Roads, Rock's & Roadkill

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THE GREAT OCEAN ROAD

Well we were up and ready waiting for the taxi nice and early. We waited and waited and waited! After two phone calls and 45 minutes it had still not arrived. In that time Frank had called to say his bus had not turned up so he was going to be late. We told him to make his way to us and either grab a cab if he did not make it or we would pick him up en route. We also reassured Katie that we were on the way, but the cab was late!

Finally it turned up and we jumped in and picked up Katie. Frank had got onto a bus and we told him a road to got to so we could pick him up. We went to the Apollo campervan office, filled in all of the paperwork and it was about 9.30 by the time we were ready to drive away. Charlotte still had no idea how she would get on driving a huge 6 berth campervan. But she managed very well indeed! We were soon on our way and picked up Frank on our way out of the City. Charlotte driving with Liam in the passengers seat doing directions. Frank and Katie were strapped in the back and were soon snoozing away.

We were soon out of the city and the driving became easier. We pulled over at the side of the road after about two hours driving for a little break and an early lunch as we had been in such a rush this morning we had forgotten to eat! Then off and away again. We drove for miles and miles. We covered about four hundred and fifty km’s the first day and stopped about four ish for the night in a little camper site that had an en suite toilet and shower block thrown in with the pitch. It also had free WIFI, but that was only at the reception and we were too tired to go out there.

Charlotte had a little rest then cooked up a mean bolognaise leaving Katie and Frank to wash up. Liam took a walk down to the town and picked up a box of goon and we soon settled down to a night of Austin Powers. Charlotte was asleep within five minutes of the film starting, but she knew this would happen, so had climbed into the big double bunk over the cab to watch the film in preparation!

We were up early the next day showered and on our way before 9.30. We saw the start of the great Ocean road after lunch and stopped at many of the view points along the way, including Bay of islands, Bay of Martyrs, London bridge (now broken, see picture of postcard) and The Arch. The highlight of the drive was stopping off at the 12 Apostles, where we managed to get a group photo of some very cold looking soles!

We were back on the road again, trying to cover as much ground as we could before night fall as we needed to get up to the Embassy before 12midday the next day. However after four hundred km’s of wiggly, windy roads we stopped off to get some petrol and Charlotte, due to tiredness managed to scraped the side of the van. Bugger! We found the next campsite in Airley Inlet that was in the books about 10 km on and stopped there for the night. The owner told about the area and their semi famous light house, it was in the kids programme ‘Round the Twist’ Liam remembered the show and it’s great theme music.

Liam had a good go at scrubbing the paint off the scrape and did a really good job. Frank and Katie cooked dinner and tonight’s movie was Se7en. Charlotte did not even get past the opening credits tonight before she was out like the light.

Up and on the road at some ungodly hour and straight through to Melbourne. Quite an easy stretch really. We soon picked up petrol and then dropped the van off. We are happy to report that we got away with the scrape to, so well done Liam for being a great scrubber. We checked the time on arriving at the drop off office and it was half an hour later than we expected, at which point we realised that there was a time difference between Adelaide and Melbourne. So we had got to the campsite half an hour later than we had thought and got up half an hour later too. Not so well planned as we had thought! Will we get to the Embassy in time! We grabbed a taxi into town and deposited Frank at Batman Park YHA and Katie at the Flinders Street Station (She was staying with friends and they were meeting her there) before heading out to the Thai Embassy on St Kilda road.

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Comments

[liz lees]

holiday rental
Is this house for holiday rental over New Years Eve, and if so can you please advise the cost and any further details as may be appropriate. Thank you and I look forward to your early response. Kind regards.