11-Jan-2005
   

My navigator successfully managed to direct us from Cape Otway to Geelong and then through Melbourne to our campsite about 20kms southeast of the city and avoided going on any of the toll roads in the process. (Perhaps she is nearly ready to get her certificate!).

We spent the weekend with our friends Ron and Jean who looked after us very well and showed us around the Mornington Peninsular. Needles to say, the bad weather we have been having for the last few days have been replaced by hot sunny ones. The peninsular was very busy with queues of traffic going to the beaches. We were turned away from a couple of Parks beaches because there were no more parking spaces left.

This is a view from Arthurs Seat across to Point Napean on the peninsular. (Harold Holt, the Aussy Prime Minister, disappeared while going for a swim here several years ago!)

Point Napean from Arthurs Seat.

The Mornington Penninsular from Arthurs Seat.
Sorrento Back Beach

We had lunch at Sorrento Back Beach. The beach is quite nice with lots of rock pools to swim in and some surf for the budding surfers.

Sorrento Back Beach.

At the southerly point of the peninsular is Cape Schanck with its lighthouse on top of the cliffs.

The lighthouse at Cape Schanck.

Cape Schank Light
Cape Schanck

It was a long walk down to the rocks below so we didn't bother to go! In fact while we were there, a helicopter rescued someone from the rocks below who was overcome with heat exhaustion.

Cape Schanc.

We had to go into the city to change our airline tickets and whilst there, took a ride on the free tram that runs around the city and visited the Immigration Museum which was quite interesting.

The temperature rose into the 30's so it was almost pleasant walking around the air conditioned ladies wear section of the big stores looking for a posh frock for the wedding next month. (The navigator wanted the posh frock, NOT me!!).

Pricilla and the three bears enjoying the view of the City of Melbourne from the Yarra River.

Melbourne
When we got back to the caravan (through the rush hour traffic!), we turned the air conditioning on and didn't turn it off until about nine that night; it was still up around 25deg at 10:30.