The Great Ocean Road

(Backing up a bit...) Our last weekend in Melbourne, Rony drove us down to the Great Ocean Road to Lorne and Wye River.  This is the road that travels West from Melbourne (pronounced "mel-BIN" if I didn't already tell you) along the coast-line.  All along the road are beautiful golden sand beaches with their cold waters full of surfers.  Although our drive began soaked in sunshine, our rain god powers prevailed and sent tumbling dark clouds after us producing cool winds and a slight drizzle on and off all day.

Despite the changing weather pattern, we made it to Lorne, a tiny town full of cafes and boutiques right on the water.  We stopped for a healthy and hearty lunch, walked along the beach against strong winds (the kind that keep you from falling over if you lean into it!), and chilled out on the grass to immerse ourselves in our books and/or take a nap.

A few hours of relaxation, and we were on our way to meet Rony's friend Pip in Wye River, the next town on the coast that consists of a general store/cafe, and a pub.  This endearing town is set on a tiny beach with houses dotting the hill.  One of those houses was where Pip lives.  As the head baker at the new cafe associated with the general store, Pip receives accommodation in a beautiful house overlooking the ocean.  Next to his house there are tall trees that are home to a couple of koalas - one of which we saw the following morning!

Among Pip's many talents, including baking, guitar, painting (I'm sure there are many more), he is learning the piano specifically to play a few songs that he loves, including a Bach piece that I was familiar with.  I got down to playing, and Rony and I spent a good deal of time playing a single piece together (one on the right hand and one on the left - with which we're both slightly lost!) after a satisfying meal at the pub.

The following morning we had a leisurely breakfast decidedly in no hurry to get back to the city.  Although it was a long weekend, we assumed the traffic wouldn't be bad until the evening.  I guess everyone had the same idea as us, leading to four hours of traffic (poor Rony drove through it all!).  Despite the weather, it was lovely to see such a gorgeous area right near the city as well as Rony's "summer home" when she was growing up.

On the way back, we stopped at Bells Beach, renowned for its appearance in the movie "Point Break," with Keaneu Reeves and watched people parasailing over the mountains...not a bad way to spend a weekend!!