Marvelous!
Trip Start
Feb 11, 2009
1
13
30
Trip End
Ongoing
Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia
Monday, March 16, 2009
I had the most amazing day, and saw some incredible things, and took a huge number of photos and even some very amateur video which I will post when I have a cable for my camera.
Last night I slept in a state forest, and met Jason and his family (wife and 2 young children, 4 and 5 yrs old). They are traveling around Australia for about 9 months... it was supposed to be an 8 week trip, and they just decided to keep going. They were kind enough to share their campfire (because it was COLD!!!) and a beer, and we had a good chat about our relative journeys.
Once I woke up, I left the camp quickly because it was raining (again) and headed for Portland, to see what was worth seeing.
There was an amazing road which winds out west of the town, and the first stop along it was a walk to a seal colony. The signpost said it would be a 2 hr strenuous walk, but undeterred, I set off... and saw some of the most beautiful coastal scenery. Strenuous was the right word for it - I trudged up hill and down dale, got blown by wind and rain, and heated by brief bursts of sun, then went up hill and down dale again... and then reached a sign which read 'Half way to seal colony. Well done.'
Anyway, finally got to the seal colony and sat on a windy cold cliff top watching the seals bark at each other and play in the ocean 50 metres below. Marvelous!
Then walked back, and continued on to the petrified forest and blow hole. The waves on this particular day were so high that the blowhole seemed to be covered entirely by waves... but the petrified forest was very cool. It is where pools of water form in sandstone and eat away a tube, leaving the outer rim, so it ends up looking like a lot of trees made of stone. Picture to follow.
Then continued on to the limestone caves and lakes. The lakes were pretty but unremarkable, but the caves were very cool. They were fairly shallow, so you can just go walk around in them, but the rock formations in them were spectacular. Pictures also to follow.
Finally, I had gotten quite sick of the rain, and decided to head off to my next overnight stop, which was at Killarney Beach. A very nice, quiet little camp spot just over the sand dunes to the beach, which meant I was lulled to sleep by the constant distant roar of the ocean.
And they had hot showers!!!
