Sunday, November 12, 2006

Balnarring





Nick and I spent a day at a friend's beach house in Balnarring. It was fun. While the boys played beach cricket I went for a stroll along the waterfront. And then, I saw trhee dolphins swimming close to shore. A small group of people gathered to get a closer look and we all waded our way into the cold(!) water. The dolphins appeared just as curious and swam in concentric circles, getting closer and closer. Finally they were just at arm's length! In all these years in Australia, and all the wild, isolated places I've travelled to, I never thought I'd end up witnessing a close encounter with dolphins right here, on the Mornington Peninsula!

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Sunday, November 05, 2006

Cup Weekend

lookout over Tidal River and Bass Straight, Wilson's Promontory

Picnic Bay, Wilson's Promontory

Over Cup Weekend, Nick and I spent four days in the bush, at Wilson's Promontory National Park. We rented a little country cottage and boy, was that fun! Just getting away from all the traffic and noise oh, what a relief! Yanakie was so isolated that at night the entire country side was pitch-black but for a glowing full moon that made everything look magic.

Our cottage, Yanakie

Nick and the BBQ

One day, mountain boots on, we decided to go on a big walk. So we trekked for 4Hrs, 9Km through brush and rainforests, up and down gulleys, scrambling over and under fallen trees. Finally we made it to a rocky outcrop at the top of Mount Bishop. From there you could look out over Lilly Pilly Gully, to Mt Oberon, Tidal River, Whisky Bay and Picnic Bay. The smooth surface of the sea reflected the shimmering light of the sun and it felt as if the entire Promontory was aglow. I certainly was beyond glowing; sweating like a pig is more like it.

Lookout at the top of Mt Bishop

Mt Bishop with Mt Oberon in background

Another day was spent on 90 Mile Beach, where Nick and I scrambled up the tallest sand dunes and then raced each other to the beach below. It was kind of like skiing without skis.

A surreal find on 90 Mile Beach

We enjoyed Gippsland very much driving through the Strzlecki Ranges, we stopped for lunch at a microbrewery and stocked up on groceries in country stores. We went to the Sunday markets in Foster. And risked losing our way on the lonely, dishevelled dirt road that meanders for 40Km through Tarra Bulga National Park. There we witnesed the most spectacular fern tree forests and many a bush wallaby, looked on in disbelief as we tried to find our way.

Foster street sign

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Saturday, November 04, 2006

Werribee Safari

Cheetah

Cheetah

Hippos

Lions

Giraffes

Rhinos

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