Spring Holidays Photos - Great Ocean Road to Kangaroo Island

The home of Rip Curl - Torquay, Victoria

Mom and Dad at Bell's Beach - home of the Australia Pro Surf Competition

The Memorial Arch

Echidna Crossing!!  One of my favorite Aussie animals!

At the Twelve Apostles

The Twelve Apostles (actually there's not even 12) at sunset

The view from our cabin at Port Campbell

The Twelve Apostles at sunrise

SHEEP!!

Loch Ard Gorge

Selfie at London Bridge

Looking back over Victor Harbor on a sunny day, after much wind and rain.

Dad spotted this fox.

Lots and lots of SHEEP!

I had to back the car onto the ferry, get out and get out of the way, while the other cars manouevered their way in and the ferry guys got as close as possible.

Windmill!  I've become obsessed with them and I think we stopped for almost every single one.

The beach that was a short walk from our cabin on Kangaroo Island.

Mom and Dad at Seal Bay

Sea Lions

Penguin Crossing

Spring Holidays Photos - Dubbo to Melbourne

Mom and Dad at the National Museum in Canberra
 

Phar Lap's Heart - one of the popular exhibits at the National Museum.
Phar Lap was one of the greatest racing horses of all time and Aussies love their horse racing!

At the War Memorial in Canberra

Simpson's Donkey - he and his donkey are a story of heroic measures, taking wounded soldiers to safety in the war.

Mom and Dad in front of the War Memorial, looking down the boulevard to the Parliament Buildings.

The drive from Canberra to Merimbula reminded me of home.

Merimbula Beach

Our Whale Watching tour

Dad on the lookout for birds and sea life.

Dolphins

Humpback Whale

Mom and Dad at the Koala Conservation Centre

Dad and I were fascinated with the trees shedding their bark.

I love the Aussie signs that give instructions as to how you should behave.

We were freezing! At the Nobbies, at the far end of Phillip Island... felt like we were in the Arctic.

Again with the Aussie signs - rug up, it's cold out!

Can you see the joey in the mommy's pouch? So cute!

Cape Baron Geese

The Penguin Parade Amphitheatre

Penguin Burrows

Don't forget to check for the Little Penguins.

In front of Luna Park, St. Kilda, Melbourne

Enjoying a delicious, cheap lunch at Sushi Monger.  This is a tiny shop in one of the many laneways in Melbourne.  The line up is out the door and down the lane every lunch hour.  So cheap and oishii!!!!

Some of the Street Art in Melbourne.  They don't call it graffitti :)

Grand Final weekend in Melbourne - they are mad about their sport!

More Street Art

Spring Holidays Week 1

Well, the first week of holidays has passed and as I type this, we are traveling across the Backstairs Passage, crossing from Kangaroo Island back to the mainland of South Australia.  The crossing is much easier today as the water is very calm compared to a few days ago... My head and stomach are grateful, very grateful.

It's been a whirlwind! We've been in New South Wales, Australia Capital Territory, Victoria, and South Australia.  We've travelled through countrysides, rolling hills and along coastlines, visited 2 islands and travelled by car, boat, ferry, tram, and bus. 

We toured some of the incredible sites in Canberra, to learn about Australia's history.  Been on a whale watching boat on the Southeast coast of Australia to witness the migration of the Humpback Whales. Felt the buzzing energy in the Melbourne CBD as the city wound up for Grand Final Weekend (like the Stanley Cup finals but for Rugby League and Aussie Rules Footy).  Took part in the nightly penguin parade as hundreds of penguins made their way to their burrows after feeding in the ocean, swimming, waddling, falling because of very full bellies, hopping across the rocks and settling on the front porch of their burrows to recover from a massive trip. Stood 2 feet away from koalas and wallabies in a Conservation Centre. Witnessed the awe inspiring sunrise and sunset beauty of the Great Ocean Road.  Enjoyed some down time and sea lion watching on Kangaroo Island (ironically the only kangaroos we saw were not alive).

Now comes Adelaide and the wine regions of South Australia and the outback of Broken Hill and Lake Eyre. It will be a very full few days, just as the past week has been, but there's just so much to see in this amazing country that you have to make the holidays count.

It's hard to believe a week of holidays has already passed and that it's almost been a month since Mom and Dad arrived in Australia. I'm so incredibly blessed to be able to share this with them!  There's been a lot of laughing, some squawking (that only happens when I get anxious driving in the cities and it's usually directed at Tony the Tom Tom GPS) constant exploring and discovering and amazing experiences each and every day.  I am truly content and so grateful :)

Well, the ferry is getting closer to the mainland and we have to finish our meat pie.... Thanks to Bob Hennig for his recommendation of this. He said it was the best pies he had while they visited Australia and we would have to agree that it's pretty yummy.

Signing off from the Sealion 2000 ferry...