Tim & Denise Tiner Travels: 2017 Australia - Day 5

February 14, 2017

Well, our time in Melbourne has come to an end. It was a great time there. Melbourne is quite a melting pot of people. However, where we were staying, you would think that you were in China or Japan. Lots of oriental folks there working and going to school. As a matter of fact, our final dinner in Melbourne was take out at a small, hole in the wall, Chinese place. We really wanted noodles...and we found them. The locals were lined up there at dinner time which was a signal to us that it must be fairly good. We were not let down. They were great!

As we were concluding our meal, our host walks in with two other friends. Now...you have to know how small this place was. Having 5 people in it was pretty close quarters. So Denise and I retired into our bedroom and closed the sliding door. We watched something on my IPAD and then I could not keep my eyes open. It was pushing 8:30 PM....pretty late you know! :-) Anyway, I fell fast asleep. But Denise said they were up pretty late and did not start their dinner until around 10 PM. No lights out rule at this place. Fortunately, I was out cold so heard little of it. But I did wake up to a nice smell in the place. So whatever they cooked, it smelled pretty good hours later.

At 6 AM, Denise and I started to get ready for the activities of the day...our journey out of Melbourne and up the coast to Sydney. We did not get on the road until around 7:30 AM which was perfect time for rush hour. I'm sure every hour is rush hour though in that town. It took us a good 45 minutes just to get out into the suburbs and on our way on a good freeway headed east. At one point, we needed to get gas (Petro) and use the restrooms. So I pulled off to a gas station \ mini mart. Denise ran off quickly to use the restroom and I tried to figure out the pump. I tried my AMEX card. It said it would not take it. I then tried my VISA...it wanted a PIN...which I tried to get in the states with no luck. So I walked into the mini mart and told the guy I wanted to fill it up. He said...sure. Go back to the pump and start pumping....he said. So I did. I pulled the gas handle up and put it into the car. The machine rolled around like it was ready to pump...but no gas would come out. I tried over and over and over. Finally, I look up and the nice minimart attendant had come out to show me how to pump the gas. Apparently you have to hold the handle a lot longer than I'm used to in order to get the gas flowing. Anyway, I had a wonderful conversation with him while the gas pumped. I told him we had been in Melbourne and the first thing he asked if we had been out to the animal sanctuary. I was amazed he would ask that. I told him we had. Apparently he lives in between there and where he works. But he loves the place and was glad that we took time to visit it. He was so nice! And...my VISA card worked fine inside. They will accept a signature still if needed.

Driving down the road was like driving through Vallejo, California in the summer but not as hilly. Golden hills with green trees all around. It felt like home a bit. Eventually our freeway became a highway with one lane in both directions. You could still go pretty fast on it...100 kilometers per hour. So I went 110. At noon, we stopped in a town named Bairnsdale. We saw a little bakery there and thought we'd go in and see what they had. People can immediately know that we are not from there by looking at us...and then by hearing us of course. They were interested in knowing where we were from and why we would be in their part of their land. It was really fun chatting with the gals across the counter. One young lady asked us where we were headed and where we were going to spend the night. We said in Cabbage Tree Creek. She looked at us weird and said....'Really?'. She said 'if you blink you would miss that place...how did you find a place there?. I said AIRBNB had them listed. She just smiled. Again...so kind these people were to us.

Our first stop was to be in this beautiful village on the sea called Marlo. We got there around 1:30 PM only to not find a town on the sea. It is close to it. But nothing like what we expected. Anyway, we found an inlet and then followed a road that eventually got us to some beaches. So we stopped and ventured out. Finally...we were at the ocean. It is pretty cool here though. And the surf was really rough. We took some pictures and ventured on to find our BNB.

When we arrived into Cabbage Patch Creek...the gal at the bakery was right...blink and you miss it. The scary part was that we lost cell signal out by the sea and we were worried about finding the place. However, when we arrived at the highway, we got reception again and navigated our way to the BNB. I think it, with another house are the only two homes here. There is a third...a General Store. More to come on that.

Once we had cell connection, we noticed that our host was trying to call us. He was wondering when we would be there. But our reception was really bad. So we just pressed on and found the house. As we drove down this very wooded and over grown lane, we arrived at the BNB. But the gate was not open. But looking behind me, we could see an older fellow walking our way. It was David...a neighbor of our host (Kenny)...coming to let us in. He said Kenny was almost here and that he was to let us in. We inquired about two important things food and gas....not the intestinal kind silly...Petro, as they call it here. David said that the General Store has good food to eat there. We asked how long will they be open. He said...'Oh, for awhile. '. They'll close around 4 PM. It was around 3:30 PM. We asked about Petro. He said we could go back to Orbost or forward to Can River. Orbost, a town of 2500 folks, was about 27 kilometers away. Can River a bit more. Which town was bigger I asked...he said...'Oh, Orbost is much bigger than Can River.'. :-) That made us smile.

Anyway, we headed right to the General Store. Again, we were greeted with very friendly folks there. We asked about Petro and they confirmed that Orbost was best. So off we went to Orbost to get Petro and some food. We ended up in a Supermarket there first. We bought a few random things to get us through until tomorrow. We then tried to get gas via a place where no one was there. But once again, my cards would not work. AMEX was not accepted and VISA required a PIN...which I do not have. But a nice bloke wandered over to our car while his was filling up and asked if he could help. He said to go further up the road and there would be a BP gas station. So we did that and then headed back to our BNB. Upon arriving, our host Kenny arrived. What a nice young man he is. He has bent over backwards to be the best host that he can be. I'm guessing he is in his late 20's or early 30's. The BNB is run down a bit from days of past. But it still has an amazing charm to it. We hope to see some kangaroos wander in the backyard. But we shall see.

Just got back from Kangaroo hunting. No luck. We did not see a single Joey! We drove around at dusk. We parked. Nothing. They don't like us. We will see one...WE WILL!

Tomorrow...another day. Wish us luck!

PIctures.....

The scenery as we drive. The golden look of the fields reminds me of California....

Our first bathroom break....love it!

Lunch Time stop....both items were really yummy. Mine was a chicken pastry and Denise's was a quiche like thing with beef and bacon in it.

Dessert after lunch.....what else do you do at a bakery!

See if you can see the Kangaroo out there....I can't!

We actually went Kangaroo hunting at dusk as that is the time they are supposed to come out. I'm still also looking for the one that skil's....like the one on the Kangaroo skiing sign here!