3/4–Melbourne

Sigh.  Our last road trip day.  And our final few days in Australia.  Where did the time go? Seems like just yesterday we were in Hawaii.   Incredible trip so far – and with 3 more incredible days to go.

We are up and on the road around 9:30ish.  Not too early, but not too late. We want to be in Melbourne around 2 which is when the City Tempo said our room would be ready. We head out along Princes Highway, easily finding the Coles gas station where we get our 8 cents off a litre with our Coles points .  Then off we go to Melbourne.

Two tourist information folks (the lady in Bruthen and the guy in Eden) told us to take the scenic route on the South Gippsland Highway.  They both raved about the beautiful the drive and scenery. Sure, that’s what we’re all about. so after a short time on the Princes highway, we turn off onto S. Gippsland. 

After about 30 minutes – we are now committed to this route – we are wondering what the fuss is all about.  Parched fields, outback-ish bushland, farmland and cows.  No coastal scenery and no real stunning view points either. Just really stiflingly boring driving.  Seriously so boring, that we didn’t even take any pictures. That will tell you how disappointing the drive was.

As soon as we can, we find a deviation to put us back on Princes and get us to Melbourne.  We make it unscathed to the M1 – go through the electronic tolls (they charge the toll straight to your credit card through the rental company!) and into Melbourne proper.  It’s a pretty easy shot straight up to City Tempo. We come into the city from the South, and simply have to navigate a couple of roads. Again – grid system lay out – makes it really easy to navigate. Unfortunately though, the trolleys make it nearly impossible (for us foreigners) to make a right turn!  Seriously – this is nuts – and we sadly have to make a right turn to get to our hotel.  Yikes!

Ok – so it goes like this:  to make a right turn (and remember we are driving on the left side of the road), we have to get in our far left lane (yes, totally counterintuitive).  Then you pull out into the middle of the intersection so that you are blocking the cars coming up the road onto which you are turning right.  At most intersections there is a neon sign telling you when to go. Of course the intersection we are turning into doesn’t have that sign.  Crap.  So, we wait and wait and then see an opening in the traffic behind us – and sort of in the traffic coming the other direction and just floor it.  Darn – scary! 

But we made it.  Now – the hotel.  It’s located right on a corner with a bus stop in front and a Loading Zone only section for 2 or 3 cars. 15 minutes only.  Ok – we’ll unload, check in fast and go return the car.  Check in is smooth, Ajay, who we’ve been communicating with over the past week is there – and is just as wonderful in person as through email.  We head up to the 23rd floor, check out the room, great views of the city, cute little kitchenette, nice bathroom and plenty of space for us.  We don’t linger long, because we know we need to head back down to get the car out of the loading zone.

Horrors!  There is a parking ticket on the car.  The violation says it is for being “stopped in a loading zone”.  Ok. So we’re thinking maybe they thought we were there for more than 15 minutes, which we were not – and we have the time stamped receipt from reception to prove it.  To add insult to injury – its for $141.  No way!  Yeah, we know it’s expensive here, but that is just crazy!

Of course now we are fuming – and we still have to navigate the city streets to return the rental car.  Needless to say it was a stressful little drive – made only worse by another freaking right turn.  Sheesh!  Although, this time we figure out that we are supposed to wait until our light turns red, then we make the turn. I know, I know, it doesn’t really sound right, but it works and we weren’t almost t-boned this time!  So, now we are on the correct street and we are looking for the rental agency at the train station. We find the sign, but don’t have a clue where to park – no signs for a garage – just the train station.  Crud.

We actually luck out and find a metered space across the street from the rental car office. We feed the meter (oh yeah, not taking any chances this time!) and head over to the office.  We walk in, give the guy the keys and tell him where the car is (apparently there is a garage somewhere – but whatever!).  He says it’s not a problem parking on the street, he was just about to leave, so he’ll just take that car.  Huh? Leave? what the heck? Thank heavens we got there when we did, because we would have gone over the edge if the office would have been closed and we were stuck with that darn car in this city another minute!

We also tell him about the parking ticket and both he and another guy there say – oh yeah – those parking officers are tricky.  They also said a few choice words about the parking people which they apologized for – but it was Aussie slang and we didn’t even catch what they said! They tell us we’ll have to call or go online and contest it and it shouldn't be an issue. But this one guy says he’s had to take them to court over tickets … not helpful!

Back to the hotel we go. The good thing is it isn’t even 3PM, so we can figure the ticket thing out today. And the walk back does us good – well sort of.  We do get to scope out the area and get the lay of the land, but it is HOT.  Sweating, wilting, stupefyingly hot.  By the time we are back to the hotel we are just dripping.  Because we have time, we crank up the a/c and cool down while getting organized in our cool city view apartment.

Effectively “chilled” we go out on the hunt for Town Hall and our ticket complaint! Again – it’s good for us – we’ve nothing planned this afternoon, so this gives us ample time to explore the city a little bit more. It’s a lovely small and easy to navigate CBD. You can walk everywhere without any trouble.   We head down to the Town Hall, passing the main metro/train station with thousands of people swarming in and out.  Very young, very vibrant – and very Asian! The people and the restaurants.  The area right past the train station has every Asian type of restaurant you would want – Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese.  All in a row.  Good to know for dinner options.

We find the Town Hall and are directed to the appropriate department where a lovely girl tells us we were parked in a commercial loading zone and tries to hand us a flyer with parking rules.  Well, gee, thanks, but the sign did not designate the zone as for commercial only – it simply said loading zone, 15 minute limit.  We argue our case for a bit, not getting anywhere, and finally she gives us a form to fill out to contest the ticket. We plead our case in writing and hand it in. We’ll see.  Welcome to Melbourne!

After that annoying detour, we continue to wander around the city – going to the Greek area to look at restaurants, to Hardware Lane where there are tons of restaurants, one of which is a Greek Tapas place that looked promising online. Sadly, it was out of business – well – the sign said it was undergoing renovations and would be open February 3.  Since it’s  March 4 and there is no sign of activity, all the plates and cooking utensils are stacked on tables and the bar, well, we’re guessing they won’t be open anytime soon.  Darn.

Oh well, we continue our strolling and searching and stumble across Chi Kitchen – Thai food with happy hour!  $5 drinks.  Now THAT is promising!  Onward we head to the grocery store in Melbourne Central – a totally cool mall constructed around Coops Shot Tower – a tower completed in 1888 to produce lead shot.  It was saved from demolition in 1973 and incorporated into the Melbourne Central mall. The shot tower is now encased in a huge glass cone – an imaginative way to meld the past and the present!

The mall is enormous and it takes some wandering and navigating to finally find the grocery store on the bottom level near the train station.  Fortunately there is a bottle store there as well, so we stock up on food and beer to stock our fridge, then head back to City Tempo to cool off some more!

Later on, we venture out again to Chi Kitchen for dinner.  We had the place virtually to ourselves,

and were treated to some incredible Thai dishes:  Calamari Salad for Ed and Chicken with Thai veggies for me.

Huge portions too!  So much so that I took half mine home in a doggie bag for later in the week. What the heck?  We’ve got the kitchen and we might as well make use of our leftovers and facilities!

Back at the hotel, we chill watching the city light up in the night, then crash early to get ready for our 14 hour Great Ocean Road tour.

3/3–Bairnsdale and Raymond Island

Off we go on our great Koala adventure!  It takes about 20 minutes to drive down to Paynesville where we will get the Ferry over to Raymond island.  The drive is lovely, through low lying marshlands and then into the cute little town of Paynesville.  It’s Sunday night, so there’s not much going on here – a little sleepy, the wine bar isn’t even open.   Fine by us, less traffic and less people. 

We find a parking spot right next to the ferry dock. You can take your car to Raymond Island for $10, but we figured we’d just walk around sop we can see the Koalas better.  The ferry isn’t but a 3 minute ride across about 200 metres of water.

The ferry runs every half an hour, and we hit it just right – walking aboard within in minutes of pulling away from the dock.  Once on the island, there is a large park with informational signs showing us the Koala “trail”.  Fun!  Also, Lesley, the owner of the Bairnsdale Motel, told us that there is normally a koala in the 2nd tree to the right of the ferry dock and once we see that we’ll know how to spot the rest. Sure enough – there it is!  All cuddled up in the crook of some branches.

We’re a little early on the island – it’s not really sunset yet, and since koalas are nocturnal, they’re not really all that active. Not that koalas are ever all that active, but still – most are sleeping away in the trees.  We follow the path markers, past houses and little lanes and end up in a large park where there are tons of the cute little furry creatures in the trees.

They are everywhere! This is so cool.  We just keep walking along, staring up into the trees and spotting them all over the place.  Awesome!!!

We make the loop and start to head back toward the ferry, through little neighborhoods with koalas perched in trees in people’s front yards.  Fantastic!  None of them are too active, until, as we are watching a koala in someone’s yard, and a dog comes out of a house.  Oh boy! That woke the koala up.  Talk about being on the dog watch!

The koala eyed the dog, then shot up to the top of the tree!  Wow!

In addition to koalas, there were birds everywhere – a whole flock of cockatoos were hanging around a fence in a backyard….

…there was what we think was a magpie…

…and these funky little things we never did figure out…cute…but who knows what they are!

We wandered back to the ferry landing along the marsh boardwalk by the water, marveling about the wildlife, everywhere you go there is something different and amazing here. 

Now it’s time for dinner!  Back out through Paynesville and into Bairnsdale proper, we are going to the Grand Terminus Hotel – another Lesley suggestion! Bairnsdale is the typical Australian town – all laid out in grids, old buildings, very 50’s US western.  It’s also very sleepy this evening – just like Paynesville.  That’s good for us, because it makes it much easier to find the Grand Terminus Hotel, established 1889,  and then to park in the median parking spots!

Again – typical Australian hotel architecture – must be a rule that all hotels are 2 stories, have wrought iron balustrades on the 2nd floor and separate entrances for the hotel and the bar!

Oh and beer signs – always beer signs!

Inside, is the traditional entrance hall then the bar and restaurant.  We are seated and served – which is unusual here – we’re used to the pub-style now!  The menu is a great mix of seafood, beef and pasta – and there is ricotta gnocchi!  You know I’m done!  Ed has the seafood platter – which comes chock full of local delicacies….

…Balmain bug tartlet (that’s crawfish, btw!), oysters Kilpatrick, king prawns, calamari and beer battered flathead fish.  It’s all accompanied by these great sauces – one remoulade and one lemon mango pepper dressing that was fantastic.  I of course have the gnocchi…   ….which are huge little pillows of goodness!  Served in an oven baked tomato, basil and cream sauce, there’s also little bits of proscuitto scattered around.  Yummy to the max!

We roll our little stuffed bodies out the door and back through the sleepy streets to our awesome hotel – there’s a jacuzzi bath in our future!  And then tomorrow….the end of the road trip and Melbourne!

3/3 - Eden to Bairnsdale

It’s pretty cloudy this morning, but not all that chilly, and we decide to take our chances walking this morning.  We follow a historical walk, up through town, reading the map and the historical markers along the way.  We pass the original classroom building, built for 12 girls and 30 boys.  It’s the 3rd oldest classroom still in use.  Then past the hotel Australasia opened in 1909 with “50 lofty” apartments, now sadly closed and up for sale. Past the Maritime Museum again and through a lovely little park with paths that wend their way down a very steep hill to the Snug Cove harbor where 3 piers are in use for commercial and recreational boating. 

Now it’s time to head back uphill to the motel.  Great aerobic exercise this morning!  We’re ready for our drive down to Bairnsdale, the last stop before Melbourne.

We’re off, heading down Princes Highway, through the bottom of New South Wales and into Victoria. As we cross the state lines we see signs imploring us - “Don’t take fruit into Victoria”!  How bizarre is that?  What, we can’t bring that banana we just bought at the Coles Grocery story in Eden into Victoria?  We get their fanaticism on agriculture from out of the country, but state to state? That’s taking it a bit far!

As we make our way further into Victoria, through the East Gippsland Region, we head more inland as the scenery starts to change.  It’s no where near as green here – we wonder if it is a different type of grass or the lack of water.  After a couple hours we determine it is definitely lack of water when we see an entire cornfield all dried out – the corn wilted on the stalks.  Really odd since just a few hours north they are battling rains and floods.  Talk about climate change!

Luckily, right around lunch time, we hit Lakes Entrance, a little town which, as advertised, is the entrance to the Gippsland Lakes – a series of lakes and waterways 400 square kilometres in area.  There is a 90 mile beach, tons of water activities, fabulous views and is a favorite for camping and caravan parks.  We ride through town, passing the weekly makers market – which we choose to literally pass and head away from the crowds to find a picnic spot for our lunch.   A few kilometers down the main road, lined with souvenir shops and restaurants, we find a picnic bench right by the water (and the public toilets!) for our lunch.  We are almost to the end of our food supplies, which works out pretty well since tonight is our last night on the road and tomorrow is a very short drive into Melbourne.

Leaving our picnic spot, the road curves inland again and provides stunning vistas across the “entrance” to the “lakes”.

It’s really beautiful here, and reminds us so much of Hilton Head.  The low lying, almost marsh-like islands and plants and of course the water and boats all around.  Beautiful!

Further up the road, we stumble upon my Mom’s secret international business:

Such a unique name! Would have never thought we’d see it all the way across the world!

Heading to Bairnsdale we decide to chance another little side-trip (still disappointed from our Pebbly Beach fiasco, we didn’t detour anywhere on the drive in the morning) up the “Alpine” Road a bit and into the foothills.  There is a little 20 KM detour that winds us up to the town of Bruthen and then back down into Bairnsdale.  Turned out to be a very worthwhile detour!  The road up to Bruthen wound through farmland on one side and a limestone canyon on the other.  The Tambo river carved out the limestone on its journey down from the mountains to the coast, and the resulting views were fantastic with tons of interesting formations and caves strewn all through the walls of the canyon.

Bruthen turned out to be an adorable one-horse sort of little town, with a the obligatory general store, tourist shops as well as an extremely helpful lady at the Tourist Information center.  We stopped in for maps and information, and she proceeded to tell us a little bit about the area, the limestone canyon/caves, the bike path running through town, how exciting it was to meet people from all over the world, suggestions on driving to Melbourne (the 2nd person to tell us to take the scenic southern route on the South Gippsland Highway), and generally just chatted us up for  quite a while.  We had read in one of the tourist guides that a brewery was going to open soon – so we asked her if the Brewery was open yet, and she looked at her watch and said, oh yes, they open at 11.  Hmmmm…..

Out we go, down the one little main street to the Brewery – which was indeed open – and wasn’t worth driving to – we could have walked!  The Bullant Brewery – beer with bite!  Turns out they’ve been open for a couple years, the guide we had was obviously very old!  And even weirder?  After we got home, we found out that they bought the all their beer vats from Richbrau Brewery in Richmond after they closed in 2010.  How bizarre is that!!!!  So we actually drank beer from those same vats in Richmond, Virginia and then 10,000+ miles away in Bruthen, Victoria, Australia!  Wow!

So, we spent a lovely sunny afternoon, sitting on their front porch with a flight of beer – and of course wine.  The beer was great – and we didn’t even know the Richbrau connection that makes it even better in hindsight.

After that lovely little respite, we head back down the Great Alpine road, through more rolling farmland and into the outskirts of Bairnsdale and the Bairnsdale Motel.  At first glance, the hotel is a little odd looking.  A typical motor court hotel, it appears to be made of corrugated steel and looks a little odd. There are lovely plantings by the door and a little bench outside, it’s just strange looking.  But the owners are lovely and gave us wonderful town information, dinner suggestions, and where to go to see Koalas in the wild, and then took us to our room.  Wow!  Talk about fabulous!  It’s all modern and spacious, with a seating area of leather chairs, all tile bath, corner jacuzzi tub, walk in tiled shower, flat screen tv and little kitchenette.  Totally lovely – it’s a shame we are only here for one night!

We make the most of the room, getting organized, settling in, then heading out to Raymond Island to hunt (not literally!) for Koalas!