Wow waking up for early flights is pretty terrible. We were up at 6 for a 7:46 flight, out of the door in 20minutes and on King St. looking for a cab. Finally one came and after a 20 minute ride we were at the airport. We checked in at the kiosk, dropped our bags which were too large to carry on, and went to find some food. Dave had Subway and I had McDonalds hashbrowns and the smallest orange juice that I’ve ever seen. I felt like a giant drinking it. Our flight was a bit delayed so we hung out for a bit, I had a coffee and did some writing. We boarded around 8:15 and I wrote for the whole flight while Dave slept. This airline – Virgin Blue – they may be retarded. Actually maybe it’s just an Australia thing, but something like, Please put away all electronics for landing will elicit the stewardess to stand at the end of my row while I close applications and save word documents just to make sure that everything is on the up and up. I mean, I think I can handle it by myself and you can see that I’m working on closing everything so just move along. The flight was very short and we were in Melbourne in no time with Dave going to get the bags and me heading over to Europcar to pick up our rental. Oy another idiot. She informed me that there would be an age surcharge for me, but not for Dave. I explained that we were indeed the same age, and she kept saying something retarded like ‘You have to be over 25’ to which I could only say ‘I am…my birthday was 2 months ago’. There was much discussion, we would not be paying this fee even though ‘the computer says so’ but she seemed to not quite understand or be able to think outside the box. She could not put what the computer said aside and listen to logic. Finally, another worker was called in and it was discovered that she had put the date in backwards because ‘she’s american, they do it the other way.’ Dur!! Now, I can maybe understand not knowing that but I’m telling this woman that my birthday was 2 months ago and it being april, well, there’s a 2 for February in that date somewhere right? Anyways, we got a white Hyundai Accent (automatic) and Dave was driving first because he was comfortable with driving on the left. Euro-idiot had given us directions so I guided Dave through the city until we got to a main road that headed down the coast. This is when I noticed that our planned route was dotted on the map…heading over some water…and there was a picture of a ferry underneath. Umm…certainly we didn’t need to take this ferry! Turned out she had plotted our route to the wrong part of the Great Ocean Road. Luckily we hadn’t come too far in the wrong direction so I found us a road to the proper side of the harbour and we were off to Geelong. After Geelong we were finally on the Great Ocean Road which didn’t seem to be the most ocean-y right off the bat. We stopped in Anglesea for a quick lunch of chinese food and some snacks at the supermarket (timtams, mint slices, and these amazing salt and pepper crackers..). Now it was my turn to drive!!
It was a bit odd at first driving on the other side and, just like Dave said, I put on the wipers rather than the blinker the first time. It wasn’t too bad though and he taught me some things to help me along and common first mistakes and all. The scenary changed a lot and soon the road was right on the ocean, winding up and down along cliffs. It was truly amazing and we soon stopped at Urquhart Bluff for a first glimpse of the surrounding area and then on to a beach where we took some photos and I got to take off my flip flops and walk in the sand. The ocean was just amazingly blue! I can’t believe I am finally here! Lorne was the next town and there was a small town green with picnic tables just covered in cockatoos – just so so cool that the are so easy to find and are so friendly. We took some pictures and a video and then walked down for a quick look at the ocean before continuing on our drive. At this point I was hoping to see the sunset over the water but time was going to quickly and we still had wild koalas to spot! Otway National Park was supposed to be the place to spot koalas so that, of course, would be where we would be going. It was just past the town of Apollo Bay, after which the landscape turned from beach-y to forest-y. We turned off into the park and there was a sign promising koalas, kangaroos, wombats and echindas. Oh boy! Right off the bat we saw a kangaroo jumping through the forest. We continued along the road but didn’t spot anything else and then came upon a closed lighthouse at the end… I was affraid that we weren’t going to get to see anything but we switched drivers at this point because Dave was getting sleepy (and thus needed to drive) and headed out. This turned out to be an amazing idea. Shortly after turning back Dave spotted a koala way up in a tree. We jumped out of the car and just watched as he clung to a branch and stared at us looking up at him. It was so SO cool. We were there for a while, convinced this could maybe be our only encounter, but we would be wrong. We pulled over to try to approach a kangaroo that I spotted jumping by the road but we ended up losing him but finding even more koalas! One in particular was very interesting because he was actually on the move – an odd thing for an animal that sleeps over 20 hours per day. they are just adorable when they are climbing – using their feet to kind-of ‘walk’ on the tree, and slowly pulling themselves up to the next branch. We took a video. Once we knew how to spot them (they blend in and are higher up than I thought they would be) we saw plenty more and were satisfied with the experience. Onwards to the 12 (ish) Apostles!
The landscape at this point turned into something you would see in Ireland or maybe wine country in California. Dave was speeding along and we were having a great time just talking and commenting on everything. So far the hours in the car have passed so smoothly and I have been having such a great time. It did start to get dark just as we were seeing signs for the 12 apostles so we missed the sunset, which is actually ok because the clouds would have been blocking it anyways. For hours now we have not had cell phone service which makes me nervous for some reason…I think it’s that plus the lack of any type of civilization for miles that really creeps me out. So around 6:30 it was nearly completely dark and we come upon the twelve apostles. We’ll be back tomorrow but we were there now, but why not take a look now? We pull to the car park on the right side of B100; there is a walkway under the road so we can cross to the ocean. Now it is dark and there are maybe 2 cars and their drivers are packing up to leave. This parking lot is nothing but darkness and some lights along the path that maybe illuminate about 1 foot in front of them. I have to use the bathroom which is scary enough as it is so I make Dave wait outside while I am quick like a bunny in and out before a killer can emerge from the stall to do me in. It is REALLY dark and REALLY scary. We walk along the path, under the road, and to the water. The Twelve (well, maybe more like ‘Three’) Apostles are there, just looming. They are completely black and just absolutely giant rocks sticking out of the water. We look for a little bit, agree its a bit creepy but we are glad we stopped at night to see, and then return to the path and to our car. It is so dark out by now that we can’t even find the car easily and those little lights seem to be doing nothing at all. Finally we are close enough to the car to use the buzzer to make the lights blink, and we get in. I check the back seat for criminals who may have broken in to kill us as we drive away. Really, I am that scared. I’m literally shaking until the car gets moving, the headlights are on, and we are moving out of there. Along the exit road, Dave spots a book lying in the road and says ‘Hey! Want to see what that book is?!’ He backs up, I open my door, and the book is still about 3 feet away. He suggests I get out and get it – I say NO WAY. So he backs up a bit, then pulls closer to the book so that all I have to do is lean down and pick it up, which I do. I look for a moment, scan the title, then look at the picture on the cover, and then finally the title: Hannibal. Yes, Hannibal. I screamed. I throw the book down, Dave is kinda laughing at the ridiculous coincidence that is this book, and we speed down the Ocean Road towards Port Campbell. I am hysterical, shaking, crying, constantly turning on the light to check if someone is in the back seat waiting to kill us. I swear the car that is behind us is Anthony Hopkins. We are 10km from civilization with no cell phone service. We are literally speeding down the road now to get absolutely anywhere that isn’t there. Finally, we pull into town and find what we think is the hotel. I’m walking up to the door and the ‘inn keeper’ comes from a walkway next to us. ‘Hello!’ …I scream.
Well, it turned out that was the wrong place. There are 2 Best Westerns, exactly next door from one another. We checked in, got the milk for coffee, and decided to walk into ‘town’ to find some dinner. I was still pretty freaked out but was calming down, We ended up at this bar which actually had a lot of people in it which was comforting. I got thai seafood and dave got chicken with shrimp. The food was actually really good and much needed after snacking on crackers and cookies all day. Back at the motel I attempted to stay awake but that didn’t really work out so well. Goodnight from Port Campbell!
