS$24.50 each for the Penguins Parade.

We were ready just after 12 pm and decided to head off. Traffic was really busy, but we plodded along taking in the sights and being tourists.

We arrived in San Remo and stopped at an IGA to pick up supplies and then over the bridge on to Phillips Island.

Directions were followed and found our way to the cottage. We moved our stuff in and grabbed something to eat from our supplies, then went to reece the place, just after 4 pm and headed further into the island.

As we went along we spotted the koala conservstion centre and headed for it.

Entry was AUS$12.25 each and we went thriugh the visitor centre to the enclosures holding the koalas and various other animals. Overall we saw about 10 koalas, some kangaroos and wallabies, including one with a joey who started hopping about.

In the background we could hear the race track noises.

Then back on track to our original destination the Penguin parade. Not to many people here and not much to see at this time, but we now know were it is.

As we headed back we encountered the race traffic but it was well managed and we all moved along pretty quickly and got back at 6pm.

We had been advised to “rug up”, in other words take warm clothing and something to sit on, when we went to see the penguins. So we put trousers and layers of clothing on and borrowed blankets from the cottage before setting off at 6.55 pm.

The trip was about 15 kilometers and there was less traffic about now, so we were down in good time, as we had been advised to be down for 7.30 pm.

We parked and walked to the visitor centre and showed the ticket on the tablet, which worked fine.

Then down to the seating area to await sunset and the arrival of the penguins.

The penguins are Little penguins and the smallest in the world. They are about 12 inches in height and weigh approx one kilogram.They are happy in the sea and once off the shore are less prone to predators, but the bit between sea and shore they are frightened and at their most vulnerable. So they wait for dusk and come ashore in groups.

It is this that we and several hundred other people were waiting for. Some of the penguins are chipped and when they come up the shore are weighed for scientific research.

The sun gradually sets and the penguins who have been feeding for a day or more return to their nests, to feed their newly hatched young.

It is one of natures wonders and wonderful to watch as the little shapes emerge out of the water at the shores edge, with the waves knocking the little penguins around in the surf as they gather in small groups and then pluck up the courage to race across the sand, or lose it and turn back to the sea for another moment of protection and pluck up the courage to have another go.

As it gets darker it is difficult to count but we certainly saw a few hundred come ashore tonight.

Where the sand meets the dunes and vegetation we saw chicks venturing out that were obviously hungry looking for their parents.

As you walk back to the visitor centre you are escorted by the penguins as they walk inland to find their burrows, and those already home are all around.

A special night and we managed not to get cold as we were well prepared.

Back to the cottage for 10 pm.

Sunday 22 November

A good nights sleep. A possum with big feet on the roof for a few minutes woke me, but other than that no problem.

No plans for this morning, Paul and Liz are coming over some time and we will visit their second home today.

So an easy start to the day and tidying up ready for our next move.

Paul called at 11 am to say they were just on their way and would be with us in 2 hours.

We took a walk around the area for an hour or so, looking at the many different styles of seaside houses. There are houses that look lived in al l year round. Houses that are obviously holiday homes and holiday lets. Houses that look very expensive and houses that are rundown.

People are out walking their dogs and generally said “good morning”, so a very pleasant experience for us.

Paul and Liz arrived at one ish and we closed the cottage down.

We drove to Outtrim to see Paul & Liz's other place via Inverloch.

At Inverloch we had a snack for a lunch and bought a few supplies.

We arrived at the house, which was lovely, on a hillside overlooking beautiful countryside. We were shown around and spent some time chilling and chatting.

We left at 6 ish and headed to the Rainbow chinese restaurant and had a grest meal.

Then headed back to Melbourne following Paul, arriving 10 pm.

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