17 Dec 2008, 8am - On route from Grampians to Great Ocean Road

We started on the drive to the Great Ocean Road with some enthusiasm. Surviving Pinnacles should always make one feel relieved, no?

This drive to Apollo Bay on the Great Ocean Road will be the longest drive in our road trip. Approximately a stretch of 400km, we will head towards Dunkeld, then Hamilton before stopping for brunch. Then we will veer off the major highways, heading south towards the coast. If all goes well, we will reach Portland or Port Fairy around 3pm. Following the coast to Apollo Bay, we should reach Apollo Bay by 6pm.

Of course things did not go as planned.

17 Dec 2008, 11am - Hamilton

We stopped for brunch here. After circling the town like a vulture, we descended on, of all things, a Chinese takeaway eatery. We should sample some "Asian" cuisine in a western country, right?

Anyway, judging from their accents, the owners came from China. I had vegetarian noodle soup (it tasted no different!) while EU had vegetarian Char Kuay Tiao. Well, a sweet version of Char Kuay Tiao. EU thinks it is undeliciously meatless. O.o

We also stopped at Hamilton Shopping Centre, supposedly a major highlight. A quick roam around later, we decided to get....

... 5 litres of water.

We are thirsty, okay? And the big, sturdy bottle can definitely withstand my clumsiness. Besides, we are in a desert!

17 Dec 2008, 5pm - Great Ocean Road

After driving for ages, and countless disagreements over whether to trust the GPS or me (me, OF COURSE!), we finally saw a big blue expense of water. Yeah!!!!

The Great Ocean Road is really nice. The ocean is really blue, and the waves are at least half a metre high. Big waves....

Strangely though, the vegetation along the coast is not doing well. Most are brown, half-dead, and wind-swept. Maybe the limestone formation they are growing on does not retain much water.

Wonder which will be the killing blow: the stoning from falling rocks, the impaling from rocks, the impact from the fall, or drowning?

The broken London Bridge. A couple making out got stranded there when it broke! How can they bash through a kilometre of shrubs and still feel like making out?!

The Blowhole (Port Campbell National Park) A howling tunnel, people once found bodies from a shipwreck there

Very long steep walk down to the Twelve Apostles lookout point. This lookout point is much more well-developed than the rest.

Right View of the Twelve Apostles. I only counted 8 though. See, one has fallen.

Left View of the Twelve Apostles. Look at the BIG waves!