Melbourne— The Great Ocean Road

I am not usually a tour person. When I read about the Great Ocean Road that runs along the coast just outside of Melbourne, I knew that it was too good to miss, so I looked into my options. 

Renting, or rather hiring, a car was one possibility with two problems. First, I am ashamed to admit it, but I don't know how to drive a standard. Second, I was nervous about driving on the left side of the road. On top of that, photos showed the road as somewhat narrow and winding, adding one more level of discomfort. I liked the idea of being able to stop anywhere I wanted, but I had to admit it didn't sound very realistic.

I wondered if there was public transport of some kind -- a regional bus or train -- but no.

So, it seemed a tour was my best choice, and on my first day in the city, I stopped in at a tourist office on my way back to the hotel and booked a minibus tour: The Great Ocean Road in Reverse. The "in reverse" part means that you drive directly to the farthest point (on an inland highway) first thing in the morning and then slowly return along the coastal road, stopping at points of interest on the way.

We set off from Melbourne at about 7:30 a.m. and a had a brief stop for tea and biscuits at a little picnic ground. Along the way, the tour guide told stories about places we passed. This sounds pretty awful, but it was actually very well done. He didn't talk too much, and when he did he had something significant to say. Just my kind of tour guide!

Our first sight-seeing stop was Loch Ard Gorge, the site of a famous shipwreck. Two survivors found a cave to shelter in and were eventually rescued.

the cave

The Razorback

Next we visited the Twelve Apostles. By this time it was rainy and windy, so not the best time to hang around admiring the view, but it was definitely worth looking at.

The Twelve Apostles

From there we went to a picnic ground in Great Otway National Park, where the rain was really coming down. Our lunch spot was under a canopy, so we were out of the rain, but afterwards we went for a walk into the rainforest. It was wet, but still very beautiful. It reminded me of being on the west coast of Vancouver Island. 

Because we had all been good boys and girls, we were allowed a couple of unscheduled stops -- one in a little beach town where we looked in shops on the main street and walked on the beach. 

And then we stopped in another town, at a lookout point where we could see the road we had come on. Definitely narrow and winding!

We also saw a few sulfur crested cockatoos in the trees and in the parking lot.

Next we stopped at a place called Kennett River, where we went for a stroll along the river and saw koalas. They were not in a good position for photos with a cell phone, but as the young German girl who was on the tour said, "I will remember this always." For about 20 minutes, we were able to watch them climbing and eating leaves, and then it was time to go.

We made one last stop, at the Great Ocean Road memorial arch, and then it was back to Melbourne.

Melbourne — parks and the ocean

I started the day with a buffet breakfast at my hotel. It wasn't bad, but nothing like the spreads I've become accustomed to in European hotels. Still, I managed to eat enough to sustain me for further exploration of the city.

I noticed these helpful signs at every pedestrian crossing.  Because everyone knows that when a pedestrian is hit by a car it's because the pedestrian was not walking with care, right?

If only they had signs like this at every vehicle intersection!









My first destination was the Royal Botanical Gardens, about 5 km from my hotel. I started by walking across and then along the Yarra River.

The river was a busy place, with small cruise boats, rowing boats, and families of ducks. 

I walked past a row of rowing clubs and watched the coach (or whatever he is called) riding along on a bike, yelling orders through a megaphone.

 

And then I found myself at the entrance to the botanical gardens. I came in at the corner opposite the visitor centre, so I snapped a photo of this map and  began my tour. 

Rose Garden jumped out at me, so I decide to start there. It was a little disappointing.

After making the rounds of the botanical gardens, I crossed the river and made my way to Fitzroy Gardens.

There were a few interesting sights here, such as this scarred tree...

Captain Cook's cottage...

and a model Tudor village.  Both the cottage and the model village came from England.

There were also a couple of lovely fountains. 

I saw this church, which turned out to be St. Patrick's Cathedral, just outside the park, so I decided to walk over and see it. There was a wedding in progress, so I couldn't go inside, but I admired its exterior and the beautiful garden.

  

The Windsor Hotel

The Old Treasury Building - designed by a 19 year old architect as a storehouse for gold bullion during the gold rush.

When I got back to the hotel, it was about 2:30. I knew there was a bike rental shop not far away, but I also knew that it closed at 6:00. I asked myself whether it was worth it to rent a bike for such a short time, and immediately answered "yes". So I walked back down to the river and picked up a bike. On first sight of the bike shop and the rental bikes I was a bit skeptical, but I took a test ride and it turned out the bike was great. It was a Dutch style bike, and I've learned that these are usually wonderful, but very occasionally, they can be a nightmare.  Fortunately, this one was wonderful.

The guy in the shop assured me that the beach was only a short ride from there, and that there was a bike path all the way. 

Well, I'm sure he was telling the truth, but somehow I missed the bike path. I knew the general direction I had to go, so I made my way along various streets.  

One of the streets I rode on had houses with the most amazing cast iron balconies. I was intrigued and wanted to take a closer look, but I also felt somewhat pressured to get to the beach so I could make it back to the bike shop before closing time, so I told myself I'd come back another time.



Finally I found a street that led straight down to the ocean.
I passed a stretch of these quaint cottages, and came out on the oceanfront.

The weather was not good -- it was about 18 degrees and very cloudy and windy -- but the ocean was magnificent!

I saw that people were riding bikes on this pier, so I rode out to the end. 

Signs indicated that this is a place where penguins come every evening to feed their babies. 

To return to the bike shop, I took another route that the bike shop guy had mentioned -- through Albert Park. This was lovely, as the bike path went along a lake with dozens of black swans. After I exited the park, there was a bike lane on the road all the way back to the river.

After returning the bike, I wasquite hungry, so I thought of a kebap shop I had seen near my hotel. I wasn't sure if it was the kind of place a woman could go alone, but when I got there I saw a Turkish woman sitting alone, so I decided it was okay. The food was delicious, and quite cheap, so it was a great way to end a day of walking and cycling.