Sovereign Hill or Bust!

I hadn't stayed at a Bed & Breakfast before so I didn't know what to expect for the breakfast part...what a wonderful surprise!!  It was one of the best breakfasts I'd had in Australia and as breakfast is a favorite meal that I could have any time of the day I can be a bit particular...it may have only been eggs, bacon, potatoes and toast but it was scrumptious and I was now sold on B & B's...at least Alexandra House!

After breakfast we were off to Sovereign Hill which is an open air museum where you step back into the 1850s as you walk through their doors.  It is also the sight of one of the major gold diggings in Australian history and is linked to the richest alluvial gold rush in the world.

One of the streets at
Sovereign Hill

We wandered up and down the streets and through the 60 or so buildings built to replicate the 1850s with people dressed in period costumes, soldiers and a stage coach gracing the dirt pathways (streets) of Sovereign Hill...along with more than a few screaming grade school aged kids out on day trips.  Somehow I wasn't quite as enthusiastic as they were but I'm sure more than one of them was on a sugar high the excitement of the day found them running here and there and even trying panning for gold to find that next big nugget in the creek that ran through the site...even Natalie gave panning a shot but no such luck.

Despite the crowds of kids I enjoyed walking through the 1850s despite it being a bit warm that day...okay more than a bit warm to me but having come from winter in Minnesota to summer in Australia I seemed to always get a 'sweat on' even if Natalie kept saying it was a cooler than normal summer for them.  Secretly I was glad for it being a cooler summer...I would have melted long before this day.  I was sympathetic for the men walking around in wool uniforms depicting British soldiers and the others in multi layered period costumes for the 1850s.  Those wool uniforms reminded me of my marching band uniform back in the day in high school and it was 100% wool and just horribly itchy when you got hot...a memory that can still make me shudder!!  Anyways...

We walked through most of Sovereign Hill and listened to a talk on what life was like for the miners back in the 1850s and after lunch we headed out and across the parking lot to the Gold Museum where there was a wide array of collections around the theme of gold.  Some of the replica gold nuggets that had been found in mines around Ballarat were simply amazing in their size...one was around 99 ounces which was unbelievable and would be worth a staggering amount in today's market...if only Natalie could have found a fraction of that nugget panning...

There were more sights and sounds for the day after Sovereign Hill and the museum but I will leave that for another day...

Until then...wherever you are have a great day!!

If you would like to see more pictures of Sovereign Hill here is a link to that photo album on Picasa:  Play slideshow

To The Central Highlands We Go

Bench outside of
Alexandra House

With the dawning of another day our stay in Lorne had ended and we were off to the Central Highlands area of Victoria to the town of Ballarat.  It was a pleasant drive from Lorne to Ballarat taking just a little over two hours.  Natalie had found us a darling bed & breakfast to stay at for the next two days but we were a tad early to check in at the Alexandra House so we drove around Ballarat sight seeing.

We found ourselves driving around Lake Wendouree which is a man made lake in the middle of the town.  It was quite interesting to see a backhoe sitting out in the middle and found out later from Gerard and Bev (the owners of Alexandra House) they were dredging out rowing paths in the lake. The lake was refilling after prolonged droughts had caused it to dry up in 2006/07.  Lake Wendouree had never been dry before and actually had been the site for rowing events in the 1956 Olympic Games. 

Ballarat Botanical Gardens

About the first thing I noticed on Lake Wendouree was the black swans.  Natalie, on the other hand, noticed we were going by the Ballarat Botanical Gardens and stopped by one of the entrances for me to go and take flower pictures.  What the....??  That took me off guard cause she liked to give me a hard time about me forever taking pictures of flowers.  First I said no...then realizing that I was giving up a photo op, I headed into gardens.

Natalie eventually joined me walking through the gardens and it was a pleasant time.  Unlike Sydney or Melbourne's gardens there definitely wasn't an overwhelming amount of people there and though we were unable to get into the pavillion as they were setting up for their annual Ballarat Begonia Festival just walking the grounds provided me with photo ops. 

After wandering around the gardens it was time to go check in at Alexandra House.  So...off we headed to find Alexandra House...and of course Natalie's 'builtin GPS' was working and we were soon settled into our two bedroom unit.  I used to think I was good with directions, maps, etc. but I definitely met my match and then some with Natalie.  Sometimes I wondered if she felt like she was 'Driving Ms. Daisy' around?!  Bless her heart!!

Tomorrow we would be stepping back in time to the 1850s and the gold rush era of Victoria at Sovereign Hills.

Until then...wherever you are have a great day!!

If you would like to see more pictures of The Ballarat Botanical Gardens here is a link to that photo album on Picasa:  Play slideshow

3 Clues To Fine Dining?!

After all the driving we had been doing the past two days we gave ourselves a free day to indulge ourselves with whatever we wanted to do.  Well technically with all the driving Natalie had been doing but it is really hard to be a copilot especially when you can't read a map to save your life (at least in Launceston) and the elbow was a tad sore from having to change out the music cd from time to time.  Who would have thought the song 'Jolene' by Dolly Parton would be a staple in Natalie's cd collection?!  But it is indeed and on the way back to Lorne yesterday she provided an amazing array of vocal talent accompanying whatever song was playing at the time!! 

It was a misty and foggy morning and we had received quite a bit of heavy rains overnight so it really was an excellent day to kick back.  Natalie was off to the local spa for a pamper treatment in the early afternoon and I was amusing myself looking in all the shops until the mist decided to back off and I could wander up and down the shore of Loutit Bay indulging myself in some photography...I'm sure that comes as a surprise to everyone doesn't it?! 

Natalie and I met back up for dinner that evening and I actually was quite surprised she did as you could tell she had had a great pampering session and really should have just been in bed.  I was finally going to 'bite the bullet' and try kangaroo.  I had noticed one of the fancier looking restaurants had kangaroo on their menu posted for you to peruse and the place looked a bit upscale and Natalie had been asking when I was going to try some. 

Well I tell you...looks can be deceiving and to say the dinner was a success would be far from the truth.  When the waiter delivered our meals somehow we knew they were ready when we heard this 'yoohooooo' echoing from the kitchen and that definitely wasn't what one would have expected to hear in an 'upscale' restaurant.  That should have been Clue #1. 

I really do say 'upscale' with tongue in cheek...the waiter brought Natalie an entirely different pasta from the menu than what she ordered...Clue #2...and my kangaroo looked like only a portion actually hit the pan and the rest was left dangling off the side of the stove...can you say raw with a hint of warmth only?! ...and there you have Clue #3!!  Despite the unappetizing look of raw kangaroo I did eat some of it and can say I tried it but kangaroo hasn't  'hopped' onto my top 10 list of foods to try in Australia...at least not in Lorne again. 

So...after a disappointing dinner we called it an evening...we were off to Ballarat in the morning...can't believe I actually said 'hop!'  Anyways...

Until next time...wherever you are have a great day!!

If you would like to see more pictures of Day 3 in Lorne here is a link to that photo album on Picasa:  Play slideshow
If you would like to see more pictures of the Cockatoos in Lorne here is a link to that photo album on Picasa:  Play slideshow
If you would like to see more pictures of the Flowers in Lorne here is a link to that photo album on Picasa: Play slideshow

Nothing Short of Amazing...

Waking up on the second day we both found ourselves in need of more sleep.  I was ready to strangle a certain cockatoo that insisted on continuously flying by and screeching at the top of its lungs.  Natalie, on the other hand, was probably ready to strangle me as an open loft apartment type rental did not keep my 'soft' snoring at bay and she didn't get the best of sleep.  Who knew I was going to be the culprit who snored?  And I had tried my very best to dope myself up with allergy meds so that I wouldn't snore...best laid plans... 

I knew that when I was super tired I would snore but no one had really mentioned it before this trip...well...except maybe my niece did mention something to that effect when she 'kicked' herself out of her own bedroom to find a 'quieter' place to sleep in January when I visited.  Despite my weak protests I guess I was busted. Oh well...after finding another room for the following two nights for myself we were once again off on the Great Ocean Road heading to the Twelve Apostles.

Entrance to the Twelve Apostles

So what are the Twelve Apostles?  Well, first off there are now only eight standing but they are a collection of limestone stacks off the shore of Port Campbell National Park that have been formed by erosion from the harsh weather conditions that can be found there on the Southern Ocean.  Originally back in the early 1900s they were called the Sow and Piglets until in 1922 it was named The Apostles and eventually became The Twelve Apostles for tourism purposes. 

The Twelve Apostles

Rounding the corner past the entrance sign I wasn't quite ready for the immense grandeur and beauty of what I saw.  Oh sure...I'd seen pictures of the Twelve Apostles but seeing it in real life was nothing short of amazing.  You just wanted to drink in the beauty of the coastline and I felt a wave of peace come over me as if you were pouring a bucket of warm water over my head.  It was such a special moment as I felt truly at peace with my soul and it was a blessing...pure and simple...an irreplaceable memory for me.

Coastline along the
Twelve Apostles

I could go on and on about that day and even the rains that came in shortly after could not mar the peacefulness I was feeling.  So...I am going to leave it at this for today and let the pictures I took try and speak for me.

Until next time...wherever you are have a great day!!

If you would like to see more pictures of the Twelve Apostles on The Great Ocean Road here is a link to that photo album on
Picasa:  Play slideshow

Driving Down The Great Ocean Road!!

Start of the Great Ocean Road

I have gotta admit I was really, really looking forward to driving down the Great Ocean Road!  Much of the road hugs the coast hugs the coastline which is called 'Shipwreck Coast' and you can see the Bass Strait and the Southern Ocean along it.  The road winds itself through rain forests, coastlines, beaches and cliffs of limestone and sandstone. 

Building of the Great Ocean Road was started in 1919 by approximately 3000 returning World War I servicemen as a war memorial to those who had been killed in the war.  It took until 1932 for the road to be completed and became the world's largest war memorial and in 1962 the Tourist Development Authority to be one of the world's great scenic road and driving along the road they most definitely got it right.

Curvy road!

I was once again happy to let Natalie do all the driving.  The road was filled with curves and turns, even more so than Tassie had been...at least it sure seemed that way to me.  The one thing that seemed to be missing was the winds though I'm pretty sure Natalie would disagree...at least the winds were of a calmer nature than Tassie.

We drove all the way down to Apollo Bay the first day before turning back around and returning to Lorne where we were going to be staying for the next several days.  It was such a lovely day with the sun shining brightly for most of the drive.  The only slight down points were a couple of spots where we drove through smoke from controlled bush fire burns past Lorne but I was glad that they were controlled burns and not wild fires.

Looking towards The Pier on
Loutit Bay in Lorne

After a lovely day driving along the Great Ocean Road we got settled in and Lorne and decided to go to the Lorne Hotel and sit out on the balcony where we a bit of a view of Loutit Bay...not too bad of an ending to a lovely day.

Until next time...wherever you are have a great day!!



If you would like to see more pictures of the first day's drive down The Great Ocean Road here is a link to that photo album on Picasa:  Play slideshow

How Do You Pronounce Gaol??

I knew that the word 'gaol' meant jail but I did not for the life of me know how to pronounce 'gaol' so I finally got around to asking Natalie how to pronounce it.  Can you say 'feeling foolish' when she responded with 'jail?'  Here I had pondered over this far longer than I should have without asking.  Not like I didn't ask questions while I was Down Under...I probably asked too many and this was just one more! 

Richmond Gaol

Anyways...after seeing the bridge and the church we went down to main street Richmond.  Just off the main street there was the oldest intact gaol in Australia built in 1825 for housing for the convicts that were being used in the building frenzy that was happening in the 1820s. Needless to say it had no resemblance to a Hilton and the  conditions sounded horrible at best.  A solitary cell's dimensions were roughly 6 feet by 3 feet (2.13 x 1 metres) and up to 40 men in leg irons were kept in a room the approximate size of 13 x 16 feet (5 x 4 metres).  I don't know how that many could fit in the rooms we found ourselves going through. 

I think I could have spent an entire day wandering around Richmond...there was a ton of pictures I could have taken (as if I wasn't taking a ton on the trip already!) but it was getting time to head back towards Hobart so that's what we did.

As we were going by the turnoff to the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens Natalie asked if I'd like to stop in there as we had a couple of hours to spare before we needed to be at the airport.  I was all for it...I never would turn down a chance to photograph flowers!!  So Natalie turned us around and we headed in to the Gardens. 

Japanese Garden

The Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens are the second oldest gardens in Australia with the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney being the oldest.  The Gardens comprise of 34.6 acres (14 hectares) in size and I really liked the Japanese Garden...so calm and peaceful to walk through there...well it was when this group of preteen school girls left the area. 

I have only a handful of pictures that I will link to below for the Gardens...mainly because I have done a previous blog on Australian flowers and included quite a few pics from here in that album and, as we were now into the beginning weeks of autumn (we'd call it fall) the flowers were starting to show their age.  Even so I took quite a few just in case.

Unbelievably 5 days in Tasmania had seemed to rush by in one big blur and it was time to head to the airport.  We were already familiar with where the car needed to be dropped off at and before we knew it we were all checked in and I was thankful to check my big suitcase as it had 'thrown a wheel' and I gotta tell you it isn't so fun dragging around a three wheeled suitcase though it did add a bit of humor from time to time.  I heard Natalie chuckle once or twice when I'd lose control and the material would scrape against the cement... still have to get that fixed. 

Now it was just a waiting game for the flight to be called and it seemed like no time as one of Natalie's coworkers, Howard, and his wife had also been in Tasmania and were actually flying back to Melbourne on our flight.  It was a delight to meet them and listen to them tell of their 10 day adventure on the western side of Tasmania camping.  The pictures we saw looked amazing in the mountains and added just another place in my mind to try and go to sometime.

What a great time in Tasmania!!  Wonderful food, beautiful scenery and Natalie was sad to leave the winds behind....not!! 

If you would like to see more pictures of Richmond's Gaol here is a link to that photo album on Picasa:  Play slide show

If you would like to see more pictures of Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens here is a link to that photo album on Picasa:  Play slide show

A Special Note here...Happy Birthday Natalie!!  Hope your day is awesome!!