2nd day at home

We arrived in Vancouver Wed. morning at 7.30 am after an almost 15 hour flight from Sydney on a Boeing 777 Air Canada plane that was quite comfortable with enough leg room, wider seats and a very friendly and accommodating crew. It was still almost dark when we touched down. By the time we came out of customs and the baggage area it was light and NOT raining. The temps however were quite the contrast to Sydney though. Down to about 6 degrees from 43 the day before.

Take that, body, and don't go into shock! We got home by taxi before 9 am and called the kids and other family to let them know of our arrival. Then we fell into bed to sleep for about 6 hours, got up and tended to mail, food and other logistics. Later the kids came over, and we had a good reunion.

We are now into day 3 at home, and still our wonderful trip lingers on. Sigi has installed a picture series on our digital photo frame in the living room that reminds us even more of the many great places we have visited in Australia. Our trip was exciting, amazing, relaxing, much more than expected, and the Aussies proved to be a most welcoming, fun and cool bunch of people. "No worries" - we'll be back one day. Till then, g'day, mate!!! 

1st day at home

You don't want to know.

Good Bye Sydney

Last Full Day in Australia and Sydney

We had to get up early today to drive to “Budget Rental Agency” and give back our trusted black Mitsubishi monster that had stood us well over the last 3 weeks and given us no trouble at all. Sigi found the agency on Crown Street without problems, without our “Oscar” GPS, even though we had to negotiate a few one-way streets and lanes. The temps were still OK, hot but not blazing. It was told on TV that the heat would be blown in around 11 am. We still had an hour and a half to do something in town.

Therefore we WALKED from Budget to the # 555 green bus stop on Elizabeth Street, hopped on the cool almost empty bus with a/c and got driven to Circular Quay. We hopped off and decided on the spur of the moment to take a round trip on the Taronga Zoo Ferry. We were told by friends that you hadn’t really seen Sydney if you hadn't taken a ferry and seen the city from the water. They were right. What a great sight!! We LOVED the trip and the vistas, as well as the cool breeze. Back at Circular Quay we walked over to the Contemporary Arts Gallery for more pictures with a different angle. Another huge cruise ship was moored at the pier, and the Opera House peeked through every photo we took. Quite suddenly the temps seemed to soar, as if one had turned on an oven on “broil”, and we needed to retreat into the Arts Gallery for some cool-down before heading back to the green bus stop. On our way back to the hotel we felt the full brunt of this record breaking heat wave of 43 degrees. The asphalt under our feet was burning and seemed to melt. In the hotel we took a cool shower and rested for an hour before daring to go out again in the heat around the corner to “Caffetini’s” for lunch and some much needed free wireless and computing time. We ate and e-mailed and went back for an afternoon siesta at the ‘Aspire’. The a/c had some trouble keeping up with the demand but at least the fan gave us some relief. Luckily the temps are supposed to come down to a chilly 25 degrees tomorrow which would make our trip to the airport not hazardous, as the Sydney taxi drivers never turn on the a/c in order to save on gas.

This is almost the end of our blog. We are leaving Australia tomorrow at 12.15 pm local time and will be flight bound for 15 hours, arriving in Vancouver at 8.15 am local time to really cold weather of 6 degrees and rain…

Taree to Sydney

The time had come to say good-bye to Mescal and Rod and leave their serene oasis for the hustle and bustle of Sydney. We left Pampoolah around 10.30 am and arrived in Sydney at 4 pm. It was a hassle free drive with light traffic and bearable heat. We checked back into the familiar “Aspire Hotel” close to UTS and took a rest till dinnertime. All TV stations were warning the population about the coming heat wave on Tuesday that would spike temps to 43 degrees in Sydney and surrounding areas. So far we were spared any extreme weather, but would get to experience it on our last full day in Australia. The temps were still OK though (around 29), so we went for dinner at the Chinese neighbourhood restaurant.

From there we went straight down to Darling Harbour, first taking the Monorail twice around to see the great sights again (and cool off in the air conditioned compartment of the train) and then walking home from Darling Park Station. An ice cream was enjoyed on the promenade and a view of the harbour and crowds as well as the big yellow duck on the water indicating the “Sydney Festival” going on from Jan. 5 to 27.

Pampoolah at Mescal’s B&B, Black Head and Diamond Head Beaches

We had a late start this morning after an elaborate brekki orchestrated by Mescal. Sitting in the garden, reading the newspaper, gabbing with Mescal all made for a very relaxing Sunday morning.

It was almost lunch time before we left for Halliday’s Point for a special Sunday market and Black Head Beach.

The market, put up in a little park, sold all kinds of goods, amongst others Rod’s nursery plants. We visited his stall, admiring all the different plants and flowers for sale. Mescal and Rod ran a wholesale nursery for 27years, and Mescal opened the B&B a few years ago after they had built the house for this particular specification. Rod hopes to retire from the nursery business in a few years.

It was HOT at the market and hardly any breeze there today. We made our way a few hundred meters further on to the Black Head Beach which was totally crowded with Sunday beach bums, no parking, lots of cars etc. We decided to try Diamond Head Beach a few km away which was lovely but again way TOO HOT in the midday sun. We made an executive decision and went ‘home’ to take the plunge in Mescals saltwater pool instead. It turned out to be a super decision, and we floated in the warm water the whole afternoon, wet Tilley hat, sunscreen and sunglasses on. Mescal spoiled us with an afternoon snack of ice cold watermelon on the pool deck, and we blissfully accepted.

We went into Taree around 6 pm for a very authentic and good Italian dinner at the “Il Colosseo” and for a stroll afterwards along the Manning River in Taree’s park and shore walk. We saw more pelicans begging for food and fighting with the seagulls.

A great sunset was enjoyed on our way to “Old Bar” Beach where we got the last rays of sun and the purple haze over the beach onto our camera lenses.

Tomorrow we have to leave this lovely paradise and go back to Sydney, where we will have only one more full day before flying home on Wednesday to Vancouver into the winter cold. BRRRR!!!! Not such a great outlook!

Manning Valley around Taree

We got up to blazing sunshine and heat and a delicious breakfast made by Mescal and served on the shady back terrace, surrounded by sweeping lawns, bamboo groves, wisteria arbours and a lemon tree.

After making up our mind of where to drive to first we left Mescal with the housework and set out to explore the beautiful Manning Valley. First we went up north for about 20 km to the Crowdy Head Lighthouse from where we had a 360 degree view over the area. Miles of white sand beaches, mountains (The Three Brothers) in the background and forests, farms and little villages abound as far as you could see. A strong gale was blowing from the north east that made the heat bearable. We went down to the small harbour, watched huge pelicans do their thing, took tons of pictures and just let the landscape and atmosphere sink in. We went back to the little seaside town of Harrington to enjoy a picnic lunch at a lagoon under a shady hut watching pelicans, fishermen and boats as well as weekenders go by. 

Next stop was Manning Point, a small picturesque village with lots of water access, parks and a great fish and chips shack directly above the bay. On we went to Wallaby Beach and Saltwater, National Parks with splendid beaches and wildlife.

We needed an afternoon break and went to the Taree “house beach” in “Old Bar”, not far from our B&B. We plunked ourselves on the warm white sand and watched the surfers, swimmers and skimmers. 4 volunteer lifeguards were on duty for the small area between the yellow-red flags open to water activities. We stayed for about 2 hours, took a little nap and more pictures. 

On our way home we went into the only supermarket of Old Bar to pick up a barbequed chicken, some veggies and fruit for an al fresco dinner poolside at Mescal’s. It turned out to be delicious with some VB beer and wine afterwards. Mescal and Rod joined us for a drink and “de-briefing” of the day and some more tips for tomorrow’s outing. 

... to Taree in the Manning Valley

Our departure from the Samurai Beach Resort happened later than usual because check-out was at 11 am. That gave us time for a leisurely ‘brekki’, watching the news and weather forecast on the telly and packing our things. It was supposed to become a very hot day again, temps in the low thirties. Elsewhere in Australia bush fires were already raging with fire crews out and people evacuating their homes. Adelaide was baking in 44 degrees.

We had to cover the distance from Samurai to the town of Taree in the Manning Valley, about 150 km north, on the M1. Sigi had booked a B&B there the night before on the net at “Mescal’s at Pampoolah”, a house in the bush lands close to beaches, mountains, farmland and bush. Arriving at the B&B we were stunned about its secluded location and beautiful surroundings. Mescal’s (the first name of the owner) house was situated within 9 acres of bush, Eucalyptus and bamboo forest with 2 duck and fish ponds, resident wallabies, creeping jasmine, hibiscus and lilies. A true delight to see and walk through, it looked and felt like a serene park.

We were truly enchanted. Mescal turned out to be a lovely, down to earth, hands-on woman in her mid fifties who had a real Aussie sense of humour. Our room and all the amenities were first class, and we got spoiled with housekeeping service and a superb brekki à la carte, served on a terrace in the shady garden. Mescal told us all about what to see around here, where to go and stay, swim or not (!!), eat or not… We met her husband Rodney who took us to the pond for fish feeding and looking at the 3 or more resident turtles. He opened a bottle of champagne that we emptied together on the deck over the pond. We had a blast and felt right at home. There also was a warm saltwater pool in which we took a dip after our Thai dinner in Taree.

This B&B is a true find and a real treat. If anyone comes this way – go to Mescal and Rod Dever, 53 Malcoms Road, Pampoolah via Taree, NSW (www.mescals.com.au)

Samurai Beach Resort, Salamander Bay, Stockton Bight Sand Dunes and beach

We started our day with a relaxing dip in the resort’s salt water pool. It was a great feeling to just float on the warm water. 

 

After breakfast (or as the Aussies say <brekki>!!) we drove into Salamander Bay (where we already had gone yesterday for food supplies at ALDI!!) . There is a public library with free wireless internet, as we had found out by chance. In we went with our 2 computers, got the password and log-in number from the friendly librarian and were able to connect with the rest of the world. Reading and writing e-mails, updating our blog and Sigi doing some work. After a good session we had lunch at the Salamander Bay shopping centre and decided to go to Anna Bay with a bottle of wine for a very early “Happy Hour”. We drove to the “Stockton Bight Sand Dunes” which are the largest in Australia. We were duly impressed!! Large stretches of white sand beach and dunes, 1 km wide, 32 km long and up to 40 m high. What a marvellous sight!! We picked a small bay from which we were able to see in all directions and opened a bottle of Penfold’s “Rawson’s Retreat” Shiraz Cab-Sauv that we sipped watching the surfers, swimmers and camel riders…

Yes, there were about 10 camels on the beach, ridden by kids and guided by a young girl who did these tours all day long. Interestingly nobody cared one bit about the red flag at the entrance of the beach indicating “no swimming or surfing allowed”. They all went in, some farther out, some timidly close to the edge of the water. We took a walk along the beach, wading in and out of the water, taking pictures and just enjoying the afternoon. Home again we went for another swim, then ate a cold supper in our room.

Tomorrow after check-out we plan to drive further north to Taree where we will stay till Monday when we have to go back to Sydney.

from Lilli Pilli to “One Mile Beach”, Anna Bay, Port Stephens

We said good–bye today to our lovely suite in Lilli Pilli as well as to our hosts Nona and Richard. One last look over Cronulla Bay, and off we went, first crossing Sydney and then onto the M1 going north. Traffic was heavy with holidaymakers heading to the various beaches up north with surf boards, bikes and camping gear strapped to the roofs of their cars. Our drive took us through forests of Eucalyptus and mountains as well as bush land closer to Newcastle.

We had booked a suite at the “Samurai Beach Resort” on Gan Gan Road in “One Mile Beach” close to Anna Bay and Nelson Bay. The area is called Port Stephens, and many communities belong to it. We found a great resort with Eucalyptus groves in which koala colonies live, a super pool and hot tub as well as very friendly, helpful staff. The receptionist told us where to go for dinner to see the kangaroos come out of the woods at dusk. It was the “Nelson Bay Golf Club”, and indeed, that’s where we went. We had just finished our fabulous dinner when a crowd of 12 kangaroos hopped onto the fairway and started eating away. What a sight! Unfortunately they didn’t come close to the club house, so we had to zoom them in with our cameras.

2013 - HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Another beautiful day was presenting itself on this first day of the New Year. Sunny, blue skies and 32 degrees again. We decided to hit the beach in Cronulla, one of the many in that area. At first we had thought to take a dip at the famous Bondi Beach in Sydney but then decided against it because we were told about the masses of people descending on that rather small bay on holidays. It turned out to be true as well for the other beaches in town and beyond. The traffic was quite horrendous, everyone wanting a spot at their famous beach. We got into the “Wanda” Beach parking lot, and did find a spot after driving a few loops around it. The beach was SUPER!! White sand, blue waters and good surf as far as one could see. Surfers, paddle boarders, swimmers in the warm water, many other people on the beach. Planes overhead from the nearby Intern. Airport, all kinds of boats on the water, and the lifeguards in their buggies on the beach or in boats on the water. It was the most interesting and enjoyable display of activities. Most interesting for us was the lifeguard boat driving up and down the shore slowly with the guards hanging over the railing scanning the water for sharks!!!! This made swimming quite a risqué undertaking. Nonetheless Sigi and I went in, not too far, always around other people and looking into the clear water for trouble. It was fun despite of this and so warm. The water temps must have been at least 23 to 24 degrees. A lot warmer than down at the Great Ocean Road for sure.

We went home to change around 6 and ate dinner again at the Mai Tai. 

Tomorrow we have to say good bye to Lilli Pilli and drive north of Sydney. We booked a place for 2 nights called ‘Samurai Resort’ north of Newcastle. We’ll see how we like it and take it from there …

New Year’s Eve

Today we planned for a busy day in Sydney, to drive into the city and visit the “Taronga Zoo” that has the best views of Sydney as well as most interesting exhibits. We walked around the many different zoo areas, saw elephants, lions, tigers and a red panda as well as crocs, giraffes and koalas. In between the animal watching we took in the great view of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House as well as the hundreds of boats in the harbour already vying for the best spot to watch the New Year’s fireworks at midnight. Even a huge cruise ship that was moored at the pier earlier, was anchored now in the harbour to afford the passengers a better view of the fireworks display. It was very hot, about 32 degrees and sunny, so we needed a few breaks in between our walks. At the end of the zoo visit we took the gondola from the bottom of the promontory back up to the zoo entrance. It was a grandiose view all around. It was so great that we took another round trip in the gondola, so saw the views from up high 3 times!

 

After leaving Taronga Zoo we decided to drive up north to Manly and take the lookout loop around for more pictures. Unfortunately the loop was closed for cars, as New Year’s Eve revellers already started streaming in on foot for tonight’s celebration. We found one last parking spot down the road and ‘hoofed’ it in to the Manly Memorial Park. Not an easy feat, as it was about a 2 km trek one way in blazing heat. The officer at the road closure sign had told us that it’s only about 1 km in, but that was a very liberal interpretation of the distance in metric terms… Sigi suffered beyond words and let me know it in no unclear terms!! We made it nonetheless, found a grand view and an even better café for a much needed rest. 2 km back, luckily mostly downhill and into the car for our way back ‘home’. On the way there we went for dinner to the “Mai Tai” Thai restaurant in the Gymea district close to home which turned out to be excellent. Interesting that there was no alcohol served or any other drinks but water. Customers brought in their own drinks and paid just a corkage fee. This idea has recently caught on in Vancouver too. We finally arrived at our suite around 8.30 pm, just in time to take a shower and rest and start celebrating New Year’s Eve with some very nice Australian champagne!! We watched the Sydney fireworks on the telly as well as some smaller fireworks live over Cronulla Bay. There were boisterous parties going on all around us on patios in neighbouring houses with funky music and lots of laughter. We didn’t stay up much longer after midnight, being royally wiped after a long impressive day.

Mittagong to Lilli Pilli or formerly known as Port Hacking (south of Sydney)

We got up rather early and were on our way shortly after 9 am. It was RAINING!!! We didn’t expect that. It was rather cool too, only 14 degrees.

Went from Mittagong along even smaller country roads than the day before through mountainous areas that got us onto serpentine roads with switchbacks that made your hair stand up!!! Luckily we didn’t encounter any large trucks or campervans coming towards us on the opposite lane. No idea how to handle something like that …

We hitched up with the freeway towards Sydney and a stretch on the Great Pacific Highway that we had driven the other way before. The clouds were hanging really low, and rain and drizzle didn’t stop until shortly before arriving at our destination. We found the address and house thanks to ‘Oscar’, and met our lovely hostess Nona. She gave us the ins and outs of the place, advised us on good restaurants and which public transit to use if we were interested. 

Apollo Place is a most inviting place with a lovely garden and path winding down to the water of Cronulla Bay. Owner Richard’s pride and joy is the upkeep of his garden with many exotic plants, trees and flowers. Various birds inhabit the many trees and are singing their little hearts out. I took many pictures of a huge gum tree with deliciously smelling yellow flowers, hibiscus flowers as big as dinner plates and other exotic plants. Below our suite is Cronulla Bay with its blue water and yellow sandbars, many boats and hills across the bay. What a view. We certainly didn’t expect this. Our suite has large picture windows overlooking the garden and bay below. 

 
After settling in we went up into town and ate dinner at an Italian restaurant which was very good. Home cooked, fresh and hot. While waiting for dinner on the terrace we watched 3 big white cocatoos fighting for territory and swooping down on to the patio of the restaurant. One of them had the audacity to pick one of the little sugar bags out of the container, open it with its beak and devour the sugar in no time. It knew exactly what to take, not the brown sugar, not the Equal but just the snow white stuff... Needless to say I took many photos of those birds entertaining the guests …

Canberra to Mittagong in the Southern Highlands

We had to leave Canberra today to make our way to our next destination, south of Sydney, called Lilli Pilli, where we plan to spend the next 3 days.

On our way there we took the long route through the so-called Southern Highlands, going north of Canberra through mountains and hilly pasture lands. What a different vista it was: Cows, sheep on the meadows into the distance, a few farm houses sprinkled into the picture and narrow winding roads through tiny villages and towns. We just loved it to be far away from the hustle and bustle of the big cities for a while.

We found the “Melrose Motel” in a town called Mittagong where we got an old fashioned  small room taken right out of the fifties. Ate at the local RSL club again because everything else was closed.

Canberra

A fully planned out day in Canberra awaited us. We went straight to the National Museum of Australia to dive into the world of the beginning of this vast continent. All the aboriginal tribes were introduced, and there were many different ones! Apparently it took almost 200 years (from 1788 till 1988) before all indigenous people had even met white people.

We wandered around the very modern museum that offered many exhibitions of various eras, presented in different ways: Pictures, paintings, videos, sculptures and even a revolving movie theatre…

Before heading out to the Botanical Garden we had lunch on the museum’s patio, overlooking Lake Griffin, and working on the computer. Off we went to the Botanical Garden to spend a few educative hours immersed in the Australian plant life. The weather was hot (about 31 degrees), and walking through the Garden with lots of shade and some sunny areas was a perfect balance. We took many photos again, see photo gallery, and had some nice rests on the many benches scattered throughout the Garden.

Later in the afternoon, when the light got better, we went to the Australian Parliament, to be seen from almost anywhere in Canberra. We walked around the very large front area, had a peek inside but decided against a tour when we saw how tourists were scrutinized the same way as at an airport with scanners, shoes off and x-raying of backpacks. We took some pictures of the Australian War Memorial just opposite the Parliament some 2 km down the hill. From afar the road leading up the Memorial looked like a groomed park path of Versailles. We drove there on that very wide avenue leading up to it. The massive architecture of Canberra and its official monuments was indeed very impressive.

We needed a cool-down after this hot sightseeing day and went straight to the very inviting hotel pool. Splashed around for some time until our stomach reminded us of dinner. We went to the same restaurant strip as last night and chose a Korean place to eat the always tasty bimbimbap with authentic Kimchee and homemade honey ginger tea. Delicious!

Tomorrow we will be off into the mountains overnighting once before heading to Lilli Pilli (south of Sydney) where we booked a suite till the 2nd of January.

Wodonga to Canberra

We got up to a beautiful day in Wodonga and had a hearty home made breakfast. After a nice chat with the motel owner who had immigrated to Australia from England years ago we drove off on the Hume Hwy. towards Canberra. Took a few breaks along the way and lunched in a small village called Jugiong in a lovely park with all the amenities you can think of: Swings for the kids, 3 pools, big trees for shade, picnic tables under roofs and well kept washrooms. Families of all ages came out to enjoy the park and eat or walk their doggies, play with the kids. It was quite amazing for us to see how well equipped these public places are even in small communities far away from the large tourist centers. We also observed that All toilets in Australia that we have seen, whether private or public, have 2 flush buttons, one for number 1, the other for # 2… Very environmentally conscious and much more modern than toilets in North America …

After our relaxing lunch break we got back onto the highway, this time the Barton Hwy. that led us directly into Canberra. We found the “Pavilion Hotel” on Northbourne Avenue in a jiffy thanks to “Oscar”, our I-pad GPS! The reception clerk found our internet reservation from the night before without delay and checked us into our room. We freshened up, rested for a bit and marked on the map that we had picked up from the Visitors’ Info Ctre. before, the points we still wanted to see today. Very fast we realized that Canberra can only be seen by using a car or public transit. The distances between points of interest are WAY TOO LONG, impossible to walk from one to the next. Canberra is a very different city than Sydney or Melbourne. There isn’t a distinctive city center but many areas with monumental government buildings or museums etc. They are all connected by 4 to 6 lane highways or ring roads and huge roundabouts. The whole city takes your breath away just by its sheer size, its massive buildings and no people to be seen. They are all in cars or buses, or in the museums or galleries. The city feels a bit disconnected because of that.

We took a first impressions tour through the city and to most of the sightseeing points which were all closed because it was after 5. The civil servants aren’t in town anyway because of the Christmas holiday and won’t be back till next week, Jan. 2nd. Therefore it all felt a bit empty. Nonetheless we saw the parliament (quite pompous), government house, The National Australian Museum and The National Film Museum, The Telstra Tower and the area with all the international embassies.

Since there isn’t a real downtown with restaurants and cafés in one area we consulted “Oscar” for a place to eat dinner. It came up with the “Dicksen” shopping area close to our hotel (not in walking distance though), where we found a kind of strip mall with lots of different restaurants. We decided on an Indian place called Taj Agra where we had superb food like chicken Lahori, naan bread and Raita (mild yoghurt with cucumbers) to cool down the hot spices. That together with the Aussie beer called VB (Victorian Bitter) made for a very satisfying meal.

Back at our hotel we opened a bottle of red wine and made a plan for our in-depth visit of the points of interest tomorrow.

Apollo Bay to Wodonga

We left the Seafarers’ Motel in Apollo Bay this morning around 10 in sunny weather and drove inland away from the coast towards Canberra. It was the mountain road with very different vistas than the coastal route. Rolling hills, trees, sheep, cows as far as one could see. Blue skies and puffy white Cumulus clouds abound that made Sigi nostalgic for soaring… The road was winding as the coastal one but in much better condition. Less bumpy because of less heavy bus traffic!

We made our way first to the freeway M 80 to drive around Melbourne, then on the M 31 (Hume Freeway) towards Canberra. Halfway there (after about 350 km) we decided to overnight in Wodonga that offered several motels. We picked one off the beaten path (Border Gateway Motel) with a nice swimming pool, big room and bath as well as some kitchen amenities. After checking in around 6 we drove into Wodonga for dinner and found a great Thai Restaurant on the main strip that served authentic food in a very nice setting and friendly service. We both ordered the “Volcano Chicken” – mild, mind you – although the name made us wonder… It was excellent. After dinner on the way back to the motel we shopped for some food stuff at the local Safeway. On the way here we had bought some local fruit from a road side vendor already. Tomatoes, figs (as big as baseballs!) and apricots. All in season here and very good!

Back at the motel we checked the status of the Sydney to Hobart Sailing Race that got underway today. (‘Wild Oats’ was front runner out of Sydney Harbour and still is at the moment, ‘Ragamuffin’ second).

Tomorrow will be the last leg to Canberra (about 350 km), and we plan to arrive there in the late afternoon. Have already booked a hotel room in Dicksen (2.5 km from downtown) in the “Pavilion on Northbourne”. Apparently Canberra is quite large and drawn out, even downtown, therefore not very suited for pedestrian exploration. We will know more tomorrow.

Apollo Bay

Merry Christmas!

The sun was shining this Christmas morning, the wind blowing and the waves were crashing onto the beach. The temps were on the cool side (only around 22 degrees), reminding us of cold weather at home…

After breakfast we took a leisurely drive east to the next big city called Lorne to explore, walk and eat lunch there. Great views on the way there, around every serpentine curve of the Great Ocean Road. About 25 big tourist buses were passing us on the opposite lane of the road going west to see the 12 Apostles… We wouldn’t fancy being there TODAY.

Arrived in Lorne around 12.30 pm, just right for lunch. There were any number of restaurants on the main sea promenade but unfortunately most of them closed which was to be expected on Christmas Day. We managed to find an open Turkish Bakery that sold good sandwiches and a strong café latte. Long line-ups though but fast service nonetheless. We ate our lunch outside on the patio with a lovely view of Lorne Bay and many people of different cultures walking by. They all celebrated the holiday at the beach, most of them picnicking with their families.

We decided, after consulting the “Lonely Planet” to drive towards Torquay and the surfing paradise Bells Beach. There they have surfing competitions like the world famous “Ripcurl”. This name, as well as “Quicksilver” is now the well known and popular brand for surf-, skate boarding- and snowboarding apparel sold in many sporting stores around the world.

Bells Beach has all the amenities for watching surfing competitions from wooden platforms built on top of the dunes with a great view out to the ocean. We walked around and took in the magnificent surroundings.

We decided to make our way back to Apollo Bay and enjoy the view from our own patio to the sea, have a glass of champagne before dinner and get on Skype with my sister in Germany later in the evening.

Tomorrow, Boxing Day, will be the day of departure from Apollo Bay in the direction of Canberra.

Apollo Bay, Otway Rainforest

The weather has gotten back to more moderate temperatures of mid twenties. Perfect for our planned outing into the Otway National Park Rainforest which is located between Apollo Bay and the Otway Lighthouse Park.

The ‘Mait Rainforest Park’ as it is officially called is superbly laid out for visitors – there are groomed walkways and boardwalks with sturdy bridges over streams and gorges. All around us were huge ferns in various green shades that looked like big palm trees and even bigger Ash trees, some over 100 m high and 300 years old. It was absolutely breathtaking. The play of light and shade in this thick green jungle was a photographer’s delight. Breathing in the fresh clean air a relief for our lungs.

After our rainforest walk we drove back to Apollo Bay for an al fresco picnic in the town’s park, watching the goings-on all around us: Tourists like ourselves enjoying the beach, wind and waves, kids playing in the park’s playground, inhabitants rushing to shop for last minute Christmas presents.

After dinner we took another long walk on our house beach, taking lots of sunset pictures. We decided to stay here another day and leave for Canberra on Boxing Day.