We spent a few very hot days in Melbourne where we caught a tram, a train and a bus exploring the city. While we were here we caught up with Sime's sister Katie and her husband Ant, both who were down from the central coast helping run the Weet-bix Tryathalon. Dakoda participated in her first Tryathalon at St. Kilda beach and Sime also helped packing up, getting some much needed extra cash. We explored a little of the Yarra Valley and again managed to find ourselves at a chocolate factory. Another day we spent down the Mornington Peninsular still swimming in the cooling water.
We left the busyness of Melbourne to see what Geelong and its surroundsbhad to offer. We were pleasantly surprised.mFor the second weekend in a row we got to see 'aunty Katie' as she was down for the Geelong Tryathalon. Sime spent all day setting up while the kids and I took in the sights along the waters edge. We rode the carousel and scootered down Cunningham pier before spending the afternoon at yet another awesome park although all very pleasant, not relaxing.
Little did I know that Katie had organised some time out for Sime and I, a little early birthday present for me. Aunty Katie became Busta's first sleepover guest and we got a night away without the kids. Finally a little relaxing which ended all too quickly, we were on the move again.
One day in the states gold capital, Ballarat was all the kids needed to catch gold fever. A fellow camper showed us his gold nuget collection he had found which only fuelled their fire. Out they were digging with sticks in every patch of dirt for an elusive nugget, gold preferably. It was here we made some new friends all the way from Coffs Harbour who seemed to have been mapping the same path from the mid-north coast we had. Their 2 girls and our kids played, climbed trees, had bush cook offs, rode bikes, took a trip to Soverign Hills and a fitted in a little school work. Since then we have met up a few more times some planned, other times by chance but I'm sure there will be more meets.
We left the country for the coast again in time to catch the worlds best surfers at the Bells beach Rip Curl Pro. Sime was loving it, one to tic off his bucket list. Me not being a 'surf chick' got a quick lesson on the whole thing, and our little 'groms' seemed just as happy exploring the sand and rock pools. We also made a trip back to Melbourne to spend the day with my brother Klinton, his wife Alysia and their now 1 year old little girl Avira. It was lovely to see them and spend the day with their friends at the Melbourne Aquatic Centre with indoor waterside and all.
From Torquay we began our twisty turning drive along the Great Ocean Road. I was driving the car following Sime in the bus, we thought it may be a little safer that way. The scenery was beautiful, Sime told me later that he hung the video camera around his neck filming as he drove. Clearly we are too poor to purchase a GoPro. We spent the night in the seaside town of Apollo Bay before settling into our free camping spot on the ocean at Johanna beach. We had a 'school excursion' to the Otway Lightstation, did I forget to mention we haven't given up on school and things have been going so much better. We cruised down to the 12 (or 8) Apostles and the spectacular cliffs that line the edge. Okay after the first few lookouts the kids were over it and decided to just look from the car.
After surviving the the Great Ocean Road we set up camp at another beachside spot just out of Port Fairy. As soon as we drove into the town of Port Fairy I knew just why a friend of ours had chosen to buy a cute little cottage there, it has so much character and charm. We met up with Kym, Steve and their cute little boys. Amazing how much fun 5 boys, some dirt and a skateboard can be, Dakoda may have thought otherwise she retreated into the bus and made them all sandwiches and finished a book that day. Kym and I compared notes and liveable floor space, me in the bus and her in her 2 room partly renovated cottage. Neither of us relaxing too much at this stage of our lives.
So even though Victoria didn't provide too much r'n'r for us it was beautiful all the same and as we headed across the boarder into South Australia I felt content. What was I thinking? Relaxation will come. One day when Sime and I will be sitting out the front of our much smaller bus, with much more grey hair observing a crazy busy travelling family of 6 and pretending to read.
