Day 45: Great Ocean Road (Apollo Bay - Torquay) - Melbourne

It was quite cold at night, so we briefly turned on the heater. However, it is already very warm in the morning because it is cloudless and we are parked in a sunny spot with our camper.

We start the day without breakfast because we want to make a food stop along the way. Before we leave, we book a camping site for the first time. We want to go to Wilson Promontory the day after tomorrow. The Tidal River Camp has almost 500 pitches, and we don't think they will all be occupied. However, out of these 500 sites, only 20 have electricity. There is still a powered site available from Thursday to Friday (65 AUD for one night), so we go ahead and book it.

Along the Great Ocean Road from Apollo Bay to Torquay, there are great views of the coast. Unfortunately, we are driving eastward. With left-hand traffic and this curvy road, it's not easy to reach the viewpoints on the other side of the road with the large camper. So, we have limited photo stops.

Near Lorne, we take a break on a lonely section of the beach and cook a hearty scrambled eggs. Then we go to the beach, which we have all to ourselves. We have a lot of fun splashing in the sea. The water is refreshing but not cold.

In the surfer metropolis of Torquay, we make a shopping stop at the surfer shops. Michi was hoping to find some cool t-shirts and shorts. Unfortunately, we don't find anything and the prices are outrageous.

From Torquay, we head straight to Melbourne. The closer we get to the city, the heavier the traffic becomes. There is already a lot going on on the roads here. At 6:30 PM, we check in at the Discovery Park Ashley Garden near the Maui depot. Tomorrow, before going to Wilson Promontory, we will go to the depot to change our tires. We wash our laundry and take a quick dip in the pool. The last 70 kilometers had a significant increase in temperature, and it is now almost 30 degrees. Unfortunately, the pool is not heated, so we don't stay long. Michi explores the playground with the kids, and I cook. The kids can't fall asleep at all, and it's almost 10 PM before they finally sleep. We suspect that the significant temperature change is affecting them.

December 7, 2016

Accommodation: Discovery Park Melbourne Big4 (1 night, 49 AUD, well-maintained facility, rather small pitches on asphalt, pool, playground)

Weather: sunny, Great Ocean Road 22 degrees, Melbourne 29 degrees

204 kilometers for the day, total of 7,549 km