5th Week on the road 23rd to the 29th of January 2012

23^rd of January 2012 = We spent the day enjoying what has to be one of the best free camps at Johanna beach I have seen.  With 4 drop hole toilets, bore water and 25metres walk to the beach and all for free. We spent the morning swimming in rock pools and the girls made friends with a family from Geelong we had to force the girls back up to the caravan for some lunch and a re-apply of sun tan lotion before heading back down for an afternoon swim we spent the later part playing cricket with the family from Geelong with Jess trying to bowl a ball for the first time. Kate  for some reason was the only person to suffer from march fly bites.

24^th Of January 2012 = Well we had to leave as we hadn’t packed enough food to stay any longer so continued the great ocean road by the time we stopped at the 2^nd attraction the girls already very tired after so much fun the day before had Jessica asking why do we have to stop I can see it from my window lol. We made it to Warrnambool where we spent the afternoon you guessed it back at the beach.

25^th of January 2012 = Spent the day resting as the weather was abit cold to go to the beach. We enjoyed the park and the girls and I went on a boat ride. So far Warrnambool has attracted the most attention to my truck with my wife having to even answer questions about it when I was up at the toilet block.

26^th of January 2012 = Drove to South Australia today marking the first month of our trip over and the entering into a different state. Since we arrived on the nsw/vic boarder on the first day Victoria filled up time more than I expected it could with some nice places and some nice times catching up with family and friends for the first part of our trip.  On the way we stopped and had lunch at Portland where I decided to look in an old car museum run by retired men and We spent the afternoon free camping at pinnacles camp down by the beach but windy weather stopped us from enjoying the beach once again. The pinnacle ponds camp grounds have a fresh water lake which is fed water from the water table. The over flowing water bubbles out of the sand and runs off into the ocean this is all linked to Mt Gambier with its blue lake and underground sink holes and caves making it an interesting place to camp.

27^th of January 2012 = Moved up to Mt Gambier big 4 caravan park (which I can recommend as the best place we have stayed so far as far as parks go) We spent the morning At the Laundromats until I gave the lady 10bucks to pull the clothes out of the drier and fold them for me so we went looking around town and visited the library (which has the best children section + heaps of car, 4x4 and caravan mags for dad) The day was going so well until I had a thong flare out, lucky rivers shop was a limp and a bit of a hop away as I was struggling. Bargain new thongs’ $4.95 clearance sale Dad was good to go again I had to force kate out of the shop. We headed back to the caravan park where the girls made another friend Harper we went down to the pool as it was warm enough and the girls spent the afternoon with their new friend.

28^th of January 2012 = We spent the morning looking around Mt Gambier at the blue lake and sink holes. Being a hot day tourist stuff got in the way of what the girls and I wanted, so back to the pool.

29^th of January 2012 = Today where off up to where ever the road takes us we were keen to get to get to Kingston.s.e where the big Lobster is I called into the tourist info centre where a lady paid to promote her area did a great job we saw the big lobster and decided to camp where the lady told us of a free council camp area where we walked across the road for the girls first attempt at fishing and another swim. South Australia is shaping up to be friendly with the usual hand wave to some caravanners almost being everyone and then the occasional normal road user are also waving.

Cost for 5th week

Fuel = $120.50

Food = $328.50

Camping= $250

Tourist stuff and others = $75.80

     Johanna Beach rock pools and main beach empty

 The Great Ocean Road

 The beach at Warrnambool

 The kids and I at the park

 Megan does love a good swing

 Boat ride

 Crossing the boarder

 Catching up on a mid day nap

 Camped atthe pinnacles ponds

 the beach at pinnacle ponds

 Mt Gambier Library

 The girls got there face painted by Harper's Mum at the caravan Park

 Dad being bounced in the air by Megan

 Mt Gambier Caravan Park

 Blue Lake

 Sink hole

 Big Lobster

 Free camp at Kingston.s.e.

 First fish no luck

4th week on the road 16th of january to 22nd of January

A quiet week spent with Family and checking out the sites of Melbourne

16^th of January = Today was going to be a quiet day at the van for the girls to catch up on some energy so I decided to head out to Geelong to check out the Ford Museum since I am a ford man. Once I returned we got some dinner up the road and had dinner with Kate’s Family.

17^th of January = Went up to the shops so the girls could use some of their Christmas money for some toys and headed into town so Kate could get a check-up at the doctors for her pregnancy. Spent the afternoon picking up Kate’s Cousin after his car broke down.

18^th of January = Today we caught a train and tram into the Melbourne Museum where the girls watched a play about aboriginal Dream time and then spent the day looking at dinosaurs, whales, animals and bugs. The Museum was great with the kids interested in everything including the making and the birth of a baby on a big screen where Jessica and Megan watched a real birth of a baby, resulting in Jessica going yuck I am not watching you mum have your baby. We then proceeded to walk back through town and caught the train home.

19^th of January =Today we packed up our van and moved to Kate’s Auntie and Uncle’s House out at Altona. Kates cousin and I did an oil change on the truck and just relaxed with Kate’s Family with a nice roast dinner.

20^th of January = today was a rest day did some shopping early in the morning. With Kate going with her Auntie and cousin for a manicure and pedicure while Jess, Megan and I watched a movie. For Dinner we all went down and had fish and chips by the water and watched the kite surfers .

21^st of January = Was overcast today so we stayed back one more day so we weren’t doing the great ocean road in poor weather. I was just resting around when Kate’s Uncle returned with a Rs focus (very fast hatchback) of his mates.  We went down the road for a cappuccino and pretending it was ours and I even got a drive very nice indeed, would have been great to do something like the great ocean road but I probably would have lost my license.  We dropped the focus off and picked up the uncle’s pride and joy his eh holden which while a cool street cruiser ain’t no focus to drive lol. After our morning of mucking around we returned to his house with my girls hassling me to take them for a ride on their bikes. Mum was due for a catch up sleep so the girls and I headed up to the nearest park for some bike riding and swing action which then lead to some strawberry milkshakes down by the water to cement in father of the day award. Lol We finished of the day with another great home cooked meal on the back deck and I am now addicted to scrabble on the ipod/iphone and we were playing each other in the lounge room with 4 games running at once.

22^nd of January = Back onto the adventure with a plan to head down the great ocean rd and do some free camping. We drove via bells beach and had a look from the top Kate or I didn’t want to have to carry the girls back up. We called in a Lorne where the only parking spot that didn’t involve driving half a kilometre out of town was one made for a vehicle 7.5metres or longer and it was empty I just fitted in we had some lunch and a swim down at the beach. I had read a magazine only 2 days ago that someone suggested as a great free camp spot as Johanna beach so put it into the gps and headed straight to it. This place is Heaven with a beach and some natural rock pools was going to be great.

Cost for 3rd week

Fuel = $165

Food = $200.20

Camping= $0

Tourist stuff and others = $516.20

 ford Museum

 Melbourne Museum

 Jessica pretending to scare ants

 Megan playing muppets

 Van at Altona

 Kite Surfers at Altona

 bike ride for kids

 Yunmmo

 Eh Holden

 Rs Focus

 Lorne

 Bells Beach

 The big sign

 camp at Johanna Beach

 The view from the top of the hill 2mins from my van

 the other way

3rd week on the road 9th to the 15th of January 2012

9^th of January 2012 = Spent the morning walking up the water way of lakes entrance with Jessica riding her bike nearly a total of 4km. At the halfway  point of our walk we went into the shell museum where the girls enjoyed looking at the shells. We return walked back with lunch at a bakery. My Uncle and Auntie arrived at the caravan park as organized.

10^th of January 2012 = Went for a drive down to a place called Raymond Island. The highlights of Raymond Island is the koalas (found 7 in the wild) and the free ferry crossing over (if you walk on). We had a café Lunch and stopped at Bairnsdale on the way back to lakes entrance to go the biggest slippery dip we have seen in a long time.

11^th of January 2012 =  Another Rainy day in Victoria so went for another drive this time up to Buchan Caves stopping in at an old historic bridge on the way. At the caves we had our packed lunch at the nice campsite provided tables. We then decided to do a cave walk and did what they called a fairy cave. The tour guide caught on that we told the girls there may be some fairies inside so played along with it nicely pointing out the fairy dust on some very sparkly sections. The girls loved it and enjoyed it so much that what to me was just another cave turns out to be the best cave I have enjoyed. Once returning to camp we had a very nice camp dinner with my Uncle and Auntie with Fish and prawns.

12^th of January 2012 = Spent the morning cleaning up the truck and van and also had to get some extra nuts as the nuts holding my exhaust onto the turbo had come loose so required a bit of tight hand work to get them back on. My Uncle and Auntie offered to look after the kids so Kate and I could go out for Dinner which we headed down to a café which was out on the water and had one of the best steaks I have had in a long time. We also stopped and had an 18hole game of putt putt with Kate’s score at 61 and mine at 45.

13^th of January  2012 = Last day at Lakes Entrance we finished packing up said good bye to My Uncle and Auntie and headed west we did plan to go to Wilsons promontory but bad weather kept us heading to Melbourne and setting up our van in Kate’s Auntie’s front yard at Preston.

14^th of January 2012 = Decided to head into town on the train and spent the day looking around and looked at the markets.

15^th of January 2012 = Decided to head over to Altona where Kate has another Auntie and we went down to Williamstown where there was a car show and some markets for the girls. Finishing the day with dinner at there house before heading back to Preston.

Cost for 3rd week

Fuel = $172

Food = $282

Camping= $75

Tourist stuff and others = $324.20

Going for a walk with the family lakes entrance

On the ferry on the way to Raymond Island

Kids playing take a pic on Raymond island

One of the seven koalas we managed to find

Kate and the girls out the front of the shell museum

Bairnsdale big slide

looking back over from raymond island

old bridge we looked at on the way to Buchen Caves

Lunch stop at Buchen Caves

Family pic Uncle and me

Jessica

Girls having dinner with my Auntie and Uncle while we are out for dinner

looking out from where we are having dinner

looking back to where we had dinner

putt putt and my mate

Preston

centre of melbourne