Schizophrenic Weather

Mt Baw Baw before we arrived (of course)

A large cruise ship in the harbour, plenty of buses and taxis on a Saturday, shoulder to shoulder crowds at the markets! The signs all said, extra busy with one-day-only tourists.So why did I decide to take a scenic drive which is difficult on the best of days? Because I didn't read the signs. I just thought that, as it was a lovely clear days, the view from Mt Wellington would be worth the drive. On any other day it would have been a good decision.

The rocks of Mt Wellington invite climbers

Hobart from above

Fascinating rock clusters. I could fill a book

I will be interested to drive up again some time and see what it is like in normal traffic. My little excursion was so hair raising on the way up, that I stayed at the summit much longer than I intended, plucking up courage to drive down again. Buses, mini buses, taxis and the usual motorhomes and campervans snaked up and down the mountain. I gripped the steering wheel, dropped into first and second gear and crawled along, never knowing what might be bearing down on me from the next corner.

All the way uphill, I muttered at oncoming drivers , Move over. Can't you see I have a steep rugged cliff waiting to rip the side out of my car, and you just have guide posts. On the way down, my story changed, Move over. You just have a few rocks to worry about but I have a sheer hundred foot drop. The view was slightly clouded by the time I got to the top but worth the drive. I was interested in the rock formations. The whole area was like a moonscape, strewn with lichen covered boulders. It would be a good setting for an alien-invasion movie, with the winding road an ideal pursuit scene.

When I gaze up at the brooding mountain looming over the city, I can populate the peaks not only with natural features but also with extra-terrestrial beings.A fantastic world made even more so by my imagination!

Horse Riders and Hikers

After a quick trip through Bright and Mt Beauty, I looked for somewhere more interesting to stay. I discovered Longfords West Horse Yards. I've never noticed these horse yards before. They are set up primarily for horse riders during the summer months. There are fenced areas set aside for the horses and fairly level camping grounds with cooking pits, tables and benches, and the usual drop toilet. I had just scooted past when I saw campers up the hill from the road and drove up to see what was there.

What I found was a very warm reception from Ruth and Lisa who were on a riding trip and from David who was hiking. Ruth and Lisa had come from Adelaide with horses and pack horses to ride the Alpine trails. David was from Melbourne and had pitched his tent for a few days hiking. The campfire was alight and very welcoming. The evening was clear and cold.

David, Ruth and Lisa appreciate the fire

Through the trees are two horse floats, my van and David's blue tent

The welcome stayed warm but the weather didn't. The next day was cold and incredibly windy. The van rocked in the wind and I would have been terrified if I had to drive in it. The other two ladies and I declared a doona day - a book, chocolates if available, and a day curled up under the blankets. David walked! Well, there is a story there. He got as far as the first alpine hut, lit a fire and spent the day in comfort.

 Hearing the weather forecast, I was soon in bed. Having slept for about four hours during the day, I amazed myself by sleeping another 8 hours. I missed the first snow shower next morning but made up for it by slipping on ice on my non-slip step stool. The snow wasn't enough to settle and I was soon on the road. With minus 1 temperatures during the night and 7 forecast for the day, I tried to tell myself that this really was Summer.

I have come a trifle closer to Summer this afternoon. I stopped at Angler's Rest for lunch but it was quite crowded, though very beautiful. I continued to Old Coach Road and am parked near a lovely clear creek, which I am sure would be freezing. The temperature here reached 13 degrees during the day so it looks warmer than it really is. My neighbour Alan spent the day out with his metal detector but I don't think he found any gold although the nearest town Omeo was once the site of several gold mines.

Alpine Highway

As a victim of a badly pruned tree, a branch sticking out into the leafy shrubbery in a parking area, I headed back to Bairnsdale to arrange the replacement of my rear window. A day on the phone and driving around kept me in town so I stayed at a caravan park by the river for two nights (which included a pretty impressive fireworks display from the park next door). My window, of course, is curved glass, tinted, with heating strips and has to be ordered in. The branch had punched a hole in the window and crazed the rest of it. A helpful fellow traveller named Warwick did what plumbers do best, and pulled everything together with duct tape. That should hold it until the new window arrives on Friday or Monday. His wife Linda came with her Dyson and gathered up all the glass that had fallen into the back of the van and onto the bed.

In the meantime, I have decided to drive the Alpine Highway for a few days. As the sun has disappeared again, the coastal strip is not very inviting. I am sitting in the Blue Bee cafe in Bruthen getting my mail done before planning for tonight.Whoever coined the phrase 'as changeable as the weather' must have had Victoria in mind. For such a tiny town, there is a lot of history including the plaque commemorating the first successful parachute jumper. in Australia - beside the nose cone which is all that is left of the plane he jumped from.

I was also intrigued by the sign for the New Cemetery, which contained graves that were nearly 150 years old - and is segregated by race and religion.

I had a very slow trip on the Alpine Highway, partly because it is a steep winding road and partly because I had to stop so often to take photos. It is incredibly beautiful. I spent the night at Mt Kosciusko Lookout, very cloudy at night and a glorious clear morning.

An early start took me to Dinner Plains, the highest village in Australia. I'd never heard of it till a few days ago. It has dozens of Alpine style houses, many of which are vacant in Summer. It is only a few kilometres from Mt Hotham and its huge ski areas. There is still a bit of snow on the mountains and lying in some of the hollows near the road.

Cafe at Dinner Plains

Twisted trees

From Mt Kosciuszko Lookout where I camped overnight.
Mt Kosciuszko is the highest peak in the mountains opposite

It's amazing what determined people can achieve

Two Days of Sunshine

I had a day in Sale. The highlight was a river trip to the Swing Bridge where the entire middle span turns parallel to the bank to allow shipping through. It is one of five in Australia. I had a guided tour to myself but my driver cum tour guide assured me that he does the trip twice a day even if he doesn't have passengers. He pointed out the wildlife on the banks, including several koalas. We were actually in a canal made to link Sale with Lakes Entrance, through three major lakes. The link is not used commercially any longer.

That made my trip to Lakes Entrance more interesting. It also coincided with a couple of fine sunny days with incredible views of the Lakes.

Along the foreshore of the town is a series of timber sculptures honouring military veterans.

Just along from Lakes Entrance, Mollie and I camped at Lake Tyers at the boat ramp. She is an early bird and was gone when I woke next morning - to clanking and clunking. A string of cars, trailers and boats stretched in angled parking on both sides of me, parallel parked in what I had assumed to be free camping. I was dressed and out of there in less than five minutes.

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.

Authenticity

One of the highlights of our trip to Canberra was a visit to the National Portrait Museum. The building is relatively new and has been set out in such a way that you could just visit one gallery. In fact, that is what I would do if I lived there. There is an amazing amount of history just in the small information plaques beside each portrait.A small bite at a time would be easier to digest.

When we were taught history, almost total emphasis was on the men who helped shape our country. Women were seldom portrayed except as 'the wife of...'  This gallery gives much more balance to our past. I couldn't resist capturing a range of female historical figures, which I believe gives some authenticity to the modern and older history of Australia.

Equally authentic for me was the War Memorial monument in Albury. Not only were the defence forces acknowledged  but also peace keepers and the police were commemorated.

Solo Again

For a solo traveller, I have had plenty of company the past few weeks. Hudson and I stayed with friends in Queanbeyan for a week. He revelled in the company and got very friendly with Cecilia who is also eight years old. Although I hadn't seen Michelle for years ( apart from a couple of fleeting visits to Brisbane) and I had never met her husband and most of her kids, I felt very welcome. Michelle and Peter have three adult children still at home and four primary school kids. It took me back years (decades!) to growing up in a big family. I got Michelle and her girls hooked on knitting using a frame - like super-sized French knitting that we did on cotton reels as kids.. She was going great guns on scarves when I left. My specialty is beanies for newborn and premmie babies. PHOTO

Our next major stop was Melbourne where we based ourselves with Suzy and Rowena. Hudson was fascinated with their cats and the fact that they use the humans' toilet and have their own toilet seat which their human slaves put in place for them. They haven't learned to flush, though. (I must admit that I was equally intrigued by the sight of big white fluffy cats perched on the toilet.)

When we went to Phillip Island, I was just expecting to see the Little Penguins at the evening Penguin Parade. About 2500 waddled up the beach the night we were there.   I hadn't realised how much else there was to do. We stayed at a caravan park for three nights. A highlight was a visit to Churchill Island farm which is set up mainly as a tourist attraction. It seems odd to go from a small island to an even smaller island, via a simple bridge. Hudson enjoyed the experience and had the opportunity was attempt to milk a cow and handle a fleece after the sheep shearing demonstration. We roamed around Gippsland for a few days and I will definitely return there very soon. PHOTOS

On Friday night I put Hudson on a plane for home. I returned more boy that I had started out with. I really don't think I over-fed him but he was certainly under- exercised. Apart from the few days he went Pokemon hunting, he really didn't stir himself much. When we went to playgrounds, he was more likely to sit on a swing than climb or run! His blog is now finished (hudss100.blogspot.com) and I will copy it into a hard covered book.