Right - finally back in Australia, which is what we have secretly been waiting for since we started our journey. It was a strange feeling coming back to Australia as for once it was not going to be work the next day but another couple of months of travelling! Anyway I guess I should not rub it in to much, I am already getting a bit worried about having to go back to work!
Our first night back involved picking up our new campervan, which after staying in the cheapest one ever in NZ did not have a great deal to beat in the campervan rating scale. This time I managed to get heating, which will be pretty useful for the freezing for the first month, although knowing us we will probably set the van on fire the first time we use it! Anyone interested in the van should have a look at www.keenascampers.com.au, highlights include electricity, heater, 2 burner cooker, some storage, pop up roof, MP3 connection and a DVD player (my personal fav!). When I work out how to upload a couple of photo's on this thing I will put on some action shots for you - edge of the seat stuff.
After picking up the van we caught up it with all our Sydney friends for the last Pub quiz, which reminded us of when we first arrived, although the format has changed a little bit and the quiz master is one of those school geeks who looks like a bit of a petty criminal who can't quite grow a proper tash (sorry to be mean but those who were there would understand). Anyway I am pleased to announce that we won the quiz, a fitting way to end our Sydney quiz career.
We hit the road the next morning, after what seemed to take an eternity, packing the van up with all our stuff we decided to not put on the boat. As per usual we have ended up brining too many clothes, 3 pocket knives, 5 games that we will never play, 4 tea towels, cables that we have no idea what they are for and 5 torches. To our surprise we fitted everything in, and we have space left over which I am very happy about as Macca was trying to wind us up as to how small the van was.
Our first stop was a place called Eden, which is famous for its whaling (past of course) and like all good towns has a dodgy museum. This was our second time to the town, which is probably two times too many, but I a sure I a going to say this about a fair few places on this trip.
It is probably an appropriate time now to tell you all about the legendary book which has been our guide over the last couple of years and which is mapping out our route for this trip. The book is by the travel writer from the Sydney Morning Herald, Bruce Elder, who according to his book has been to all but 60 towns in Australia and could not quite squeeze the things to see and do down to 1000 and had to make it 1015, although he could have cut it down by striping out the Gympie mining museum - that was shocking! So our mission is to try and get through as many of these as possible, our target is 750 - 800, currently we are at 375 (ish). He also has a top 50 section which we are trying to cover all off, except for Lord Howe island as the flights were just a bit too expensive.
So in our first day we managed to cover off one thing in the book (everything else has been done on previous trips), and to our joy it was one of the top 50 items, mimosa rocks. As the name suggests this was just a bunch of rocks which looked pretty and had some aboriginal significance (which no early settler gave a monkey's about!). Anyway here is a link for anyone interested - http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/NationalParks/parkhome.aspx?id=N0021
Right - I appreciate that I am going into too much detail so I will calm it down from now on!
Our next stop was the Yarra Valley, a Victorian wine region. Covered off a steam train called Puffin Billy, 3 gardens (not very interesting in Winter), the winery previously owned by James Halliday and importantly for me (an Alex) the White Rabbit brewery which lead to the first beer purchase!
We spent the next day trucking further in Victoria, ending up in Cape Ottway on the Great Ocean road where the highlights included seeing the House of Bottles (yes made out of bottles) and a Koala running down the road and before we could find the camera it had already decided to run up a tree - those things can actually move when they want to.
After being woken up by a laughing Kookaburra nice and early in the morning, we headed over to South Australia staying in a nice place called Robe, via a few wineries, Mary Mackillop trail and the first Big Thing on the map, the Big Woolbales. Now most of you know I am a bit into my Big Things, Helen is too but maybe not as much. I would give these a 5 out of 10 on the big thing rating as it was a bit run down, however I did note that it was for sale. Anyway there are plenty of more Big Things to see later in the trip. Oh the other exciting thing was the Blue lake in Mt Gambier, which sadly was out of season for it being Blue, not too sure why that was but it still looked pretty impressive.
The night in Robe was pretty good, our first treat night as it was a Saturday. We ended up heading to the pub, exciting times when you are a traveller on a budget! I never thought I would say this but I am getting pretty tight with the money at the moment (for me). I actually decided to eat a tin of soup with some cheap "yesterday's bread" from a bakery in order to not feel guilty in having a few pints!
So if you are lost I am now on Sunday, where we had an action packed day ahead with about 20 things being ticked of the book. Firstly we saw the Big Lobster (Larry apparently) which was awesome, gets 9 out of 10 on the Big Things scale. The story goes that they intended it to be a lot smaller than it is but when they made it they took the inches as meters! I wondered when they first thought to themselves why the hell they were making a lobster about 20 meters high! We continued to head to Adelaide, where we were meeting up with Carly and Alex for a few beers over the long weekend. Highlights included the Chinese Well, Tailem Bend, Murray paddle steamer, a tree where a family of 4 used to live and the infamous Whispering wall (something which excited both Naz and G-Dog when we went there for there for the Ashes.
Final stop before we caught up with Carly and Alex was the Big Rocking Horse, which is a 10 out of 10 in Big Things, awesome! According to the stats the Rocking Horse is 18.3m or 60ft for the oldies and was built in 1981 - http://www.thetoyfactory.com.au/
Anyway for those that are still with me on this we climbed up, although Helen did not want to go up to the top and like the romantic man I am I proposed to Helen! After what seemed like an eternity, a few tears (Helen), Helen not believing that I had really bought a ring and thinking I was joking and she finally said yes. So it is official, we are engaged and we are both really chuffed! Thanks to Helen's Dad for helping out and for saying yes when I asked him if I could ask and Macca for all his help in picking up the ring etc.
The rest of the night was taken up with us getting slightly tipsy with Alex & Carly, letting our parents know the news and then waking up with a slightly sore head - oh well it was worth it!
Currently in the Barossa valley, tucking into Australia's best Pizza (it apparently really is and tastes good! - check it out http://www.40scafe.com.au/home/) after a trip in the morning to see the Panda's at the zoo and te Big Miner which was good but a more serious Big Thing!
Off to Kangaroo Island tomorrow - looking forward to it
Steve & Helen
