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Soooo again....another great sleep. Holidays must be good for a person. Forced myself to get up and I cracked the screen door to get some fresh air in. I heard bird calls I have never heard before...sounded like I was in a serious jungle. Too freakin cool.
So once I was all sorted..I wandered to the back of the hotel to check the field.....sure enough the field was full of roos.....just munching away. Then a couple stood up tall and started to duke it out. They were actually boxing it seemed. Looked pretty funny. Not a cage fight but was pretty interesting to watch...as they duked it out the others...just munched away. Amazing....So must make sure I am looking out for these guys now...there are a lot of em.
So went to load up the bike and a threesome of bikes pulled up at the reception at the same time. It was a two couples, one doubled up Steve and Margaret, Nan...not sure I spelled that right was on his own and his wife Joan was on a razr I think. We chatted a bit and it seems we were headed in the same general direction. I begged off and got some gas....found a cafe.....time for a flat white and a croissant. With a burp...hopped on the bike...and did a weather check....looked up and it was not too promising.
Off I went....rubber necking for roos, emus, cockatoos wallabuys...wombats.....falling trees....ohhh and watching the weather. Today was a the day to hit the great ocean hiway and end up in Apollo Bay. A bit of a ride but not too bad. Well I am in Victoria state....what I have been told is if the weather is bad wait a minute it will change. Well it was changing for the worse....started to pour on me. So had to put the gear on. All good and off I went, I am getting good at hopping on a highway with one leg trying to get into me rain pants. Probably would look like a kangaroo on the road to one of the locals. Bouncing around...cept there is usually cussing too.
The road is quite interesting and follows a valley....then I popped out into desolated farmland....except for the sheep...OMG....lots of sheep, every field is full of sheep. Hit the first town, Dunkeld after about an hour and the rain seemed to stop...so decided to take a break. Parked and it so happens that my friends I met earlier were already there. We chatted for a bit again and I went for me latte and they hit the road. Decided to strip the gear as it was looking like it may be ok. Crap hate days like that....never know if to put on gear or not.
Off I went and I kept popping into rain and out of it....but decided to not put gear on and just ride them out. It was warming up.....and the clouds were getting higher all good signs. I ended up popping into Warrnambool....yup that's the name. Its on the Ocean...I have arrived .... found a park with a view...took some pics and hit the road....was about to hit the Great Ocean road. A sign announced I was there and strangest thing...I had to go back and forth down country roads to point I was questioning the name of this road. As I went around a bend I saw three bikes sort of heading to the road I was on..wondered if it was me friends. I finally popped out into a windswept landscape.....and the first view point. Wow..... Parked and went to the look out, spectacular.....then my friends arrived. I took pics of them...they of me....and we chatted for a bit. Time for me to go. I put me phone on the bike and me gloves and did me usual regime to get everything in its right place and off I went...kinda quickly. Not too far down the road another look out seems any where there is a driveway its a look out. So I pulled in parked and sure enough what a view...went to grab me phone to take some pics...and I could not find it.....ACKKKKKK. Calmly I kinda freaked out......figured I must have left it on the seat and when I took off it flew off. I hopped on the bike lit it up to get back to where I was. Problem was it was pretty busy.
I pulled in rubber necking....and my new friends were just loading up to go. I parked and was looking everywhere. They ran over to find out what was wrong. I told em and they started a search of the lot....cool. Then a tour bus started to leave...so I flagged it down and asked if anyone found a phone by chance...nope. Somewhere in this Margret asks if I know the number....hang on I did....it was on the simm card in me bag. Gave her the number and she dialed it and everyone started to move out to her the rings. nothing...then I heard a muffed ring.....near my bike....I looked down...noooo its higher.....coming from my tank bag....I opened it up...and looked again...there it was, totally camouflaged against the inside wall. WAHOOOOO crap its worse than losing a wallet. Cannot believe I could not find it...I had looked everywhere. What a relief....was worried I had lost all me pics etc etc. I grabbed Margaret gave her a big hug. Tired to blame the angle of sun and the tint on me glasses...just got of uh huh's....and nods. Then just had nuthing. So cool that complete strangers were so willing to help me out once again....my faith in humanity was once again restored.
Well it got to be kinda funny....as at each view point we would bump into each other again and compare notes. Margaret would make sure I still had my phone.....each time. There were so many view points....I got an ear rash from popping me helmet off and on. The area is spectacular. The road follows the coast line and is windy and hilly....all good things...also the weather lifted. It as sunny.....with a few clouds, had to take out the jacket liner as I was walking a lot. Some of the view points were about a kilometer from where you could park. Nice thing was there was hardly that many people at the sites. I am finding caravans on the road though....so doing some passing to avoid em.
Kept wandering along the road...taking it in. Words fail me in attempting to convey how spectacular it is. I kept meandering down the road and eventually I hit the twelve apostles....big sign....turn left...strange...the ocean is to the right...fine...I did. Holy crap...tourist hell.....packed parking lot buses ...the works. I parked pretty much at the entrance. Hopped off and tried to sort it out. For those not in the know....the twelve apostles are left over sandstone pillars that stand alone in the ocean just of the coast..about 150 feet tall. World heritage site I think. Well they used to be called the sow and piglets....but at some point the apostles name stuck. Some one told me that a few years ago one of them collapsed with a lady on it....there was a bridge to get on it...and it totally collapsed a she was on it. Just about died but not quite.
So they have it set up for a lot of people to see them...there is a passage way under the highway for the masses to walk....I think I was the only non Asian in the crowd. Its about a km and there is a fairly big view point for everyone. The view was cool but too many people. I am not a crowd dude...had to get out of there. As I was leaving...my buds were arriving... I gave a wave....and heard Margaret asking about me phone. I was triple checking each time I got on the bike.
So I kept following the windy road...and all the stopping was eating up the day. I finally got to Cape Otway and was recommended to check out the lighthouse.... and possibly find some Koala bears. The road up was crazy cool about 12 km through a wild forests...but nope could not see a Koala. I had to pay 20 bucks and it was near the end of the day, could not talk her into giving me a price break..sigh. So paid me dues and off I went. Cool lighthouse. Its made by stone masons cutting all the stones as it was being built...no mortar. Each stone fits perfect. I climbed up and you end up in a room with the light....It weights about two tons according to the sign. The light turns....and looked and in a case were too itty bitty electric motors that were on and turning gears that seemed to me to be turning this two ton light bulb. I was scratching me head...and the old light house keeper showed up. I asked and yup those motors....were turning it...I said must be some good bearings....then he told me yup....Mercury. I'll be dang...it uses liquid mercury for a bearing....was that ever cool...did not know that. So to demonstrate he turned of the motors...and used his pinky to turn the light....cool. I learned something today. I went outside to check out the view and holy crap what a view but the wind on one side almost blew me off..... I took some pics and decided time to go. Back to the bike and the cool road....so was riding and looking up in the trees for the Koalas....nuthin...sigh.
Well after that it was a bit of an inland run to Apollo Bay. Great road....and I finally rolled into Apollo bay. Cool little town...little fishing boats in the man made harbour. Found me hotel, great gal at the desk she got me sorted....and recommended a restaurant. So I dumped me bags....then headed to the pub...apple cider time! ohhh tip for those who have not been here yet....waitresses do not take your order...no matter where I have gone...you have to go to the bar...order pay...then sit down and they bring your food, you carry your own drinks.......different. Aussies like their steaks and so do I. Had a great meal...n staggered back to me hotel.
Tomorrow off to Melbourne......the big city.......
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