Aftermath

It might seem like old news to you now, but I'll be blogging about my parents' trip top Australia until I run out of material. Today, I got a few more photos in my e-mail from John, and he's a much better photographer than me, so I wanted to post these as well.

They are all from a part of the Great Ocean Road between Apollo Bay and Port Campbell on the way to the Otway Light House. More Koalas! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! We pulled over the Tarago because there were so many other cars here watching this trio of Koalas expressing unusually active behavior. They were grunting and bellowing and shaking the branches and One even got down and had a run around.

In the foreground is a Koala, but at a respectful distance are my aunt and I watching, and Barb apparently going somewhere else. See us back there?

This tourist is trying to teach the Koala to dance like SouljaBoy after he saw the step-by-step on you tube:
The Koala thought that was for the birds and much prefers a dignified Lindy Hop so he headed back for the tree.


Coming soon is my response to the reader participation drive. Until then you can still chime in. Be well.

More Trip Pics

My parents are home safe and all the animals are glad they are back. My Dad shared these photos he took on the trip:

Double Rainbow at Wye River
Me and Mom in the wind by the Apostles
Watching the Surfers from the Hotel (pub) in Wye River
A Reedy Creek in Victoria, Australia. Kate you will have to show your teacher!
Me and Mom in front of the channel near the Wreckage of the Loch Aud

Wineries and Wildlife Sanctuaries

Whew! I am totally exhausted. I am pretty sure my parents are as well. They should just about be back home now. I hope the trip home went smoothly. I have a killer cold. Now I am wondering if all those illnesses after Christmas are really Kate and Lindy's fault or maybe Barb and Mike are suspects as well.

Last weekend my parents, my aunt & uncle and I went to the Yarra Wine Valley. On Saturday, we toured 4 of over 60 vineyards and tasted lots of wine. They grow a lot of Chardonnay and Shiraz here due to the cooler climate, as was explained to me by our tour guide. We all had a good time. (It all pretty much tastes the same to me.) On Sunday, we went to the Healesville Animal Sanctuary for their birds of prey show and a view of Kangaroos, Koalas and Tassie Devils. Monday I went to work and my parents had a quiet day of souveniring and hitting the pubs. Here's some photos from the weekend. If you just can't get enough of Barb and Mike overseas be sure to check out my Flickr account where all of the photos from the week are uploaded.

Inside the Vault at Domian Chandon. This is essentially Champagne (Made from the same grapes, using the same process) but not from the Champagne Region, so they have to call it sparking wine.
The tasting area at Domain Chandon was magnificent
Can you find Mom and Uncle John sampling the wine?
Flying Fruit Bats!
A Wedge Tailed Eagle!
Barb near a Wallaby
A little braver with this sleeping one
a big roo
barb and mike in front of a group of roos
Koala!

Okay, more soon. For now I need to get back to soup, juice, and sleep.

I can't move on without a huge shout out to my Girls on Ambush for making Nationals in Sarasota this year. Tear it up!

Driving Miss Daisy, Her Husband, Her Sister and Her Brother-in-law

3 Days on the Great Ocean Road did not disappoint. The trip was everything the guide books suggested. Barb, Mike, Vicki and John are still in one piece and seem to be having a good time.

The tramcar dinner restaurant on Tuesday was a rated success. Despite the open bar and Dad's attempt to get his money's worth (including Drambuie) and Mom's new found appreciation for Victoria's sparking wine, the dinner was mishap-free. We all had 5 courses and Dad tasted Kangaroo and everyone was home in bed by Midnight.

On Wednesday we picked up the Toyota Tarago that I am driving everyone around in from Budget car hire. We drove from downtown Melbourne, which was very crowded to Geelong (where the city was celebrating the AFL Premiership with a Parade) and then west to the Great Ocean Road. There was some minor shouting trying to exit the city, but everyone seemed to settle down once we got on the highway. We had lunch in Torquay and looked at some famous surf spots.

By the Sea in Torquay

Then we drove to Angelsea to see the golf course full of Kangaroos. From there we drove along the coast, looking at Light Houses in Aireys Inlet, Scenic over-hangs, Cliffs and inlets. We stopped in Wye River to have a drink (cola for me) and watch the surfers. From there we drove in to Apollo Bay to our B&B. The B&B was nice and had a beautiful ocean view. There were seals on the rocks out front. There was a massive gorgeous garden that once housed an echidna. The Stuckey's (Ted and Rae) were very nice. After settling in, we went into town and had a nice dinner in Apollo Bay at Buff's Bistro.

On Thursday we had a massive breakfast at the B&B and then drove to a rain forest walk called Mait's rest that was beautiful. The 20 Minute walk was straight out of Jurassic Park and we could not see the sky for the massive ferns and Myrtle Beeches.

After Mait's rest we headed to Cape Otway to see the light house. On the way there we saw loads of Koala up in trees. We pulled over to watch three together in a tree and saw one get down and run around a bit which is very rare. My uncle John got some great photos of this so I'll have to post those later. I was too mesmerized to take out my camera.

From there we drove to Otway Fly where the tree-top walk allows you to see the rain forest at tree top level. We had lunch there and then John and I checked out the walk. Due to the rain (it is a rainforest afterall) and the availability of beer and wine in the snack area, Barb, Mike and Vicki waited this one out. Here is a picture I took while on the steel walk at eye level with a massive tree in a rain forest:

Moss on the trees in the Otway Fly Tree-Top walk, in a Rain forest

From Otway Fly we drove on towards Port Campbell to see the so called 12 Apostles. These rock formations, now maybe 8 or 9 but who's counting, are beautiful examples of cliff erosion. The apostles were cool, but it was really cold and windy, and we were all getting tired and hungry, so we snapped a few photos and got back to the people mover. Here's a few:

Some Apostles

Mom and Dad were blown away by the beauty of the 12 Apostles

After that we headed to our beautiful B&B in Port Campbell. The place was gorgeous and very comfortable. There were all new furnishings and whirlpool bathtubs. We went out to dinner in Port Campbell at 20-Ate and then home to bed.

On Friday, we awoke in Port Campbell and went back out to the GOR to see the Loch Ard shipwreck and surrounding cliffs. It was great, and the most impressive views on the GOR so far. There were a number of beautiful inlets and cliffs. There were caves that the water churned in and out of and even a channel through the rock to the ocean. The force of the water would swirl up in the caves and smack loudly into the wall throwing spray 30 meters into the air.

The incredible force of the waves. Boom!

We drove home from there inland, seeing mostly cows and sheep. We had a nice lunch in Colac and got back into Melbourne just in time for Friday rush hour. I dropped Barb, Vicki & John off at the hotel and then Mike and I drove the car to the precarious parking spot I have under the building.

Next up is a trip to Yarra Glen and Healseville. We'll be touring 4 vineyards in the Yarra Wine Valley and also taking a visit to the Healesville animal sanctuary. I hope there is enough wine.

Melbourne on 5 Drinks a Day

Dad, John, Barb and Vicki in front of the Queen Victoria Market

John, Vicki, Dad and Mom in front of the Shrine of Remembrance

All is still well here in Melbourne. My Aunt Vicki and Uncle John arrived by train this morning. Mom, Dad and I had some brunch while they settled in to the hotel. Then we all headed up to the largest open air market in the southern hemisphere, the Queen Victoria Market. Many T-shirts were purchased.

From there, we took the tram down to the Shrine of Remembrance and the Royal Botanical Garden. We saw the Black Swans, Bell Birds and lots of different plants and trees. After that we had a beer on the way back to the hotel.

Now I am doing some laundry for Vicki and John and we'll sync back up for dinner on a tram car ride around the city. Eating, drinking, motion and Barb: This could be a recipe for disaster!

Dinner last night at the Jazz club went well. We ate, drank and listened to the 18 piece band play lots of Sinatra. Mom and Dad seem to be having a good time.

Tomorrow morning we'll get on the road, the Great Ocean Road. And be back late on Friday. Wish us well.

The Muppets Take Manhattan

Mike and Barb in front of the Royal Exhibition Building, which is a world heritage site.
Barb and Mike in front of the Melbourne Gaol. (Unfortunately there were no vacancies.)

Day 1 in Melbourne with Barb and Mike went pretty well. After the bad (but free) breakfast at their hotel I showed them my apartment and they dropped off their laundry. Then we took the free city circle tram around and saw the vast array of Melbourne public art. We hopped off the tram on the northern end of the city grid to walk through Carlton Gardens to the Royal Exhibition Building and the Melbourne Museum. The Museum was fairly crowded due to it being School Holidays. We saw a native forest exhibit and an indigenous art exhibit.

After the Museum we walked up Lygon Street a few blocks into the Little Italy of Melbourne and had a pasta lunch and some wine. After lunch we walked back South toward the city and stopped off at the Melbourne Gaol, where the (in)famous Ned Kelly was executed. After that we took the tram home and had a coffee near my apartment on Centre place. I dropped them back off at the hotel for 'unstructured time' from 5:00-7:00 PM. I'll pick them back up at 7:00 and we'll go to a Jazz restaurant near my apartment for dinner and the show.

Tomorrow will be the Royal Botanical Garden and probably Queen Victoria Market. Also my Aunt Vicky and Uncle John arrive on the train in the morning.

In NFL news, the Eagles are the worst team in the NFC east (and the league?), losing to the hapless Giants and scoring only 3 points. On the upside, I can quit paying any attention to the NFL for the rest of the season because the Chiefs knocked me out of my NFL survivor pool. And yes, the Mets did miss the playoffs. I'll be focusing exclusively on cricket from here on out. Bowl a wicket!

The Eagle Has Landed

Everyone is here safe and sound. I got a voice mail from my mom when I woke up this morning that my Mom and Dad and Aunt Vicki and Uncle John have all arrived and are in Sydney. I was glad to hear that they did not have to divert the plane for an emergency landing for any reason.

They will be touring around Sydney for the weekend and then my parents will fly to Melbourne around 9 PM on Sunday evening. Then the real fun will start. Aunt Vicki follows with John on Tuesday and we'll all be driving down the great ocean road on Wednesday.

I went to a classical piano performance last night and had a really nice time.

Today is Grand Final day, which is like Super Bowl Saturday and the whole city is going nuts. All the hotels are full and downtown is buzzing. I'm not going to the game, but I'll watch it on TV with some friends. Sorry if I've already told you this, but whenever you cheer for your team here you use the article. You might say, "Go The Hawks!" It's very formal. Give it a try, "Go The Mets"! (Are the Mets going to miss the playoffs now? Sad.) The Grand Final today is between the Geelong Cats and the Port Adelaide Power (who wear teal uniforms). I like Geelong as I went to see them back in June with Joy & Hussey in their local stadium. I think we inspired them to greatness.

Have a nice weekend.