Great Ocean Road and Puffing Billy Train

Aug 22 and 23

I have no idea how to begin to describe the Great Ocean Road. All I can do is say that it is spectacular, splendid, superb and sublime. The whole day was spent in a coach bus driving and stopping along the road from Melbourne to what is called London Bridge then making our way back to Melbourne inland seeing tons of sheep and cattle in some of the most beautiful countryside of rolling hills. Just gorgeous. The day started at 7am and ended at 10:15pm. a very long day, but very much worth it. I got to see a southern right whale (sp?) and some crimson rosellas (red and blue birds) another bird that I don't know how to pronounce, but is part of the king fisher family, a koala, some ducks... Fabulous!
I think my favourite spot though was the loch ard gorge. Breathtaking for sure. The gorge was the site of a shipwreck back, oh, about mid 1800's, I think. The site is just beautiful. There's a bit of water with what seems to be a cave start, and turn around and it's a little bay /alcove hidden from the ocean. Just so pretty.
The 12 apostles were pretty to look at though with the sun in the position it was, it was very difficult to do them justice in the photos. The London Bridge was great. Our driver told us the story of how it used to be, not 20 years ago, people were able to walk on the arches of the rock bridge. But one day, a group of about a dozen people as they were walking back off the end, passed a couple who were walking toward the end and not 10 seconds later, the middle of the first arch collapsed, leaving the couple stranded on the second arch. The group went running back to town to try and get help for the couple, so running into the town pub yelling that London Bridge had fallen down.. they were laughed at and told “we've heard that one before”. It wasn't until about the third group came in and said it, that the locals finally believed them and went to check.. sure enough.. it was true. There was of course a media frenzy around the bridge falling and the two stranded on the other end. The couple though, were rather camera shy, hiding their faces and such. We later found out why... this gentleman had told his wife that he was going on a business trip. As the media found out, this trip was not for business, despite the fact that the woman with him was, indeed, his secretary. oops. :)

So as any good tour, there were lots of great stories to go along with the beautiful sights.

Got back in to the hostel to find that I had a new roommate, or more precisely, a lump under covers and new bags messed about the room. So I tried to be as quiet as possible getting into bed, but that meant that I'd be a bit louder at 6 am getting ready for the Puffing Billy tour. So I just quickly showered and got into bed.

6am came WAY too early. it was painful getting up. I was still tired from the Great Ocean Road. But, the trooper that I am, I got up and quietly got dressed and got breakfast.

The driver picking me up missed the hostel and walked back to find me. He was a nice enough fellow, we were early to pick up the next guests (my head was thinking about how I could have slept in) so he chose to show me around the city a bit. (GREAT!) he showed me the original Melbourne Gaol where the famous Ned Kelly was finally hung. We also went to the monument that signified the very point where the 8 hour day was invented. (bless those hearts who thought of that!)

the mini city tour was over, and we had to go and pick up the two other passengers. We got to the area for the tours (by Flinders Station) and I had to wait for the Puffing Billy bus (another ½ hour or so)... so if all the waiting time was added up, I could have slept in an extra HOUR!! sigh... I got a light nap in the bus. I do suggest to anyone who chooses to do the Puffing Billy Train ride, to make it out to Belgrave on their own with the public train system, then take the train for as long as they like.. I think it's cheaper and you'll likely get more out of it. We had to get off at the first stop to continue on this bus tour... it kind of felt like a rip off.. I signed up for a Puffing Billy ride, I'd want to take it the full way, not just to its' first stop.. sigh. oh well. we then continued on to a village called Sassifrass. lovely little tourist trap full of quaint little shops selling antiques, puppets, candles, teas, etc.. great little village. I, of course, bought tea! I can't wait to try it. I may, though, wait to try it... the last thing I want is a bunch of loose leaf tea all over the inside of my backpack.

Then, that was the end of the tour. It was about 12, noon then we made our way back into town, I took the free tourist tram back to my hostel, took pictures of the hostel and here I am.

I'm going to make myself available, as there was a fellow traveller, Bruno Costa from Brazil who is here on business and was also on the Great Ocean Road tour with me who needs my photos. His batteries didn't fully charge before we went on the trip, so I offered to take whatever pictures he wanted with my camera and that he could just download them after. He agreed and so now.. I have to get out there so that he can find me to get the pictures.

Tomorrow is Sovereign Hill... great old mining town, done up like it was back in the day.

Take care,
C