Sneha, myself, our year old toddler and my in laws decided to visit Australia. It was a welcome break from the humid weather and monotonous life in Singapore. I was in USA thirty hours before we took the flight to Australia. The two weeks in USA at Las Vegas and SFO were filled with long nights and busy mornings.
The flight to Melbourne went from bad to worse as the kid went crazy. Angry birds toy, given by Singapore Airlines, went from one seat to another just the way it happens in the game. The color pencils were without the nibs in minutes. The nibs were everywhere. Even my in laws were unable to control the little fellow. After a nightmarish nine hours we reached Melbourne. The polite immigration officer tried his best to speed up the immigration process. I guess he saw our worn out faces and took pity on us. Immigration was followed by a baggage scan. This was not an ordinary scan. The scanner was actually a dog which luckily did not find anything suspicious in our baggage. I have been scanned by metal detectors, special scanning cages, some weird instruments that look like mosquito repelling bats and men who are eager to touch private parts and now even by a dog. I wonder what is next ! At the Hertz car rental office we were lucky to hire a Nissan X-Trail despite my ancient paper license which ideally should be kept in a museum as a relic. I got used to the car and the road after a few wrong turns and a couple of angry drivers honking at me. My jet lag and tiredness vanished as we hit the highway. We were on our way to Warburton.
We crossed the city limits, entered typical modern highways and then finally entered towns with old brick houses. The towns became smaller as we drove further away from Melbourne. Everyone in the car fell asleep including the GPS. The first thing I noticed was the amount of space and time available in Australia. I know the latter seems weird but it is true. There were houses with large lawns and backyards. The pace seemed slow. No one seemed to be in a hurry. Vehicles moved at a comfortable speed and the weekday madness was missing.
The road after Montrose was beautiful.There were houses on hillocks surrounded by green pastures. At the edge of these pastures were trees resplendent in fall colors. Farm animals were enjoying the bright sunshine on a cold morning. There were vineyards and strawberry farms along the way. An odd stream added more beauty to the scenery. I saw some small vineyards advertising their drinks and food menu on the highway. Some farms were selling fresh fruits and juices.
We reached Anne's Escape at Warburton. It was a small house with all the basic facilities for a family. It had enough space for our kid to run around. We could hear birds chirping and the river flowing from the kitchen. It was a nice getaway.
It was afternoon and we were in no mood to cook so we went to explore the town for a restaurant. There were small bistros and restaurants with weird themes. A restaurant was selling old books written by authors who probably never wrote more than a single book in their career. There was a tea shop that had a sale. They were selling bad imitations of some famous paintings, dusty Taj Mahal replicas, etc. Who will ever buy that dusty Taj Mahal replica in Australia ? We settled at a nice homely place called Wild Thyme Cafe. The cafe seemed like an old house converted into a restaurant. There were books, some trinkets and paintings in the lounge area. We however preferred sitting in the dinning area because we just wanted to stuff ourselves and go back to the house. The friendly owners served nice although bland food and even prepared a meal for our toddler. We did little that evening except cooking our own food after purchasing provisions from a local store.
The next morning we headed out towards Dandenong ranges. We stopped at Hahndorf's Fine Chocolate Store and spent almost an hour drinking hot chocolate while Sneha got busy with her camera. I enjoyed the drive through the Kalorama park. At one of the view point stops, we walked on the grassy slopes and could see the lush green valley and the Silvan reservoir. The slopes reminded me of Bollywood films where oranges would be rolled down the slope on the heroine dressed in a gaudy attire. We drove further without worrying about the destination.
There were Maple trees with bright red leaves, Kangaroos running across the road, farmlands on the hills surrounded by forested area and the fog cover made the place look even better. Although, I must say the Yarra river was not that majestic as it seemed more like a rivulet than a river. There were villages with small schools. But, the schools had huge playgrounds which confirmed the tradition of Australia being an outdoor country. We stopped at a fine dining restaurant for lunch. The restaurant had a beautiful view of the valley and naturally attracted romantics and old retired couples. The old steam locomotive Puffing Billy that chugged close to the garden made the place seem like a fantasy. But the fantasy was turned into a nightmare for us and other diners as our starved and tired kid brought the roof down. Luckily, this was the last time he behaved badly and it seems like he vented all his frustrations out. After that we had no complaints from the toddler for the entire trip.
The next day we headed towards the Mornington. We stopped for lunch at Train Trak Vineyard . Personally, this was the place where I had the best food in the trip and the service at the restaurant was excellent despite their frantic preparations for a wedding the same evening. The vineyard is a must visit place according to me. Situated between the hills, the rust colored grape plants were surrounded by lush green grass. We relaxed at the vineyard for a couple of hours before hitting the road.
We hit the road but Sneha and I hit the wrong cord. Arguments, heated exchanges and finger pointing was the norm for the next couple of days. She drove after consuming wine with a toddler not sitting on the car seat. She drove on the wrong lane, misjudged a turn and had a small problem.... She did not have a license. She found faults with my driving, personality and continued driving till she was caught by a cop one day. Noticing the cop she panicked and tried to switch lanes which made the cop furious. Luckily, he did not notice any of the rules that she broke and let her pass by after a simple alcohol test. Being a tourist saved her and us. I am sure she has her version of this story.
We drove to Philip Island the next morning. The terrain and weather changed considerably. The road was wider and there was marshy area alongside the road. There was lesser vegetation and the towns and villages during the drive reminded me of typical beach destinations. Philip Island has a lot of activities to do but only after the town wakes up from slumber. The restaurants were closed and opened only for dinner. The roads were empty and there was nothing much to do apart from relaxing in the beach. I was a bit disappointed with the lack of buzz. Beach towns are genearlly buzzing throughout the day. Maybe we visited the place during the wrong season. But, sleeping on the lawns next to the beach was fun too. Sneha was playing with the kid while the rest of us took a nap on the lawns.
In the evening, we went to see the penguin parade. Every evening, these endanged little penguins waddle up the beach to the safety of their burrows in the sand dunes. We had to wait in the cold for about half an hour before the penguins made their appearance. The rangers requested repeatedly not to click pictures but the touristy crowd didn't give a hoot. The clicks and flashes marred the experience a little. But, the sight of penguins swimming towards the shore in large groups and climbing up the hill was worth the wait. I hope their habitat is not destroyed.
The next morning we headed towards the Great Ocean Road. We were on the road for more than seven hours that day and had underestimated the distances. The GPS cable had a problem and I needed a navigator to hold the GPS charging cable. The roads in Australia are so well laid that drivnig on it is a pleasure despite the rainy weather. We drove to Sorrento, a town full of mansions sitting atop cliffs, beautiful limestone buildings and churches. We took the ferry to Queenscliff. The fact that even vehicles are mounted onto the ferry fascianted my inlaws. The ferry ride would have been memorable had the weather improved. Good weather was to greet us only after we crossed over to Queenscliff.
The drive on the great ocean road was truly great. The setting sun created a pinkish tinge in the sky. The lights flickering from the houses on the hills seemed like glow worms. The blue ocean with thundering white waves looked beautiful and scary at the same time. There was a light house at a distance which resembled an old warrior standing and admiring the view.
Driving was hard as my heart wanted me to stop over at every possible junction and admire the view. We did stop at an unnamed beach where some surfers entertained us with their skills. Sneha and the kiddo enjoyed playing in the sand while I took a deserving break from driving. There was more driving, followed by some more driving, followed by lot more driving. We stopped at Apollo Bay for dinner at an Australian food court. This was the last place where we could grab a bite before heading out again. The moon light reflected off the ocean and made me feel a bit secure but soon we entered the woods and we were the only car on the road. I never like to be the last car on the road. It is risky. The others did not understand my paranoia. I drove for almost two hours at speeds close to a hundred kilometers an hour. I was in a driving trance which I get into when I am in unison with the machine. It is a great feeling. Finally, after hours on the road we reached the Secret Spot.
The Secret Spot BnB was so inviting that we almost thought of canceling our stay in Melbourne. It is located in the middle of nowhere. It is in the middle of wilderness. The night sky was shining with stars and the air was so clean and cold.
Robyn, the owner, was a friendly lady who not only had a great place but a great attitude towards life. She chatted with us, prepared delicious scrambled eggs and toast, guided us regarding places to visit, and accommodated even a late payment. She was self sufficient with her own poultry and a tiny farm. We wished someday we could retire and own a place like that.
The weather forecast for the next morning was excellent and that meant we could witness the spectacle from the sky and the ground. The spectacle was 12 Apostles. The limestone structures in the southern ocean have eroded over the years but the light coffee colored stone structures in different sizes and shapes all along the coastline look beautiful. There is not a single person on the coast, the area is protected, so it gives the stone structures a pristine look.
We took the helicopter ride from a place called Prince town instead of the crowded 12 Apostles tourist center. A single person was responsible for everything. He was the pilot, the tour guide, the cashier, the receptionist. The first few minutes of the fifteen minute ride in a wobbly chopper was disconcerting. It felt as if a scooter has been attached with a rotor blade. But, once we went a bit higher it was comfortable. The breathtaking sights from the sky was worth the time and effort that we put in to get there. The 12 Apostles and other stone structures have a white froth at their base due to the constant crashing of waves. Some of them also have a greenish grass cover. In a weird way they do resemble humans. The irregular and broken coast line which is at a short distance from these stone structures looks like a jigsaw puzzle that needs to be completed. Who knows maybe the souls of the Apostles do rest there. Later in the evening Sneha captured some pictures during twilight. We were once again the last car on the road till we got close to Melbourne. As we drove along we spent time reminiscing about the trip. My mother in law always wanted to visit Australia. This trip was planned for her. She was turning sixty in a few months and we felt going for a holiday would be the best gift we could give her. also, visiting Australia with her favorite person in the world - her grandson was super special. I will never forget the conversation she had with Robyn. Two ladies from different parts of the world had so much in common. The same fears, the simple desires and selfless affection for their kids.
We reached Melbourne at night. As we approached the city the driving standards dropped all around. Drivers repeatedly drove beyond speed limits and shifted lanes to overtake without indicating. The city skyline was visible from a distance and our holiday was coming to an end. There was one last thing for me to see before it all ended. The Melbourne Cricket Ground - MCG.
Next morning, we woke up and walked from our service apartment to MCG through Queen Victoria gardens. The trams and cars created a complex maze of traffic. The driving rules especially the hook turn rule encourages more pedestrians I suppose. We crossed the Yarra river, walked over to the Rod Laver Arena and reached MCG. Only I decided to take the stadium tour while the rest decided to walk around the river.
The entrance to the ground had a huge poster stating "It is all happening at the ...G". The poster was referring to the great Australian cricketer and commentator Bill Lawry. This place was meant for the cricket nerd. The tour was conducted by a member of the club who had a lot of knowledge about the game. He showed us the member stands, the pavilion, the press rooms, the practice area with speed guns, bowling machines with screens to simulate bowlers in action, gym and other facilities. The were bars and restaurants named after players and cricketing records. There were paintings of cricket matches, autographed bats, photographs and record boards.
We got down to the turf and I got a chance to touch the grass. I had mixed feelings. I was excited to be on a ground I had seen and heard so much about on television. As a child I dreamed of playing for my country in great grounds like the MCG. Obviously, that didn't materialize.
Maybe, in my next life or in a different world I will fulfill my dream. ........The cover drive from my bat crashing to the fence or the ball released from my hand demolishing the stumps while someone says "Its a ripper"......
It was time to fly back to Singapore.
The flight to Melbourne went from bad to worse as the kid went crazy. Angry birds toy, given by Singapore Airlines, went from one seat to another just the way it happens in the game. The color pencils were without the nibs in minutes. The nibs were everywhere. Even my in laws were unable to control the little fellow. After a nightmarish nine hours we reached Melbourne. The polite immigration officer tried his best to speed up the immigration process. I guess he saw our worn out faces and took pity on us. Immigration was followed by a baggage scan. This was not an ordinary scan. The scanner was actually a dog which luckily did not find anything suspicious in our baggage. I have been scanned by metal detectors, special scanning cages, some weird instruments that look like mosquito repelling bats and men who are eager to touch private parts and now even by a dog. I wonder what is next ! At the Hertz car rental office we were lucky to hire a Nissan X-Trail despite my ancient paper license which ideally should be kept in a museum as a relic. I got used to the car and the road after a few wrong turns and a couple of angry drivers honking at me. My jet lag and tiredness vanished as we hit the highway. We were on our way to Warburton.
We crossed the city limits, entered typical modern highways and then finally entered towns with old brick houses. The towns became smaller as we drove further away from Melbourne. Everyone in the car fell asleep including the GPS. The first thing I noticed was the amount of space and time available in Australia. I know the latter seems weird but it is true. There were houses with large lawns and backyards. The pace seemed slow. No one seemed to be in a hurry. Vehicles moved at a comfortable speed and the weekday madness was missing.
The road after Montrose was beautiful.There were houses on hillocks surrounded by green pastures. At the edge of these pastures were trees resplendent in fall colors. Farm animals were enjoying the bright sunshine on a cold morning. There were vineyards and strawberry farms along the way. An odd stream added more beauty to the scenery. I saw some small vineyards advertising their drinks and food menu on the highway. Some farms were selling fresh fruits and juices.
We reached Anne's Escape at Warburton. It was a small house with all the basic facilities for a family. It had enough space for our kid to run around. We could hear birds chirping and the river flowing from the kitchen. It was a nice getaway.
It was afternoon and we were in no mood to cook so we went to explore the town for a restaurant. There were small bistros and restaurants with weird themes. A restaurant was selling old books written by authors who probably never wrote more than a single book in their career. There was a tea shop that had a sale. They were selling bad imitations of some famous paintings, dusty Taj Mahal replicas, etc. Who will ever buy that dusty Taj Mahal replica in Australia ? We settled at a nice homely place called Wild Thyme Cafe. The cafe seemed like an old house converted into a restaurant. There were books, some trinkets and paintings in the lounge area. We however preferred sitting in the dinning area because we just wanted to stuff ourselves and go back to the house. The friendly owners served nice although bland food and even prepared a meal for our toddler. We did little that evening except cooking our own food after purchasing provisions from a local store.
The next morning we headed out towards Dandenong ranges. We stopped at Hahndorf's Fine Chocolate Store and spent almost an hour drinking hot chocolate while Sneha got busy with her camera. I enjoyed the drive through the Kalorama park. At one of the view point stops, we walked on the grassy slopes and could see the lush green valley and the Silvan reservoir. The slopes reminded me of Bollywood films where oranges would be rolled down the slope on the heroine dressed in a gaudy attire. We drove further without worrying about the destination.
There were Maple trees with bright red leaves, Kangaroos running across the road, farmlands on the hills surrounded by forested area and the fog cover made the place look even better. Although, I must say the Yarra river was not that majestic as it seemed more like a rivulet than a river. There were villages with small schools. But, the schools had huge playgrounds which confirmed the tradition of Australia being an outdoor country. We stopped at a fine dining restaurant for lunch. The restaurant had a beautiful view of the valley and naturally attracted romantics and old retired couples. The old steam locomotive Puffing Billy that chugged close to the garden made the place seem like a fantasy. But the fantasy was turned into a nightmare for us and other diners as our starved and tired kid brought the roof down. Luckily, this was the last time he behaved badly and it seems like he vented all his frustrations out. After that we had no complaints from the toddler for the entire trip.
The next day we headed towards the Mornington. We stopped for lunch at Train Trak Vineyard . Personally, this was the place where I had the best food in the trip and the service at the restaurant was excellent despite their frantic preparations for a wedding the same evening. The vineyard is a must visit place according to me. Situated between the hills, the rust colored grape plants were surrounded by lush green grass. We relaxed at the vineyard for a couple of hours before hitting the road.
We hit the road but Sneha and I hit the wrong cord. Arguments, heated exchanges and finger pointing was the norm for the next couple of days. She drove after consuming wine with a toddler not sitting on the car seat. She drove on the wrong lane, misjudged a turn and had a small problem.... She did not have a license. She found faults with my driving, personality and continued driving till she was caught by a cop one day. Noticing the cop she panicked and tried to switch lanes which made the cop furious. Luckily, he did not notice any of the rules that she broke and let her pass by after a simple alcohol test. Being a tourist saved her and us. I am sure she has her version of this story.
We drove to Philip Island the next morning. The terrain and weather changed considerably. The road was wider and there was marshy area alongside the road. There was lesser vegetation and the towns and villages during the drive reminded me of typical beach destinations. Philip Island has a lot of activities to do but only after the town wakes up from slumber. The restaurants were closed and opened only for dinner. The roads were empty and there was nothing much to do apart from relaxing in the beach. I was a bit disappointed with the lack of buzz. Beach towns are genearlly buzzing throughout the day. Maybe we visited the place during the wrong season. But, sleeping on the lawns next to the beach was fun too. Sneha was playing with the kid while the rest of us took a nap on the lawns.
In the evening, we went to see the penguin parade. Every evening, these endanged little penguins waddle up the beach to the safety of their burrows in the sand dunes. We had to wait in the cold for about half an hour before the penguins made their appearance. The rangers requested repeatedly not to click pictures but the touristy crowd didn't give a hoot. The clicks and flashes marred the experience a little. But, the sight of penguins swimming towards the shore in large groups and climbing up the hill was worth the wait. I hope their habitat is not destroyed.
The next morning we headed towards the Great Ocean Road. We were on the road for more than seven hours that day and had underestimated the distances. The GPS cable had a problem and I needed a navigator to hold the GPS charging cable. The roads in Australia are so well laid that drivnig on it is a pleasure despite the rainy weather. We drove to Sorrento, a town full of mansions sitting atop cliffs, beautiful limestone buildings and churches. We took the ferry to Queenscliff. The fact that even vehicles are mounted onto the ferry fascianted my inlaws. The ferry ride would have been memorable had the weather improved. Good weather was to greet us only after we crossed over to Queenscliff.
The drive on the great ocean road was truly great. The setting sun created a pinkish tinge in the sky. The lights flickering from the houses on the hills seemed like glow worms. The blue ocean with thundering white waves looked beautiful and scary at the same time. There was a light house at a distance which resembled an old warrior standing and admiring the view.
The Secret Spot BnB was so inviting that we almost thought of canceling our stay in Melbourne. It is located in the middle of nowhere. It is in the middle of wilderness. The night sky was shining with stars and the air was so clean and cold.
Robyn, the owner, was a friendly lady who not only had a great place but a great attitude towards life. She chatted with us, prepared delicious scrambled eggs and toast, guided us regarding places to visit, and accommodated even a late payment. She was self sufficient with her own poultry and a tiny farm. We wished someday we could retire and own a place like that.
We took the helicopter ride from a place called Prince town instead of the crowded 12 Apostles tourist center. A single person was responsible for everything. He was the pilot, the tour guide, the cashier, the receptionist. The first few minutes of the fifteen minute ride in a wobbly chopper was disconcerting. It felt as if a scooter has been attached with a rotor blade. But, once we went a bit higher it was comfortable. The breathtaking sights from the sky was worth the time and effort that we put in to get there. The 12 Apostles and other stone structures have a white froth at their base due to the constant crashing of waves. Some of them also have a greenish grass cover. In a weird way they do resemble humans. The irregular and broken coast line which is at a short distance from these stone structures looks like a jigsaw puzzle that needs to be completed. Who knows maybe the souls of the Apostles do rest there. Later in the evening Sneha captured some pictures during twilight. We were once again the last car on the road till we got close to Melbourne. As we drove along we spent time reminiscing about the trip. My mother in law always wanted to visit Australia. This trip was planned for her. She was turning sixty in a few months and we felt going for a holiday would be the best gift we could give her. also, visiting Australia with her favorite person in the world - her grandson was super special. I will never forget the conversation she had with Robyn. Two ladies from different parts of the world had so much in common. The same fears, the simple desires and selfless affection for their kids.
Next morning, we woke up and walked from our service apartment to MCG through Queen Victoria gardens. The trams and cars created a complex maze of traffic. The driving rules especially the hook turn rule encourages more pedestrians I suppose. We crossed the Yarra river, walked over to the Rod Laver Arena and reached MCG. Only I decided to take the stadium tour while the rest decided to walk around the river.
The entrance to the ground had a huge poster stating "It is all happening at the ...G". The poster was referring to the great Australian cricketer and commentator Bill Lawry. This place was meant for the cricket nerd. The tour was conducted by a member of the club who had a lot of knowledge about the game. He showed us the member stands, the pavilion, the press rooms, the practice area with speed guns, bowling machines with screens to simulate bowlers in action, gym and other facilities. The were bars and restaurants named after players and cricketing records. There were paintings of cricket matches, autographed bats, photographs and record boards.
We got down to the turf and I got a chance to touch the grass. I had mixed feelings. I was excited to be on a ground I had seen and heard so much about on television. As a child I dreamed of playing for my country in great grounds like the MCG. Obviously, that didn't materialize.
Maybe, in my next life or in a different world I will fulfill my dream. ........The cover drive from my bat crashing to the fence or the ball released from my hand demolishing the stumps while someone says "Its a ripper"......
It was time to fly back to Singapore.
