Australian Adventures Stories of experiences during my travels in Australia. May 2012- Present.

After a traditional Australian BBQ, the tour bus headed towards the 12 apostles view point. The sun was beginning to dip in the sky, my heart raced at the thought of not being able to see the sun set. My mind went back momentarily to a picture that I had on my wall at home in England. This picture had fuelled my desire to visit Australia and to see it for myself. When half of the sun had been visible above the ocean’s surface it was photographed to the left of the 12 apostles. Or the “Not quite 12 apostles” I preferred to call them. Five of them had now succumbed to the waters of the Southern Ocean that embraces the Great Ocean Road coastline. “Great” it certainly was , with its 243km of winding coastal road, each turn revealing dramatic cliffs, pristine beaches and secluded areas of seemingly untouched natural splendour, each with their own story to tell.
I was heading towards a much anticipated moment in my life where I would be coming face to face with the sight that became my inspiration. The bus came to a standstill and I became aware of the tour guide telling us all to hurry. I was by no means a runner but missing this moment wasn’t an option. My heart raced as I sprinted down the concrete pathway towards the view point. Finally the trees dropped away, revealing my dream. Nothing could prepare me for that moment. One I had been waiting for but never fully believed would come to fruition. Clear blue skies, beginning to be coloured with the pinks of a sunset, the ocean placid beneath it and a gentle breeze playing through the trees nearby. And sure enough, to the right were a few of the apostles that were visible from my location. Instantly seduced by the sight, I forgot I wasn’t alone and became absorbed in the moment. Hundreds of people were filling the board walks below but sat on my vantage point, a wall at the top of a flight of wooden steps. My view was unobstructed and with the wind blowing out to sea the chatter of the crowds was almost indistinguishable. The colours were beginning to change more rapidly as the sun fell lower in the sky. Shades of pink, yellow and orange that silhouetted the apostles, casting shadows in front of them. The moment that I was waiting for came, balancing my camera carefully and pressing the shutter button. There it was in front of me, the sun half displayed above the ocean, not a cloud in the sky and beneath it a tranquil ocean.