Vacation Down Unda – DAY ONE: The Great Ocean Road

I arrived to this amazing country Tuesday morning, a little late, and after a WHOLE lot of flying. My third and final flight of the journey out here was SO long I was fed 3 meals. Say whaaat!

But I made it! And so did my bag. After a bit of an adventure trying to sort out how to get the shuttle for the rental car company – Companies, if you have to CALL them, then it’s not self explanatory on the site. End of discussion.

We picked up our little BumbleBee car (SO CUTE) and headed out to start our journey. I had slept on the plane so I was refreshed after a swipe of deodorant and some fresh undies to start are adventures of the day. It took us a little while to make it to our first destination… A little town called Warrnambool. We stopped for gas, groceries, and a loo break for me.

Next we headed down the coast, driving along the Great Ocean Road to see all of the things. We made almost every pitch stop we could find to take a moment to soak in the sun, rain clouds, sea air, and sights. If you’re staying anywhere near Melbourne, for any length of time, this drive is a MUST.

The “Twelve” Apostles is a sight worth seeing while they are still remaining… As you can see from my IG pic there are no longer 12 apostles, but rather 8. The tide is taking away the national landmark slowly.

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The Grotto is this amazing spot to watch the waves come crashing into this pseudo cave like area. It’s just breathtaking…. partially because when the wave ACTUALLY does come in… you’re worried it will crash right into you. Don’t worry. The waves don’t actually make it up that far.

Plus you can get really great instagram photo ops from the Grotto… and well the entire Great Ocean Road really.

Our trip along the GOR was sped up to accomplish a lot in such a short amount of time. Here’s the spots we stopped, and the sights we saw….

Australia Day ONE: Great Ocean Road

Melbourne to Warrambol. The pick up the Great Ocean Road to start your journey back tracking… Believe me. It’s worth it to avoid the tour buses that started at the other end. There are loads of lookouts, vista points, and remarkable sights. . .

The former location of the London Bridge… The bridge formation has since collapsed… and looked nothing like the London Bridge but none the less it’s a stopping point along the road.

The ARCH. Another beautiful formation of Mother Nature that stands to this day.

The Gorge. Similar to the Grand Canyon in America… well. Not really. But this is Australia’s version.

The Twelve Apostles. While they are not all present for today’s travelers. The formations are still a sight worth seeing. It teaches us that nothing lasts forever… So we might as well travel around the world to see the wonders Mother Nature and Mankind have left behind for us to enjoy while they are still standing.

These steps (Gibson’s Steps) were brutal after a long flight and lots of walking prior to this point of the drive. But these steps take you all the way down to the beach. . . And then back up to your car. Please don’t count the steps…. you’ll only regret knowing the number.

This is the view from the top. But the view from the bottom, and your ability to put your feet in the waves cannot be experienced from the carpark. So get your bum to the bottom and back.

The most important thing to remember about the GOR… is have fun, and take a friend along for the journey. It’s so amazing to share with others.

Oh… and take a risk. Climb the rocks, brave the waves. You only live once. 😉