A creative road trip…
Just before we went into lockdown 4.0, I was able to sneak away for a few days on a road trip along the Great Ocean Road.
I can safely say, it is exactly what my creative mind needed. A hard reset and some time to focus on nothing, and everything, depending on what I was in the mood for.
So, what did I get up to? Well, the trip started with a night in the city before heading off, which happened… slowly. What should have been an hour and a half start toward Torquay, ended up taking me over 3 hours. Yes, you read that right, THREE hours! Melbourne didn’t want to let me go, but eventually, it did. By the time I made it to Lorne, I was tuckered out, so I set up camp. Which consists of a table, a chair, and Theodore, our RAV, which served as my bed, wardrobe, drying room, and anything else I needed. Perhaps one day we will upgrade to a van but for now, she works a treat!
The morning in Lorne started with a slow breakfast and a hike to Kalimna Falls. The weather was absolutely perfect. I enjoyed the walk and then a solid hour of taking pictures. There was the most incredible light as the morning sun made its way through the trees. You can see that in the long exposure below, the white stripes are from the sun, while the dark stripes are caused by the trees blocking out the light. Pure, magic. I knew where I wanted to camp for the night, so slowly started to make my way there, stopped to appreciate another waterfall, and of course, spent time with as many koalas as I could find!
The adventure continued with a cruise down to see the Gibson Steps, the 12 Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, and a turn-around at Port Campbell.
I’ve had the pleasure to take this trip a number of times now, and these spots never cease to amaze me… I’ll admit, made even more enjoyable by the lack of tourists.
My last night was spent at Wye River, what a cool spot. I woke up in the middle of the night and could hear little leaves or berries dropping on the roof of Theodore. There was no wind, so, I braved the cold and poked my head out, right above the car was a koala enjoying a midnight snack. I mean, how is that real life!
The nights were chilly, I was grateful to have a good sleeping bag, and to have also brought a duvet, oh… and packed my hot water bottle. It was all worth it. These spots and all of these incredible animals refilled my creative cup. I came home on the ferry, having taken 800 pictures [oops] and plenty of short videos [so that I can create a fun reel from the trip], and just seem to have found my groove once again. I’m excited to get back out there again, once lockdown has lifted, to enjoy more road trips, to re-visit favourite spots, and to share more of my thoughts on ethical travel and environmental protection with all of you. My mind is ticking and I don’t want to slow it down, at least not for the minute.
Even writing this now, I am thinking of all the little moments in between - watching the cheeky cockatoos terrorise the smaller birds, the ducks showing them who’s boss by chasing them around. Watching kookaburras sweep from tree to tree and laugh at us at sunset. Watching the sunrise over the ocean - reds, oranges, purples, and blues. Enjoying a sandwich while watching the huge waves roll in at Bells Beach. The yellow sun casting shadows over the hills. It’s all so dreamy, we are so lucky to live on this planet.
Honestly, I accomplished so much in those 4 days, and yet it felt like *blink*, home again!
For now, I’ll wait patiently for the next trip, and instead, enjoy the incredible nature close to home.
Hope you’re able to do the same!
