Coastal Tripping

Hudson and I made the most of Melbourne's trams and trains and I think we got a feel for the city. When he left I spent a couple of days on the Mornington Peninsula - trying in vain to find some good weather. I spent a night at Rosebud Caravan Park which was advertised as low-cost - though not what I would describe as low-cost. As all the parks were the same and all run by the Council and there is no free camping allowed on the Peninsula, a day of driving was all I gave myself on the peninsula.

Having had company for so long, I hadn't been to a Toastmasters meeting since I left home and was starting to feel deprived. When looked around I found three clubs meeting that week, all within cooee  of where I was. Monday night found me at Narre Warren club which was, as ever in Toastmasters, very welcoming. The club is very new and attendance was quite low so I was lucky enough to get on the program for a speech, an evaluation and an impromptu topic. The following night I went to Berwick club to a crowded house, which included a couple of members that I had met the previous night. Diana has stayed in touch and has invited me for Christmas. I am not sure what I am doing but I am sure of a welcome there. On Thursday I went to Cranbourne for a meeting which included the AGM and an executive meeting. I was the timekeeper and had the unenviable task of reporting on the meetings that went madly over the time allotted - not that anyone seemed to be worried. It didn't affect the rest of the meeting and the speeches and table topics went ahead as programmed. Once again, I was given an impromptu topic and did an evaluation.

The first two night I stayed in free camping at the Narre Warren sports ground. There was plenty of room, on a paved parking area with three or four other vans on both nights. After the second meeting, I tossed up about going back to the sports ground, about 10km and decided to stay where I was. I was in a suburban street with lots of other vehicles around, so I put up my screens, got into my jamas, and slept soundly. The nice thing about a campervan, as distinct from a caravan, is that it is unobtrusive among other vehicles. In a suburban street, it looks like any other resident. So, it worked well for me once, why not again? The next night I did the same thing - quiet, safe and looking at home in the street.

Time for the real reason for travel! I had been to the Franklin River reserve with Hudson and had promised myself a return trip so that was my next stop. There is 48 hours of free camping, lovely grassy area down by the river. Quite a few travellers were staying for two days and it was quite convivial. We even had live music when a wedding was held above us on the top area of the reserve. I spent time talking to Mollie who had lots of stories to tell about Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID) and her several stints volunteering in developing countries..

As we were both heading for Port Albert, we arranged to meet there the next night. It was just a paved parking area with a 24 hour stay allowed. It was time enough to have a look at the maritime museum which was very well set out and had lots of great information, especially about some of the wrecks along the coast.  There was also a little art gallery run by the artist himself. He seemed happy to tell me the story behind his art work, much of which was part of a historical display which he had mounted recently. Other paintings were of Corfu where he spends six months each year.

I liked the sound of White Woman's Waterhole for the next camp. During the day Mollie and I set of in different directions (she walks in National Parks and other uncivilised places). She ended up at the www but I couldn't find the turnoff and went on to Golden Beach where she joined me the following night. Hot showers! $4 very we'll spent - twice! We separated for a couple of days and then met up at Blue Pools reserve for a couple of days. No showers here, but clear swimming holes frequented by a lot of the local young, and not so young, people.