Feb 3, 2013 - Outside Geelong free camp

Today we left Melbourne after having tea with Gordon last night at a really nice restaurant in Heidelberg. So we got moving around 9.30 am and are going to the Werribee Open Plains Zoo. The weather is looking a bit more promising today, even though it is still cool. We spent about 4 hours at the zoo, went on the Safari Train and also saw a bit of a display and explanation about Servile Cats, this was short but very interesting. And aren't they clever. Tonight we are free camping just outside Geelong, as tomorrow we are going to try and get...

Dec 27, 2012 - Geelong

Vandaag is het een rustigere dag. We hebben al bijna 2.000 km in Australia rondgetoerd. We hebben de overzetboot genomen vanuit Sorrento (vele namen uit Europa zie je hier terug) en zitten nu in de havenstand Geelong. Er is een mooie Art Gallery van beeldende kunsten in Australia en we hebben wat rondgelopen in de haven. Aangezien ze de Mount Kosciusco vorige week beklommen hebben, heb ik een heerlijke pannenkoek met deze naam gegeten. Om dit te verteren hebben ze nog het park bezocht waar een 'possum' (soort eekhoorn) lag te slapen in een...

Aug 15, 2012 - Geelong

We didn’t stay long in Geelong, just used it as a base to travel the Great Ocean Road. We decided to leave the caravan at the park in Geelong while we were away. We went as far as Laver’s Hill the first day where we met up with John Maitland. We stayed the night with him while he was caretaking at son Justin’s property. Carole is at their home in NSW having fun with the new grandchild. Next morning we set off to see the 12 Apostles and other places along the way. While we were suitably amazed at the sights, I was not very impressed with the...

Jun 29, 2012 - WA v SA at Geelong

Up @ 8 for breakfast for a buffet in the dining room. Spotting the individually wrapped cheese, we (group effort) thort how nice that would be with crackers & a glass of red when we got into Apollo Bay later that evening! Michele managed to acquire 4 while reaching for the fruit salad, Trish managed 3 while reaching for the yoghurt, the 2 boys managed to acquire a Big Fat NIL. We ended up with 10 on the exit out. Now you'd think after many years and experience with motor vehicles, one would imagine that men are meticulous when exiting from...

May 28, 2012 - Only 9 more sleeps !

Just a quick update to let our family/friends/mates know that we are counting down and there are only 9 more sleeps to go. Everything appears to be on track. Even Mike and Denis have almost thought about what important items will be required. You know, cork screw, $3 bottles of red, slippers, etc. So, friends, try not to be impatient - we'll be on our way soon ..........

May 17, 2012 - Preliminary plans

This is the first entry for our 'Le Trip 2012' and we are now getting to important stage - it's May 17, just 3 weeks from D Day (Departure Date Jun 6). Pre-trip images attached for your interest (or lack of). Travellers (aka 'you-know-what' Nomads) involved in this adventure are Elaine & Michael Sertic, Denis Breuer, and Wojo, our mascot. Our proposed route is Geelong/Port Augusta/Alice Springs/Darwin/Kakadu/Broome/Perth/Albany/Nullabor Links/Adelaide/Geelong. No expectation of duration - we'll just see how we go/survive. Wojo, our Geelong...

Apr 11, 2012 - Geelong & Torquay - Party Time

Hi After a week in Tassie it was a quick hop across Bass Strait to Melbourne and the nearby town of Geelong. The core purpose of this trip was to celebrate the 50th birthday of one of my good New Zealand friends and her family. It turns out that Kaye has a very extended family. She rented a large beach house in the surf town of Torquay (tor-key) and there were many revelers, including the geezer costumed as Asterix. Not my idea, costumes, but it worked. The house was very crowded. I slept in a closet. I was envied. It was great to see the...

Mar 29, 2012 - Days 22 - 23 UPDATE NOTES

Hi All, We left Wilson Promotory and arrived a couple of hours later at Phillip Island. The island is famous for its colony of 60,000 Little Penguins, the holding of a leg of the V8 Supercars and a leg of the International Superbikes GP. Being only just over an hour out of the city it is very popular as a day trip for the Melbournians. We saw the race track and Barry and Lois got to see the penguins coming up the beach at sunset. Again the weather was not on our side with one really wild day and night with rain and wind even small hail and...

Oct 24, 2011 - A friendly little Fokker....

So we've had a fairly leisurely day with one thing and another.   I had intended to buy barry and lee a couple of sets of Venetian glasses that were really beautiful, but the man said it would cost as much to send them as for the glasses themselves... So sorry B&L, no Venetian glass. No masks either. The ones worth buying were too expensive and again the cost to get them home was prohibitive.  I've not really purchased many gifts at all. It hasn't been that kind of holiday. Sorry everyone. It's been a funny holiday, very busy, not much free...

Oct 16, 2011 - The real David

So blaz tells me he left his work phone in the hotel, so clearly he was pickled. Ive asked him if we can help him get it back but given there are such long delays between me sending and receiving texts I don't know if we can help or not but we don't leave Venice till Monday evening local time, so it's possible we can help.  We have tried to find an English paper this am but out of luck. Sounds like many fires, many arrests. You could tell who was out for trouble and who was not yesterday. Some of the people clearly went with an agenda......

Oct 15, 2011 - The lost day in Venice

I spent the day trying to recover. I knew I was going to be sick but just didnt know when. David helped me get my big bag over to the new motel whilst Kevin was getting his money's worth out of his Internet time allotment. So I sat and waited until the boys arrived and I was able to check in straight away. So the boys threw their bags in my room as well. I knew I was going to be sick very soon, and was wishing to heaven that they'd get out and leave me to die. My room is very ornate and there would be plenty of room but it has way too much...

Oct 15, 2011 - Kevin's day in Venice and my night in Venice.

Poor Kevin had a bit of a day today. It started by him being locked in his room and unable to get out. They were weird keys that just kept turning and turning so you never knew if you were turning them the wrong way. It took him ages to get out. So we started out by being guided by a local guide through the Doge's palace, the prisons, where the real bridge of sighs is.... And the cathedral... St marks square. I thought the cathedral was a bit ordinary and we had to go jammed in and shuffle through on the catwalk, erected because it was...