As you can guess I wasn’t best pleased when Phil got stopped and got given a heavy fine for speeding on the freeway just outside Melbourne. I had been nagging him about his speed all the way to Adelaide and back. Phil is impatient and grumpy on the roads back at home and was wondering why the folk in Oz adhere to the speed limit all of the time. Of course, now he knows why! Okay, it wasn’t his entire fault; he was baited on by the young guy doing some kind of road rage thing in the red car, but he shouldn’t have taken the bait and should have stayed back in the left lane. It was a hefty fine but we were lucky to get away with just a fine. Let’s just say, it was a lesson well learnt. 
Unfortunately everything has a consequence and the consequence for me is that we now can’t afford to fly to Sydney. Phil still wants to drive but I can’t take the risk, plus to be honest I don’t want to put the mileage on someone else’s car. I also think the parking in Sydney will be difficult so if we get to Sydney, which I think we must, we probably will take the train. It’s an 11 hour journey and costs around 95 dollars, long way but I don’t think we can travel all the way to Australia without seeing Sydney harbour. Nothing planned or decided as yet. I know I shouldn’t bang on about the weather when it’s so cold back home but it is so cold in Melb and 
we are not equipped. Phil has only a light rain jacket and I have a light weight hoodie which doesn’t give warmth or keep out the rain. On Thursday night, not only did it rain heavily but we had to put on the warm air heating. Yesterday we packed a bag and headed out to the Dandenongs in the mountains. When we got on the road we hadn’t realised that the Dandenongs are only about 20kms from Berwick. The sky was bright but it was really cold and once we navigated, with the help of the sat nav, to the Sherbrook Loop and got out the car, we realised just how cold. I asked Phil if he wanted his jacket but he said no and we started out on the 4.8 loop walks heading towards the Monument Track. It was wet underfoot but what else would you expect in a rain forest?? We got about 2k into the loop walk when Phil started getting stomach cramps and needed the toilet for a number 2 quite urgently. I was more than happy to turn back and we only just made it back to the car and found a toilet in a tourist café just in the nick of time. Say no more.
On the way home we stopped at a nice restaurant for a cold beer (we’d warmed up in the car by this time) but lunch had finished and we were too early for dinner. Bad luck again, the sat nav stopped working and we got horribly lost on the way back to Berwick. So one hour later and much frazzled we finally arrived home. I think we may steer Jane & Ian to the Great Ocean Road and away from Puffing Billy. I think if they really want to see it then we’ll take a early morning drive up the mountain by car, take in a beer or a coffee and forget the train ride altogether. Neither, Phil or I, understand the maps that Arlene and Kerry gave us so we are totally reliant on the sat nav. I have yet to taste any good food in Melbourne. The best 2 meals I’ve had are the basic food that Phil has cooked. I can feel my belly growing (probably the beer) and my cholesterol rising. The fast food industry in Southern Australia must be making a bomb.
we are not equipped. Phil has only a light rain jacket and I have a light weight hoodie which doesn’t give warmth or keep out the rain. On Thursday night, not only did it rain heavily but we had to put on the warm air heating. Yesterday we packed a bag and headed out to the Dandenongs in the mountains. When we got on the road we hadn’t realised that the Dandenongs are only about 20kms from Berwick. The sky was bright but it was really cold and once we navigated, with the help of the sat nav, to the Sherbrook Loop and got out the car, we realised just how cold. I asked Phil if he wanted his jacket but he said no and we started out on the 4.8 loop walks heading towards the Monument Track. It was wet underfoot but what else would you expect in a rain forest?? We got about 2k into the loop walk when Phil started getting stomach cramps and needed the toilet for a number 2 quite urgently. I was more than happy to turn back and we only just made it back to the car and found a toilet in a tourist café just in the nick of time. Say no more.Walk abandoned, we headed to the steam train which takes you right up in the mountains and is called Puffing Billy www.puffingbilly.com.au. Jane 
and Ian who fly out to Melbourne next week have expressed a desire to see the sights of Dandenongs, so being the good hosts we wanted to try it out before they arrive. It wasn’t cheap at 35 dollars per adult and we had to wait around for the 12.30pm train to pull in. We got chatting to a family party from Singapore and took in the scenery on the 1 and a half hour chug journey up the mountain. It was bloody freezing, I had to cling to Phil for extra warmth and he to me. The journey took forever and I was glad to get off. Unfortunately when we got off at Lakeside which was the last stop of the day, what a big disappointment. Forget the weather, I was anticipating a lovely romantic lunch overlooking the lake (which was tiny I might add) with a lovely glass of chilled white from the Yarra Valley. No such luck; the only eatery on the mountain was a café and all they had to offer was a rather inferior soggy micro-waved meat pie. We had a coffee and a hot chocolate to warm up before getting back on Puffing Billy to go back down the mountain nearly as soon as we arrived.
and Ian who fly out to Melbourne next week have expressed a desire to see the sights of Dandenongs, so being the good hosts we wanted to try it out before they arrive. It wasn’t cheap at 35 dollars per adult and we had to wait around for the 12.30pm train to pull in. We got chatting to a family party from Singapore and took in the scenery on the 1 and a half hour chug journey up the mountain. It was bloody freezing, I had to cling to Phil for extra warmth and he to me. The journey took forever and I was glad to get off. Unfortunately when we got off at Lakeside which was the last stop of the day, what a big disappointment. Forget the weather, I was anticipating a lovely romantic lunch overlooking the lake (which was tiny I might add) with a lovely glass of chilled white from the Yarra Valley. No such luck; the only eatery on the mountain was a café and all they had to offer was a rather inferior soggy micro-waved meat pie. We had a coffee and a hot chocolate to warm up before getting back on Puffing Billy to go back down the mountain nearly as soon as we arrived. 
On the way home we stopped at a nice restaurant for a cold beer (we’d warmed up in the car by this time) but lunch had finished and we were too early for dinner. Bad luck again, the sat nav stopped working and we got horribly lost on the way back to Berwick. So one hour later and much frazzled we finally arrived home. I think we may steer Jane & Ian to the Great Ocean Road and away from Puffing Billy. I think if they really want to see it then we’ll take a early morning drive up the mountain by car, take in a beer or a coffee and forget the train ride altogether. Neither, Phil or I, understand the maps that Arlene and Kerry gave us so we are totally reliant on the sat nav. I have yet to taste any good food in Melbourne. The best 2 meals I’ve had are the basic food that Phil has cooked. I can feel my belly growing (probably the beer) and my cholesterol rising. The fast food industry in Southern Australia must be making a bomb.Still on the subject of weather, I found somewhere 
on the internet that the temperature is going from 12 degrees to 34 next Wednesday. How bizarre is that? Of course this makes me happy but all we have to find is a nice beach somewhere not far from Berwick that doesn’t involve driving through the centre of Melbourne. Today we’re going to try and explore the Mornington Peninsular and I would like to try out a wine tasting after reading Geoff’s comment the other day. On Sunday we’re meeting up with Kerry and her parents and she is very kindly taking us to a market and somewhere for lunch. I’m looking forward to this. We have no definite plans for next week. I guess more exploring and much cleaning, cooking & shopping in readiness for Jane & Ian who arrive in Melbourne next Thursday.
on the internet that the temperature is going from 12 degrees to 34 next Wednesday. How bizarre is that? Of course this makes me happy but all we have to find is a nice beach somewhere not far from Berwick that doesn’t involve driving through the centre of Melbourne. Today we’re going to try and explore the Mornington Peninsular and I would like to try out a wine tasting after reading Geoff’s comment the other day. On Sunday we’re meeting up with Kerry and her parents and she is very kindly taking us to a market and somewhere for lunch. I’m looking forward to this. We have no definite plans for next week. I guess more exploring and much cleaning, cooking & shopping in readiness for Jane & Ian who arrive in Melbourne next Thursday.
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