57~The Great Ocean Road and Greater Grampians

Aunty Val and John dropped me at the bus station, 23:00, with snacks and a film downloaded on my computer. I was off to Melbourne, but only momentarily. As soon as I arrived, I had a hire car and the plan was to hit the Great Ocean Road, stopping in the places recommended by Jeremy. The journey was a little miserable; I was stationed beside an agitated Irish bloke. He was parched (no water since Sydney, a sleeping tablet he was desperate to take and a hangover too) and I shared my supplies and settled down on the steamy night bus with 'Into the Wild'. I hardly slept and when I arrived in the early morning traffics of Melbourne, I felt a little nervous to take to the streets in a new car, after little sleep and no experience of the Australian roads. I was even more dismayed to find I had no SatNav after requesting one, However, the girl said I would be fine and I had to admit the map made it look pretty easy; I was more nervous about getting out of the city. It was fine. Before I knew it, I was cruising along the edge of Australia. 

Of course this is called the 'Great Ocean Road' for a good reason and indeed is very scenic and not to be sniffed at. However, I could not help but compare to the coastal drives of Nova Scotia that had won me over. What was special though was the feeling of driving on the fringe of this country. Zooming out and looking down from above, I was in a place on the earth I never really thought I would be. I LOVED this feeling. 

Apollo Bay was a lovely stop and the cosy hostels here, out of the city, reminded me why I liked hosteling! I joined an evening yoga class in a church hall overlooking the beach. A morning walk ended up being an intense hike up a hill to enjoy the scenic view of the bay. 

No other bugger was hiking the hill I soon realised. All had opted for the drive up the steep road and parked conveniently just below the final part of the summit. It was well worth it and I enjoyed some rest at the top.

I continued with my drive and stopped with all the other hordes of tourists at The Twelve Apostles.

Onward to Port Fairy, I had a very lovely night in a sweet hostel. The lighthouse nearby was the perfect spot for a night walk and an early morning run to make the journey to the Grampians. Now, this was the feeling of Australia I was hankering after. The drive inland was perfect- endless farmscapes, land that went on and on and very little traffic. I had a great hike in the Grampians. I knew as I made my way inland to the National Park that this was more my scene:

This is when I really felt like I was in Australia- I loved the aromas of the bush and the feel of the Aussie sun. I liked being off the beaten track of the Ocean Road and the quieter surrounds of the Grampians.

This was more like it. My last night before heading back to Melbourne was in Lorne in a lovely hostel that was like staying in a tree house. I was knackered after the three hour hike in the midday Australian heat so went to bed... I had to mission it back to drop my car and had two days to spend in Melbourne before heading up North to Cairns. I had covered some ground; but it was a drop in the ocean in the greater scheme of things, here in the vast lands of Australia. I had liked being on the periphery, at the bottom of the world it would seem, on the road of the great ocean. But it was the Grampians that had felt great. This was where I felt a real connection to the lands of Australia. With limited time, I would have to hope for another trip to explore further inland, to see more of the National Parks, to feel the Australian earth beneath my feet, to smell that aroma of the sun on the bush. How could I complain or want more? I felt like one lucky girl.