Great Ocean Road

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After returning from a visit back to the US over Christmas and New Years, I decided that the Great Ocean Road drive was one of the first things that I wanted to do when back in Australia. The plan would be to drive from Melbourne all the way to Adelaide, and then stay at Glenelg beach outside the city for a couple nights. Joining the road trip team was another American from Sydney and and old Aussie friend from Melbourne.

After doing at best mediocre research, we wanted to embark on this road trip with a rough idea but no set plans. We would let the road take us to where ever it led. Although most tours suggest to do the drive over 3 to 4 days, we had our minds set on completing it in a day and a half. We would have no set itinerary for an overnight stay, and counted on just finding cheap accommodation whenever we felt like stopping. You could actually complete the drive all the way to Adelaide in one day, however it would not leave much time for the stops. We figured the one night stopover would be best, leaving us enough time to see the sights as well as arrive in Adelaide in mid-afternoon the following day. It turned out to be the absolute best way. In the late afternoon of the second day we were sitting on the beach at Glenelg. Anyone that takes more than 2 days to do the drive is crazy...or is above the age of 50.


We stayed in Melbourne Thursday night at GB's house and had planned to wake up early enough to beat the city traffic as we would have to drive through the city to get to the Great Ocean Road (GOR). We left at 645 the following morning and made our way through Melbourne. I love that city...almost as much as Sydney even though being a converted Sydney-sider will bring some bias. It reminds me alot like Philadelphia, but bigger...cleaner...and with less problems. The drive took us past the Yarra River that runs through the city and by Laver Tennis Arena, where the 2nd round of the Australian Open would take place later that day. After a short drive through the city we made our way through Geelong and on to our first stop, Torquay.

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Photos

Melbourne
looking down the Yarra River

Rod Laver Tennis Arena
Home of the Australian Open

Comments

[Val M]

Over 50?
And just what's wrong with that, may I ask?