In search of warmth

We've been on the road in Australia now for 14 days and have covered a couple of thousand miles from Melbourne to Byron.

As you will have seen from the pictures we've been busy. We have a van with a bed, a fridge and cooker etc so we've just been parking up at nice places to stay overnight.

The most stunning thing I've seen I think has to be the Victorian coastline from Melbourne towards Adelaide along the Great Ocean Road. Within the 200km or so there is so much to see. It took us days to do this road as there was a lookout with an amazing view round every corner.

After The Great Ocean Road we headed east and drove along the southern coast of Victoria, stopping off at Phillip Island to see koalas and little penguins. We had to be near a pub for the St. Kilda, Geelong Aussie rules game so we stopped off at Venus Bay along the way, watching the game at a tiny pub with the local men at the bar. I had the worst cup of tea I have ever had here. After that we visited Wilson's Prom National Park. Wilson's has some great bush walking and we saw wombats there too, which was very exciting for me as I have a list of wildlife I want to see here which I am crossing off as I go. So far we've seen kangaroos, koalas, wombats, wallabies, a possum, pelicans, parrots, cockatoos and I still have duck-billed platypus to go. Not holding out much hope for that though.

On the the drive up towards sun and warmth we've eaten great oysters, seen some incredible sunrises, visited waterfalls, been up in the clouds in the mountains, found some great beaches. I also visited a place I stayed last time I came which is just like Summer Bay from Home and Away: surf club, diner, caravan park etc.

Last night we stayed in Lennox Head and this morning we've just driven to Byron Bay where the surfing world championships are taking place. It's much warmer up here - impossible to believe that this is the middle of winter!