Tuesday 28th February We move again, this time to Nelson, Victoria.

Getting the hang of this sleeping on the floor thing, even Lin sleeped well, must be the sea air. So we're up early and packing up, co's we're moving on.  Getting good at this packing up lark and it only takes us about an hour or so. A bit of munch and a shower and we're on the move, this time off to Nelson.

As we drive, the wind starts picking up a bit and the road starts to straighten up, still, not one to miss an opportunity, I open the bike up. Lin puts her arms round me and holds me tight. I'm thinking, aint love grand, turns out she's pooping herself!!!!. We're in logging country and the large lorries are taking timber to the mills and every time one go's by, it sucks us in a bit. Lin's found a way of holding on by her butt cheeks, problem is, I've got to prise her off with a spoon when we stop and Im running out of spoons (lost one or two).  Right, time to stop for water, co's I'm not gonna have Lin getting dehydrated again. Another clump, we're only eight kilometres from Nelson. Oh well, another one of those days.

We find the site, no problem, and have the tent up in no time. We're in National
Trust forest and are surrounded by trees.  Theres so many parrot type things here they look like fruit on the branches, they may look good, but by christ they don't half make a noise, Never mind, Lin still feels at home, (she can sing in the same key).

After we settle in, it's pop into town to get the grub and back again to cook it.  Its only a short run by ozzy terms, 32klm each way, but the runs great. (more butt clenching). After dinner we're back in the tent for a bit of a read, that is till Lin spots an ant. Now it's not an ant like we know it, this f**kers go muscles. The buggers about an inch long and square's up to ya when we try and shoo him out. All I see is Lin's arse as it disappears into the sealed tent. Not a problem, I pick up a shoe and give him a wack. I don't think he liked it' co's the little git had another go at me, whack, whack, whack and I got the bleeder... Ha, aint squaring up now is he? The little git must have called up reinforcements before he got clobbered and now there's another four more,,, sod it, I've had enough and my arse is following Lins. I'll see if they still want a fight in the morning.

OK, lets roll, ''You gotta know when to roll 'em, know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to ........" (don't know the rest, sorry, lol) but John's been singing it for months now.  Packing up is quick and fast now.

Everything out !!!!

Yep, everything out...

WE stop midday way for a water, fag and comfort break. The sky is blue as blue can be. I am feeling much better after my sunstroke episode and John is happy chappy....

The roads here don't seem to change, they are long and usually quite empty, just like this one. This is the Princes Highway that starts where the Great Ocean Road finishes, ( oh YESSSSS, we drove the whole length of the Great Ocean Road, exciting, unforgiving and nail biting, but what an experience).

This is where Victoria almost meets the next state being Southern Australia, its logging country, not that you would guess. They have a real problem with firs here and have conservation teams in to keep the numbers of firs in check. All I can say is christmas trees sure don't go out of stock here!!!!!

There see ???  All set up in our new home on the Kywong Caravan Park,  Nelson, Victoria.  It took about half an hour. WE are definitely getting faster.

Monday 27th February Yambuk, it just gets better...

Not a lot I can say about today, it's just been one of those lazy days, when you just kick off your shoes and do nothing. Had a run into town to get a few supplies, did a bit of fishing, (well fed them anyway) and watched a glorious sunset. Life can be hard sometimes.

Ok, here comes the photo's but thought you might appreciate a quick geography lesson. Australia is divided into 8 states. If you put them on the face of a clock; 3.00 = New South Wales (NSW, This is Sydney and where we started), 5-6.00 = Victoria (VIC,This is the smallest State and where we are now).  7.00 = Southern Australia (SA,We will be there next), 8.00 = Western Australia (WA), 10-11.00 = Northern Territories (NT, thats where Ularoo and Alice Springs are), and then at about 12-1.00 , there is (QLD) Queensland. And then we will be back to where we started in New South Wales.....And just in case you wanted to know the capital of Australia is Canberra (not Sydney).  Plus there is Tasmania (TAS) ( an Island off the bottom of Oz) and Australian Capital Territory (ACT) which is somewhere around the middle right.   There lesson done. Did you enjoy ????

I took this standing at our tent door, is that Sir stood fishing on the platform ??????

Lets have a closer look,

Yep, thats him, he's the only Aussie with a 'JR' Stetson, but it sooooo suits him...

More stetson lol.  He's cool!!!!...

Reel 'em in John xx

Sunday 26th February Another day at Yambuk, settling in now and enjoying..

Bit of an odd night, Lin keeped hearing noise's around the tent and I keeped getting a nudge, "did you hear that ???". Now let me explain, the cricket's round here are about 40mm long and 10mm wide, The little bleeders are everywhere, in the showers, on the paths, in the grass, kitchen. Everywere. We're in a tent, thats sealed in another tent. Yes, I heard it, what do you want me to do?????, its a sodding cricket and if it aint, I really don't want to know. The night went on a bit, I'll say no more.

Its bacon butties for breakfast, showers and a tidy round. Lin aint seen Port Fairy, so it's off into town for a look round. Its a typical ozzy town with one and two story buildings, Quaint shops and as always, the hardwear store. (Bought a bayonnet fitting, gonna make a real light for the tent). Found a nice homemade ice-cream parlour and sat outside with coffee and ice-cream. Postcard bought and posted, we head back to the tent.

You can hear the surf crash against the shore from were we are, so we decide to go and find the beach, turns out, it's only 100yds away, just over a rise. We're the only ones there and have the whole beach, (miles of it ) to ourselves. After walking along it for bout twenty minuets, it dawns on me we haven't been swimming in the sea yet. So off comes me kit, and in I go, (I wouldn't say it was chilly, but I still aint seen me bits yet and that was four hours ago.) No towel, so a naked walk back along the beach to dry off and it's home for tea.

Fed and watered, we sit outside the tent, Lin sewing up the chair, (bits sticking in her bum) and me making me light. We get a txt from Row to say Alffi's craped in her car (not sure it's the cat or someone she met) Honest Row, by the time we get there to clean it up, it will have eaten through the seat and on through the bottom of the car. See, being wonder woman has it's drawbacks, yer just gotta clean up yer own crap. (especially if it aint the cat)..

We can do no more, so we just watch the sun go down until the mossies decide it's lunchtime and we're on the menu and retire into the tent. I try out me newly made light and Im as pleased as punch, when the whole tent lights up. Not for long tho, seems like the crickets also like me new light and start hitting the tent like machine gun fire. Lin's nerve finally breaks and she dives head first into the sleeping tent (the sealed tent inside the main tent) and she aint coming out for anything. Oh well, looks like we could be heading for another one of them nights.....

Coffee, water, relax and chill in Port Fairy (The nearest main town)..... The man himself.

The town is quaint and very 'ozzie'

More of the town..

I post the next post card to Bet, funny shaped post boxes here..what do you think???.I will not repeat how John wanted to describe it!!! but you've proberley guessed anyway. You can take the boy out of the east end , but you can't take the East end out of the boy!!!!!!!!!.

The road leading into the camp.

John has a second childhood moment and finds a slide.. ( and no I did not go on.)..

Yep he walked funny when he got off this one, hey ho....

Me!!!!!! in the sea. Well it as near as I am getting today although the next wave (unexpected of course) did soak me up to my middle, much to Johns enjoyment..

Footprints in the sand, ( I think they were mine actually) and as usual another very busy beach lol.......

John in the 'buff' having a swim, he just can't resist it.!!!

Me off down to the sea.

''I found it !!!!!!" lol

Another lovely sunset, this was taken from the door of our tent. Stunning....

More sunset as new neighbours arrive in their vans opposite...

A man and his blog!!!! lol

Yes John , the new light works well. The flippin crickets really liked it and actually dive bombed the tent for the first half hour, so I jumped head first into the bedroom part of the tent, as its all sealed off and insect free, ( I hope !!!)..... Cuz I kid you not, Oz has got thousands of very large, very noisy and very well fed crickets.. and they keep poppin up all over the place).

Saturday 25th February. WE leave Princetown and we are off To Yambuk, Just outside Port Fairy

Can't understand this place. We froze the night before and cooked last night, bleeding great aint it. Right mop up the sweat and pack all the stuff away, we're off again to see a bit more of this rather big Island. It don't take long and once again we're motoring down the road. After an  hour I pull into a service station for water and petrol, (water for us, petrol for the bike). I get clumped again, should have pulled in sooner. Lins gasping for a drink and all hot and sweaty, me too, but in fairness, I should have stopped sooner, it really is getting rather hot. Bike juiced up and us cooled down, we're off again.

Not far to go to the camp Lin's picked out from the campers bible. Thirty minuets later and we're passing through Port Fairy. (I know, Gays from all over the world are soooo disappointed ). Fifteen minuets later we pass the sign for the campsite.  Lin jumps off while I turn the bike round, When she gets back on, she's not wearing her helmet, odd, but it's ok, we're driving down a side road at 15klm hr. We reach the camp, Lin' off and in to see about booking in.

''We aint staying here, the pitches aint got no shade, I don't feel to good, I think Im gonna be sick''. She go's as red as a beetroot and as wobbly as a jelly. Still insisting we're moving on. No chance!!!!!!!. Into the shade and bottles of water over her head. I book in and into the shower she go's. Loads of cold showers and she's coming round. By the time the tents fixed up, and I've nipped into fairy town for supplies, Lins almost back to her old self. Her favourite fillet steak dinner and she's smiling again and all's right with the world. We chill for the rest of the evening and off for an early night.

First time for a very long time, I have had too much sun and really suffer. Ice and lots of cold, cold showers are the only thing to do. Heres me on 'freeze' ala John's way, lol....... About 4 hours alter I am coming round and felling a tad better ( thank god)

Our first nite here and all is well with the world, as we watch the most amazing sun set from our tent. I took this one with me iPod. The photo does not do the sunset justice, the whole camp just stood and watched and took loads of piccies...

Heres one John took with his camera, as I said, everyone was like snap, snap, snap

Sorry guys only a few piccies today, not up too much, will be back on form tomorrow.

Friday 24th February, Princetown, last night there..

We bloody froze last night. It was the coldest night since we arrived in Oz and its taken us a while to come too.. Bright and sunny it maybe, but Lins back off to bed to get the sleep shes missed out on. While I catch up on the bloggy thing. All sorted, Lin refreshed, it's a quick shower and shave and on into town for a spot of brunch overlooking the bay. Bleeding town might be expensive, but its got some terrific views. That done, we're off back to camp for a lazy afternoon. As we pull onto the camp I notice a platform running through the rushes, so while Lin decided's to chill and have a read, Im off to explore. Turns out it's part of a conservation area and runs right through the wetlands and pauses briefly a a hill. In for a pennie... up I go. At the top is a Cafe, restaurant and a general store with a single petrol pump. (General stores out here sell almost everything, from fishing bait to hair shampoo). With me curiosity sated, I'm missing Lin so back I go, still knee deep in her book, chilling out in the shade. The evenings drawing in, so we have a cold supper of Lins egg rice (how she made it with what we've got, beats me). We spend some time watching the Roo's bounce about in the field behind us till the light starts to go, then watch the stars for a while. There aint words to describe the sky out here and if I try, Im gonna sound all poofy, but they are really something. Thats us for the night, so with spare bedding on standby, it's off to bed.

Yea, still missing everyone, Yea, we still love ya all. (we really, really, do) xxxxx John and Lin

More Roo's in the field by the tent.

The view from inside the tent and yes that is Sir's stetson you can see just hanging above the door, ''wherever I lay my hat !!!!!'' comes to mind..

This is the boardwalk that John took on his walk up into the hills.

If you put this and the above picture side by side, you can get a cross view. Its really pretty and all water, canals and lakes.

and more....

More views....

The bridge ( not too far !!!) that john crossed on his hike. This land is all part of the reserve we stayed on.

Thursday 23rd February, 12 apostles, a Gorge and a Loch

The night was a bit chilly, but hey, ho, that's what they make double sleeping bags for. Bacon sandwiches this morning, nice way to start the day. Tony stops by to let us know he's off, (the old git's 67) and it's not long before, him, his goldwing and magical trailer are disappearing into the distance.

A general tidy up, check the oil and water on the bike, fix the lock on the trailer while Lin does a wash and we're off to check out the local sites. The Twelve Appostles, (big rocks sticking out of the water), only there's just nine now, three fell down. (I swear it wasn't me) Still, I must say, it's quite impressive, then onto  Loch Ard and Gorge, (big crack in the ground, filled with water, (nothing to do with me again). You can't trust the ozzy's with anything, they crack or break it.

By now Lin's tummy's rumbling, so it's back to the camp, Lin polishes off whats left of the chilli and I do an omelet. Time for Lin to have her afternoon nap, so I grab me rod and trot of down to the creek. I give up after an hour and a half, Not even a bite, I'm sure the bloody creek's empty, so back to the tent, just as Lin's making eggy rice. (another feat of engineering ). Grub eaten, dishes done, once again, it's out with the computer and on to the bloggy thing to catch up. Time go' so quick out here

Love to all. John and Lin xxxx

The Gorge and Loch Ard; Totally stunning

And more...

Some of the Apostles, they are all in aline, but you can only see 9 now as the sea has reclaimed some.

This is called the Razor.

More apostles...

The Razor again.

Me, being photographed by him. (Yes, that is an apostle behind me.)

A view across the land.

A good view of the Apostles

and more

One of the look out boardwalks

Loch Ard

More Loch Ard and its stunning yet dangerous beach, you are advised not to swim here.

Two of the apostles....

 And more ....

More Razor

A totally lovely day, with views too die for. I am sure they filmed parts of Star Wars here.