Wine Tasting

Today we plan to go and visit a couple of vineyards and do some wine tasting or at least I'll be doing most of the tasting and Dave most of the sniffing of fumes as he's driving. But first, mainly because I can't face an alcoholic drink before midday, we drive around the coast of the Bellarine Peninsular. The roads are wide and straight all set out in a grid pattern, the surrounding land flat. The coast is very different here, not the dramatic surf pounded coast of the Great Ocean Road, its low lying, shallow beaches and turquoise seas gently rolling onto the sand. The small towns have the feel of retirement locations.

Our first stop is Jack Rabbit Vineyards, www.jackrabbitvineyard.com.au recommended by the receptionist here at Bellarine. Its a very plush and polished venue, with waiters eager to seat you for lunch but equally welcoming for us cellar door wine tasters. Having paid my 5 dollars for a tasting, I'm taken through the extensive list of white, rose and red wines, Dave enjoys the fumes and sneaks a few sips especially of the red wines. They are much lighter than the Spanish reds we enjoy in Tenerife. We decline lunch and move on to the next vineyard.



Jan at Terindah Estate

The second stop is at the Terindah Estate, www.terindahestate.com described as a boutique winery with award winning wines. Its appearance from the car park is not promising it looks like a giant metal barn but as we enter and are warmly welcomed by the young hostess we realise that appearances can be deceiving. The other side of the building has stunning views of the bay and Melbourne. Again I am treated to a great range of wines and this time Dave joins me with the reds. Lunch is simply amazing, Kangaroo and smoked eel for Dave, Dory for me. All the staff are very friendly, the chef shares his expertise with how to cook kangaroo, but I still don't feel confident about it. After lunch we watch the wineries 2 dogs, one black and one chocolate labrador racing around the grassy area in front, following the owner back to his house (yes he was lunching just behind us with all the other staff). They certainly have a great life there.
Oh and on arrival back at the campsite, we have discovered that we can spin the front seats round to enjoy sitting either side of the table.


Onwards to Bellarine



Simply stunning a sunrise over Apollo Bay

After a wet and windy night we’re up early this morning, before sunrise in fact. We’re rewarded with a beautiful sunrise over the ocean. It’s a fairly short drive today to the Bellarine Peninsular so there’s no rush to leave early, we enjoy a chat with the Melbourne couple next to us. They tell us about local areas we should stop at on the way.

 

 

 

Suitably informed we turn onto The Great Ocean Road but the weather is decidedly unsettled and it’s not long before the rain starts accompanied by lightening. As we drive slowly along admiring the costal views, which are spectacular even through the rain, we discuss yesterday’s “diesel incident”. We decide it must have been Dave’s Aunty Glad looking after us so the motorhome is now called Glad. As we turn another corner, “Glad” lets us know she’s definitely around, as the engine light puts in an appearance on the dashboard and Dave has limited power and it appears only one gear. We limp into the next town with a long impatient queue behind us. I’m envisaging a long wait for a mechanic as Dave phones the help line. A very helpful lady asks us are we currently parked with the engine off?  yes we are - good, lock and unlock the doors with the remote key 3 times. We look at each other, she’s having a laugh with us pommies isn’t she? Obediently we obey the instructions and amazingly it rests the engine computer and we’re able to drive away normally. If only all problems were so easily solved!!!

Now, we were told we’d see Kangaroos at Anglesey golf course so we make our way there and sure enough huddled under the trees looking a bit wet and miserable are several Kangaroos but near enough for good photo opportunities. The other piece of information gained from our neighbours was to stop in Torquay for lunch and have a look at the beach. They are right it is a beautiful small town with a lovely esplanade walkway and beach, a perfect stop for lunch. But first a coffee stop at a lovely café, Kobo and they sell the most amazing cakes, so what's wrong with a backwards lunch?  

A meandering outback drive brings us to our next stop on the Bellarine Peninsular. The site is very different from the last one, great expanses of flat land, wide open spaces and great facilities including an indoor heated swimming pool, we might just have to test it out.

The 12 Apostles and lessons learnt



Jan at The Twelve Apostles

The Twelve Apostles - well some of them!

No more walking today, we’re off in the motorhome to explore the Great Ocean Road from Apollo Bay to Peterborough. The drive quickly rises up out of the bay and into the Otway National Park, twisty turning roads we both hadn’t expected but as Dave says nothing like the steep narrow twisting roads in Tenerife. Where there are gaps in the trees vast areas of forest are revealed followed eventually by large plains of grassland grazed by cattle. It must take a day to walk between each of the farms. After an hour and a half the views open up to become ocean views and the famous Twelve Apostles. The walk to the cliffs and the Twelve Apostles takes no time and the views are breath taking, much photo taking ensues. We drive on further stopping for more photos at “The Arch”, “London Bridge” and “The Grotto” before driving into Peterborough.  http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Ocean_Road

The Arch

Now the joy of motor homing revels itself, if you fancy a snack or drink when you stop it’s all right there in the fridge behind you. A picnic overlooking the beach watching the golfers on the golf course is very relaxing and of course a stroll on the beach to cool the feet in the Pacific Ocean and yes it is very cold. Now for the return home, about 100km, it’s all going well until the lack of fuel begins to worry us. Now, during the whole day we’ve only seen 1 garage selling fuel and even that was shut, I supposes it is Sunday. A very tense hour follows with much coasting in neutral on Dave’s part to eke out the meagre reserves of fuel and much lip chewing on my part as I really don’t fancy the long walk. And all the time the skies are getting blacker and blacker. Miraculously we reach Apollo Bay on fumes and coast into the garage, what a relief. With a full fuel tank and a lesson learnt (when you see a fuel station – fill up), we head back to Pisces Park our arrival announced by the loudest clap of thunder and brightest flash of lightening followed by torrential rain. Tonight we’re going to enjoy another BBQ - it may be a wet one!

Dave & Jan at London Bridge

 


The Grotto









Jan dipping her feet on the beach at Peterborough

View from the motorhome while travelling through The Otway National Park

Apollo Bay Seafood & Music



Pisces Park, Apollo Bay

Parrots

The day  has blue skies and no clouds just a slight misty haze. The walk along the walking track on the edge of the beach is very relaxing just what we expected. We pass an old gnarled tree and pause to watch the parrots chattering and cavorting in the branches. Apollo Bay is full today lots of people taking the opportunity to visit the seafood and music festival, just like us. We find a couple of vacant chairs in the marquee and watch a band before the main local celebrity chef begins is cookery demonstration – how to cook crayfish, Greek style. Now he is obviously an excellent chef but his presentation skills need honing, Dave and I are constantly whispering to each other what was that he did/added? There’s no chance we’ll be recreating his dish, we did get to try a smidgen of it however. Appetite wetted, the food stalls outside beckon, the barbequed scallop kebabs were mouth wateringly good.

Dave on Apollo Bay Beach or part of it

We continued our “stroll” (Dave declares it a full days hike, but he was in flip flops) to the harbour to watch the fishermen loading a boat with fish to the Sydney fish market and others just trying their luck off the harbour wall. A bit further on we reach another deserted beach with amazing views of the next bay. Enough is enough it’s time to head back to town for an ice-cream from Dooleys. A sit down in the cool of the marque while we watch more live music and cookery demonstrations – this time paella – I’ve cooked a few of these in the past. Time to “stroll” home, apparently it’s 1,800 steps to and from Apollo Bay from where we are (Dave wants a refund on the holiday if he gains as much as an ounce in weight) and we’re going to do it all again tonight!


After strolling back to Apollo Bay we hungrily survey the options for an evening meal and eventually settle on George’s. It’s not very glamorous, in fact it’s a large take away food court but we won’t be taking ours away it’ll be cold by the time we walk back to Pisces holiday village. What’s attracted us? well the fish bar at the back is doing a roaring trade, always a good sign and we’re not disappointed. The fishermen’s platter for 2 consists of 2 large fillets of fish, 2 large prawns, 2 crabsticks and 2 scallops accompanied by fresh coleslaw, greek salad and chips, I don’t know how we finished it but we did. The walk home was much slower and dark as there are no street lights but nature provides its own form of lighting in the form of lightening. Fortunately the rain waits for us to reach the motorhome.
 
 

Motorhome and open roads

A nervous start today with final bits of packing and a sad goodbye to the Riverside Apartments they have suited us perfectly for the last 3 days. The taxi ride to Britz motorhome hire takes no time, however the handover of the motorhome or rather our ability to absorb all the information and check we understand it all takes some considerable time. Eventually we set off for the supermarket and stock up only to discover we can’t access our safe so back to Britz. The maintenance guy is very patient with us, he does ask if we’ve been anywhere yet! Fully sorted we set off and after only one minor wrong turn are soon seeing signs for The Great Ocean Road, the excitement is building especially on my part. I have dreamt of visiting this area of Oz ever since we decided to come here.

The scenery gradually changes from a city and built up landscape to straight roads, galvanised metal bridges with brightly coloured glass panels and flat fields before we start to see little glimpses of sea. When the full vista of the Great Ocean Road reveals itself after Anglesea it’s breath taking. To think that men returned from the horror of WW1 built this beautiful legacy is awe inspiring. The views reveal themselves turn after twisting turn in the road before we reach the wider bay  that is Apollo’s Bay and is our final destination for tonight.



Our motor home on The Great Ocean Road

A good few hours of van sorting, site and area exploring followed by our first Aussie BBQ, I reckon Dave showed those Aussies how to do it, our Balsamic chicken was the best…. Roll on tomorrow and the seafood festival.

Melbourne 4 seasons in 1 day

Street art in Hosier Lane

Dave in ACDC Lane

Blue skies!!! The last couple of days have contained everything from grey cloud covered skies, wind, rain and finally sunshine, typical Melbourne weather apparently. The free tram system and walking are going to be our choice of transport for exploring the city. First stop Federation Square and Flinders Street station for photos by day in the sunshine, next stop Hosier Lane - the centre of activity for street art. The walls are covered in amazingly colourful pictures but no artists in sight today. After this ACDC Lane, Dave just has to find this one for a picture opportunity. Finally, for the end of the morning section of the tour a meander through Fitzroy Gardens enjoying the peaceful surroundings - until we get to the conservatory where lots of Chinese tourists suddenly emerge from the undergrowth all obsessed with taking selfies. The begonias inside are stunning, some as big as my hand and in so many colours, in fact all the flowers through out the gardens are stunning, I have to be dragged away as other sights await us. The walk continues past Captain Cook's cottage which was shipped here from the UK but I'm not sure he ever lived in it as (it was built for him but only erected here in 1934), and on to the Treasury building and Parliament House. It's definitely time for some refreshment and of course a good old fashioned British pub is the venue...



The Lion Dance

The afternoon is filled with more tram rides - we're beginning to get the hang of how to read the maps and which side of the tramway to stand. But I'm still panicked by the urgent sound of the pedestrian crossing at road junctions, they seem to be saying hurry, hurry, hurry or you'll get run over. As we make our way to the tram stop we heard the sound of drums, following it we find a big crowd watching the traditional lion dance. Queen Victoria Market is a huge area opened in 1878 it sells everything from clothes, leather goods, souvenirs to fabulous fresh fruit and veg. I can't resist all the veg but restrict myself to just a few tomatoes and chillies (only 500g's worth) we may not need chillies for a while now! The city tour is rounded off with a visit to the Waterfront Docklands where we gaze enviously at all the large boats.

Tonight, a night in with the packing and the meal may contain tomatoes and chillies at least...





Boats at the Dockside - wish one was ours!

Reunion



Sandie & Dave

We’re both nervous and excited this morning as today we’re meeting Dave’s cousin Sandie. They last met when Sandie emigrated to Australia with the family some 50+years ago. The excitement takes over when we meet and start exchanging news of families, looking at pictures and sharing memories. A lunch in the casino or pokkie followed by  a long walk down the Yarra river of course all accompanied by plenty more chatting – Sandie’s advice on motor homing was eagerly received, if we have a problem she may well get a phone call. The time has flown by and all too soon we’re waving goodbye to Sandie at the train station.



The Mall's

Melbourne art

We wander on foot through the Melbourne streets finding the old mall’s Sandie told us about, they are beautiful and buzzing. Outside there are buskers with their small audiences, busy shoppers and art works everywhere. Melbourne is a beautiful city and we love it and all the arts in evidence everywhere.



China Town

Tonight we’re off on a mission to find a microbrewery pub in Clifton Hill as they have live blues music tonight and an English artist is playing there. First track down a MyKi ticket, Southern Cross station provides the necessary cards, second find the right tram stop - the number 86. We sit down to wait at the bus stop in the rain – how very English not Aussie! The no. 86 arrives and as we sit on the tram we realise we need to know what stop to get off at so I start counting them, fortunately Dave recognises the pub in time for us to jump off the tram.

The Clifton Hill Brew Pub is a great intimate venue to see live music and too enjoy some excellent food, meltingly tender calamari for me and salmon for Dave both accompanied by the home produced brew. The music’s great as well, what a perfect day.