Monday 9th October, 2006

This is the view down to the wharf in Portarlington.
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/arlingst.jpg

There is a path running parallel to the beach that goes past the wharf and towards the head of the bay,and that is where I ran this morning.

Portarlington is a sleepy beach town that comes alive for 6 months of the year.It’s nestled on the Belarine Peninsula and when you look across the bay yo can see Melbourne
It came as no surprise to anyone that I managed to get lost on the run back.
I don’t know how I managed to confuse Batman St for ‘jellybelly’ (or something like that) but I did.I think I must have been thinking of the campier, funnier version of Batman.

11.30am
Coffee stop at Barwon Heads!
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/barwon1.jpg



How cold anyone possibly work here and not be completely mesmerised by the view?

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/barwon2.jpg

12.30am

This is what I’ve dreamed of!
Except in those dreams I am in a kombie van and still have sand from Hawaii and Thailand between my toes.

THIS is Bells Beach.
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/bells1.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/bells2.jpg

Sunny Garcia surfed here.
Mark Occalupo surfed here and wondered why people can’t spell his name.
Layne Beachly surfed her and wondered whether she would have been any god at it had her name been Doreen Snotvessel!

And I ,in the blustering wind,cartwheeled there!

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/bellscart.jpg
(gees I miss my tan in a can, and my wardrobe,and my hairdresser and my tub of wax)

2.00pm

After countless oo’s, ah’s and stop! Stop!’s we finally reached the official entry point to the Great Ocean Beach Road!
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/obdentry.jpg


This road was originally built after the first world war. It was a means of providing returned soldiers with employment and it basically turned into a living memorial to their fallen comrades.

It is ,without a doubt the most beautiful scenic drive I have ever been lucky enough to undertake.
One picture perfect beach after another.

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/obd1.jpg
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/obd2.jpg
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/obd3.jpg
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/obd4.jpg

This is the site where the barque W.B Godfrey,which set sail from San Fransisco to Melbourne in the 1800’s sunk.You can see the head of the anchor still embedded in the ocean as the waves pull out.

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/anchor3.jpg
How do you fancy a spare room like this

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/digs.jpg

With a view like this?
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/obd5.jpg

Horrible thought isn’t it? How would they deliver my triple cheese and lard stuffed crust pizza with the extra dripping to my door?

It isn’t all ocean views.In some parts, half a turn of the steering wheel leads you into rain forrest country and suddenly it feels like the ocean is a million miles away

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/trees1.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/trees2.jpg
But it’s never that far from you


"YEAH! AND YER MOTHER WEARS ARMY BOOTS'

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/what.jpg


5.00pm

We have reached the Apostles.

An underpass walkway leads you to the cliff top walk that takes you to one of the most spectacular coastal sights you are ever likely to see.

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/ap3.jpg
I’ve seen Picasso
I’ve seen Renoir
I’ve seen Van Gough

But nothing beats mother nature

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/aphead.jpg

Especially by sunset
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/sunset.jpg
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/ap1.jpg

We took so many pictures of this part of the journey and could have taken so many more to capture it all,but,it would have been futile.To try and capture everything that this road is by a mere photograph would be as impossible as it would be for an artist to paint one picture that encapsulates the ideas and beauty of the works of all the great masters. It simply can’t be done.

What a day!

Next stop: Port Campbell
Song of the day: Message to my girl- Split Enz