![\"\"](\"https:\/\/photos.smugmug.com\/Travel\/Australia\/i-KmtgnHX\/0\/3df1a1da\/M\/P1040205-M.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nMonday, March 19<\/u><\/h3>\n
Today was filled with many short stops.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Our next stop was the Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery (GORCI).\u00a0 It\u2019s huge!\u00a0 The place had a massive parking lot, mostly empty as it was just past 9am.\u00a0 There was a tour bus parked close to the entrance of the building.\u00a0 Fred was trying to connect his phone to the car\u2019s audio system and another tour bus pulled up!\u00a0 Yeesh!\u00a0When walking in, it’s a bit like walking into a large department store, where you become overwhelmed and wonder should you head right or left or indulge in the tasting trays right in front. We were like deer in the headlights.\u00a0 We somehow composed ourselves and found where the truffles were and purchased a dozen.\u00a0 :p<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Our next waterfall, Sheoak, didn\u2019t have any water.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n On TripAdvisor, there was a waterfall loop suggested if you stay two nights in the area.\u00a0 So that was on tap for today.<\/p>\n We then drove to Beauchamp Falls.\u00a0 The road that traversed from Stevenson to Beauchamp was a very narrow unpaved road.\u00a0 I was amused at the signage that advised it was unsuitable for coaches and caravans, yet halfway through we were advised we would be sharing the road with logging trucks! Somehow, we survived.\u00a0 Once at the parking area for the falls, it started raining and we waited it out by having lunch.\u00a0 As the rain was clearing, we saw the same couple crossing the area to the trailhead.\u00a0They headed back shortly and told us they had changed their minds.\u00a0 It was an hour return walk, but of the three falls we saw that day, I thought this one the best.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We stopped to pick up groceries at the little market in Apollo Bay and as we were heading to the checkout, the same couple passes us in the store!\u00a0 By then we decided to introduce ourselves and we all had a good laugh.<\/p>\n On our way back to Bed on Beattie, we decided to drive up a knoll outside of Apollo Bay to Marriner\u2019s Lookout.\u00a0 It was a 5-10 minute walk to the lookout point but so worth it.\u00a0 The lookouts the day before all were at sea level, all stunning, but all blended together. This was a standout because it is elevated; you have\u00a0Apollo Bay\u00a0in front of you, as well as both coasts on either side.\u00a0 You get a panoramic view.<\/p>\n Sunday, March 18 A storm front moved in during the night.\u00a0 Neither Fred nor I got much sleep.\u00a0 It was really windy and things were…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1112","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-2018-australia"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/photos.smugmug.com\/Travel\/Australia\/i-cdhsKtj\/0\/0da262fd\/S\/P1040167-S.jpg\")
<\/a>We started with Bell\u2019s Beach in Torquay.\u00a0 I had considered skipping this but am really glad we didn\u2019t.\u00a0 It\u2019s a famous surfing area.\u00a0 There were many platforms from which to set up to take pictures and Fred and I snapped away, watching surfers catch waves or wipe out.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/photos.smugmug.com\/Travel\/Australia\/i-fscvr9B\/0\/bb59a526\/S\/P1040175-S.jpg\")
<\/a>Great Ocean Road is much like Big Sur, the road hugs the coastline and is one lane each way.\u00a0 Then there were several coastal viewpoints we stopped to enjoy.\u00a0 Frankly, they all kind of blend in together.\u00a0 A stop that stood out was Point Roadnight.\u00a0 It had a beach and at the end of the point were some weird rocks we explored.\u00a0 I read it had tidepools, but I don\u2019t think the tide was right when we were there, as I didn\u2019t see any.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/photos.smugmug.com\/Travel\/Australia\/i-vpKz57F\/0\/ea906fe2\/S\/P1040199-S.jpg\")
<\/a>At Lorne, we drove inland a bit, drove through the woods and took a short walk to view Erskine Falls.\u00a0 I think I was more amused and the young lady who was dressed in shorts and a sleeveless top (it was a chilly day and the rest of us were in pants and jackets), posing for her boyfriend to take pictures.\u00a0 Some cultures are very inventive in their poses.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure the pictures turn out cute, but it\u2019s amusing to watch them pose.\u00a0 The waterfall was very pretty as it cascades over some very mossy boulders. Another visitor stated it looks like lace.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/photos.smugmug.com\/Travel\/Australia\/i-fgFBDXb\/0\/8939d15a\/S\/P1040213-S.jpg\")
<\/a>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/photos.smugmug.com\/Travel\/Australia\/i-8BNVzTC\/0\/7dd191c5\/S\/P1040221-S.jpg\")
<\/a>Our last stop for the day was at the Koala Kafe at Kennett River.\u00a0We could see several people on a sideroad looking into the trees.\u00a0 I spotted a parrot in the tree and was taking several pictures when Fred pointed further up and there was a koala!\u00a0 After more looking around, we saw different kinds of parrots, ducks, kookaburras, and we even found some koalas of our own further up the road.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/photos.smugmug.com\/Travel\/Australia\/i-bkJzz6L\/0\/2d0610cf\/S\/P1040241-S.jpg\")
<\/a>We drove up a very narrow road from Wongarra to our accommodation for the next two nights.\u00a0 It was called Bed on Beattie and it was really cute with a nice view.\u00a0 Fred and I were trying to figure out how the cottage was assembled, as it looked like two very different buildings linked together, when the owner came to introduce himself.\u00a0 He explained that the kitchen and lounge was a converted caboose that came with the property when they bought it.\u00a0 Once he said it, the design of the structure made sense.\u00a0 I do wonder how in the world they got the caboose up that tiny road!<\/p>\nTuesday, March 20<\/u><\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/photos.smugmug.com\/Travel\/Australia\/i-dNkZGZT\/0\/597170a5\/S\/P1040253-S.jpg\")
<\/a>The route to Stevenson Falls was 45 minutes and a long climb uphill.\u00a0 Fred said the gas gauge was dropping pretty fast and since there were no service stations for miles and miles, I got a little nervous.\u00a0 The walk to the falls was only a 30-minute return on a level path.\u00a0When we arrived at the falls, a couple was packing up their tripod and leaving.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/photos.smugmug.com\/Travel\/Australia\/i-T2tHLwp\/0\/c4b70734\/S\/P1040258-S.jpg\")
<\/a>It was a short drive to Hopetoun Falls, and a 30-minute return walk to see it.\u00a0 As we arrived, the couple was in their car leaving.\u00a0 The falls were nice, but a few fallen trees were in the plunge pool.\u00a0There were lots of people here, just as at Erskine Falls the day before.\u00a0 At the bottom of the trail, we met a photography class coming down with all their gear.\u00a0 One of the students was very interested in Fred\u2019s camera.\u00a0 It\u2019s not the latest and greatest, but it often attracts attention with photographers.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/photos.smugmug.com\/Travel\/Australia\/i-CGGPBns\/0\/5fd44dec\/S\/P1040265-S.jpg\")
<\/a>We were planning on heading to the coast with no more stops planned, when we saw a parking area that seemed popular.\u00a0 Here again, the same couple was driving off.\u00a0We asked if there were any good photographs to be taken there and they said it was the best spot!\u00a0 Little did we know it was a redwood grove!\u00a0 California redwoods, just like home!<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/photos.smugmug.com\/Travel\/Australia\/i-P53W8rj\/0\/e165810b\/M\/P1040270-M.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nThe Adventure Continues>>><\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"