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Travelling
Australia with Wayne & Pam BENTLEY |
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THE DAILY
JOURNAL Sunday 1st May 2005 to Tuesday 3rd Mayl 2005 |
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We woke this morning to a damp and very cool morning. This was the day cousin Judy was 'Leaving on a Jet Plane' but there were a few things to do before we departed for the airport.
The first task for the morning was undertaken by 'One of Us' as she took the opportunity to strip the bed and wash all the bedclothes whilst the 'Other One' sorted, arranged and renamed the rest of the digital photographs that we had taken since Judy arrived on April 15th. Once sorted, these images were copied to a CD so Judy could take back a few memories from the last two weeks she has had with us.
Lunch was a little somber as it was the last one Judy would be having with us for some time, but it has been a great couple of weeks whilst she has been here,
The route to Tullamarine Airport was new to us but we made inquiries with the caravan park owner and also set the location into Miss Bossy B. (navman). We gave ourselves plenty of time to make it to the airport an hour before Judy's flight that was to depart at 3:10pm and all started out very well and orderly. Then Miss Bossy B decided we should go up a road that had a 'No Through Road' sign on it but we weren't fooled, we took a different route. Then she managed to get us back on track until she decided to take a short cut. This time we followed her directions because we did not know any better. This new direction took us through a narrow road that tuned into a one lane narrow dirt track through the forest and appeared to be leading us into the hillsl where we would be lost forever. After losing some faith in Miss Bossy, she proved she knew where she was taking us and brought us out on a good road again on the way to our destination. We eventually arrived at the Airport at about 1:40pm.
Once in the terminal, the girls made a direct line for the nearest shop for a last minute shopping spree. Judy found some things that were essential to take home and 'One of Us' may have been placated a little as well. With all luggage on board and Judy in her seat, the aircraft sat at the loading bay for almost another 30 minutes before it eventually took to the air.
Our journey home was much less eventful and Miss Bossy behaved herself reasonably well. On reaching Healesville we called in to the Coles Store and purchased some chops and a few other items for dinner. Although it is a Sunday, this Coles Store is open seven days per week from 6am to midnight.
We arrived back at the caravan at about 5:30pm. By this time after we had traveled about 80 kilometres, Judy would have been almost 2,000 kilometres closer to her home.
Can't leave without more shopping
Judy - Leaving on a Jet Plane
When we climbed out of bed this morning the reverse cycle heater was still running flat out and although it was not cold in the caravan, we couldn't say it was too hot either. A look outside at the thermometer at about 8:30am did reveal there was a reason we needed the heater, it was only 2 degrees and that was after the sun was up and the day was warming.
As the sun was shining 'One of Us' decided to do the rest of the washing before we move on to the next caravan park in the morning. This, along with cutting the 'Other One's' hair used up a good part of the morning that we had available.
Today was the day the 'Other One' had a dental appointment in Hawthorn to get the nerve drilled out of a a wayward tooth, however the only problem was we didn't really know where Hawthorn was, other than in Melbourne somewhere. Taking some advice from the caravan park owner had us on the road almost an hour and a half before the midday appointment. On this occasion Miss Bossy B really did behave herself and took us the 66 kilometres to Hawthorn without a hitch. As we don't own a Melbourne Street Directory we certainly would be 'Lost' without her.
When we arrived at the dentists address we found ourselves outside the Hawthorn Football Club, although it looks like club rooms only, not the football ground they would play on. Whilst the 'Other One' lay back in a dentist chair with the drill humming and dentist probing, 'One of Us' had high hopes of sighting a hunky footballer that she could hijack. On his return to the Patrol about an hour or more after his appointment started, the 'Other One' explained how much pain and trauma he had been through but unfortunately 'One of Us' did not believe him at all. (The fact is it didn't hurt at all but it was worth a try....)
After the dental appointment we took a stroll around the streets of Hawthorn and when 'One of Us' caught sight of a variety of sausages in a butcher shop so we had to purchase some of these for our dinner tonight and maybe a few other nights as well.
On our way back to Healesville 'One of Us' sighted some 'Golden Arches' so we called in to the McDonalds Store for lunch, even though it was after 2:30:pm. From there the day was almost over and the rest of the journey home was uneventful other than calling in to a Coles Service Station to fill up the Patrol in readiness for our move tomorrow. Whilst to we have yet to make any firm decision, however it is expected it will be down Phillip Island way somewhere.
Where else should we park other than right
across the road from the Hawthorn Football Club
Hawthorn City Centre
We were 'On The Road Again' by 10:00am this morning but could have been earlier if it hadn't been for the return of the gate key to the office of the caravan park. Whilst 'One of Us' sat comfortably in the Patrol, the 'Other One' took the key to the office to get the $10 refund and in doing so met Kim, the wife and part owner of the park. Kim is a lovely person who enjoys a good talk and it took about 15 to 20 minutes to return that key.
Once under way we relied on Miss Bossy B. (navman) to tell us how to get to Phillip Island, although at first she wanted to take us through the hills after a kilometre or two we won the argument and she accepted that we should go via the main highways. Being a woman, she took us right past the huge (or mega size) Knox Shopping Complex and as much as 'One of Us' may have liked to try out the shops there, the 'Other One' managed to convince them that the Patrol and caravan together would have some trouble finding a parking space in the car park.
From here we found ourselves heading further south until we turned South East onto the Princes Highway, then onto the South Gippsland Highway and ended up on the Bass Highway. This lead us to the town of San Remo where the bridge took us over the short span of water to Phillip Island.
Just over the bridge we turned in to the Phillip Island Big Four Caravan Park and booked in for the next four days. After setting up and having some lunch, 'One of Us' insisted on getting the satellite TV dish set up so she could watch the cooking show 'Fresh' as she had missed the Victorian time slot for this program because we were on the road at the time.
At about 3:pm we took a short drive around the Newhaven town site and back over the bridge to San Remo where we called in to see when the Vietnam Veteran Museum we spotted earlier was open. Although it is moving to the airport, nothing has been moved yet and is still open for the rest of the week, so it will fill in some time for us in the next day or three. We drove around San Remo and took another photograph or two before stopping at the local butcher shop where we bought two beautiful pieces of Scotch Fillet Steak for our dinner tonight. If the 'Other One' is lucky, 'One of Us' may even make a pepper sauce to go with the steak.
We then returned to the caravan park and took a walk down to the beach which is about 50 metres from the caravan before settling in for the evening.
The Phillip Island bridge
A lot of bull
at the San Remo Butcher Shop