By Mike Huber
I will start this story with the disclaimer that my lack of planning and just going with the flow of Australia allowed for this adventure to even happen. I originally thought that I would easily be able to circumcise (I think that’s the right word) the Australian continent in a month. Not a big deal. Yeah, some long days, but doable. Well, if you go back to Part I of this story, you will realize I got hit by a brick daily on that theory. Either way I had a rental car for a month and would see what adventures I could experience using a list two close friends had provided as a high-level blueprint.
After a couple days exploring Sydney, it was time to pick up my rental car, hit the open road, and embrace what would come while in Australia.
One of the first locations where I was able to slow down and take some time to embrace my surroundings was The Great Ocean Road. Having ridden some pretty incredible roads throughout the planet, for me to say much about any road is a rarity. Well, this is one that I was kicking myself for being in a rental car (and not on a motorcycle). I encountered a group of Japanese tourists, and one was a student at Boston University. I was wearing my Boston University shirt, so we posed for a photo.
The Great Ocean Road begins just west of Melbourne and extends to Port Fairy. It is 146 miles long. The road is paradise for anyone who has ever ridden a motorcycle. The entire length skirts the coast of the Southern Ocean from cliffs high above. “Breathtaking” doesn’t begin to touch how this feels, as every corner provides a new panoramic view of rock formations and ocean as bright green as you can imagine.
Occasionally the road cuts inland through thick rain forest. There are plenty of short hikes gushing waterfall views along these parts. If you look closely you will likely find a koala bear lazily eating eucalyptus leaves in a tree high above. Wallabies dance around your car, curiously peering in to see if anything is worth a closer inspection for something to fill their bellies.
Another beautiful feature of this paved paradise is the lack of people along the way. Several campsites I visited had no one in them. I am certain it helped that it was offseason (that and my ability to find off-the-beaten-path locations). It wasn’t odd for me to have miles of beach to myself while enjoying a cold VB Bitter beer. I could stare along the endless coastline while listening to the waves crashing, with my surroundings devoid of any other creature (with the occasional exception of a kangaroo hopping by).
Upon driving along the Great Ocean Road my mind was in the right place. I was filled with peace through the solitude I enjoyed from star-filled nights. I felt as though my mental clarity was honed, and I was prepared for the next part of my journey (that being the vastness of the Outback of Australia). On many levels, this would prove to be more challenging than I had imagined as I continued the long journey to my destination of Uluru, Ayer’s Rock.
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