Not quite four seasons in one day

Apollo Bay to Melbourne

We awoke to a little sunshine, although a cool and breezy day. We went to Mariner’s Lookout with a view over Apollo Bay. The boys thought it fun to race up the hills and fall down in the sheep droppings and slide down the hill.


We decided to backtrack to Cape Otway lighthouse (designates the arbitary boundary between Bass Strait and the Souther Ocean) and then do the Otway Fly, an elevated walk in the rainforest. This meant going back over some of the roads we covered in the dark last night. It was a much more pleasant journey in the daylight, with the road surrounded by rainforest.

We were welcomed to Cape Otway with rain and gale force winds. It gave us an idea of what it would be like in a storm, although the guide told us that storms are usually double the strength of the current gale. It was a real battle to stay on our feet on the outside of the lighthouse. Goodness knows how the video footage will turn like. We enjoyed a warming coffee before making our way back to the car.



The Otway Fly is situated in the rainforest, with the 600+ metre long elevated walk (after you walk down through the rainforest to start it) being around 25-27 metres above the ground, with the option of climbing a tower taking you up to 45 metres above the ground. Of course J was again “caught short” so had to relieve himself while on the walkway (he’d gone before we’d left the entrance, must have been the cold wet weather, or the swaying walkways).



The wintry weather certainly provided atmosphere, with wind moving the walkways and tower around, and rain and cloud passing through the trees. Once at the end, the trek back to the gates is along the same path we came down on, and a killer for small children and very unfit adults. Luckily for us, a passenger transporter happened along and we were able to get a ride most of the way back. We decided not to eat at the café as they were charging A$5 for a pie or pasty! Daylight robbery, although they do have rather a captive market.

We headed back down towards the coast along winding roads. H promptly felt sick and we only just stopped the car in time. After a change of jeans and shoes, and washing the car door mechanism down, we continued on our way.

We hugged the coast for the next 100km or so. The sea was still a bit like a washing machine with plenty of big waves, white water and spray. There were several spots along the way where surfers were out in the water – I can never fathom why anyone would be out in that churning, freezing water.


It was virtually dark by the time we hit Geelong. Finding the freeway from Geelong to Melbourne was a great relief. We waited too long to get off the freeway and ended up on the City Link toll way which travels under the city and has no toll booths, it’s all electronic – oops! We ended up kilometres out of our way, by which time James’ bladder was bursting again – we were saved by the garden outside of an office building.

We arrived at the reception desk to pick up our apartment keys at around 7.30pm. The company has apartments all over Melbourne. With keys and parking garage remote in hand, we set off to find our home for the next 3 nights. When we got there, the remote would not work. There was much to-ing and fro-ing on the phone, and eventually they decided to give us another apartment, so we went back and picked up the keys and a parking swipe card.

New home, take 2! The maintenance man followed us to the new address. Our swipe card would not work! In the end, the maintenance man gave us his and we moved ourselves in. It turned out they had given us an upgrade – 3bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, spa bath, cable tv, full laundry, full kitchen with dishwasher, 2 balconies, and in a more upmarket area closer to shops and transport. After the boys were in bed, I set off to find a supermarket to buy supplies for our stay. I decided it was time to give the takeaways a break and crack out the saucepans. I then got stuck into the washing.