After our quiet day woke up to some high cloud and typed up blog while I remembered what we had been doing. Weather cleared up so we went back to the Yarra valley and one of the small vineyards we had visited where they were doing lunches with a jazz quartet playing on the lawn.
Quite delightful and some local made ravioli and pinot noir later everything was right with the world. Unfortunately the clouds gathered just a bit early at 3pm so we came home through pouring rain, in theory to have a barbecue! However grilled meat later and some more wine and all was well with the world having been joined by Joanne one of Tricia's other daughters.
Fortunately woke up to better day on Monday and ventured back to Melbourne, got off the train at parliament and then walked to the gaol which held Ned Kelly amongst other felons, famous armour on show
so pretty interesting. They also had some details of a lady inmate, I shan't tell you what she was there for!!
To the Greek precinct for lunch (no good looking waiter though) before heading through Treasury gardens where Cook's cottage is situated, brought all the way from Scotland to show where the 'founding father' of Australia lived before his voyage.
There is also a Tudor village presented by Lambeth in thanks for food help after the 2nd World War (a bit plastic but no doubt the thought was there!!).
Then on to the river where, as it was Labour day (bank holiday) fair in full swing with rides to make my stomach curl.
A different take on the city with the sun shining
and had supper on federation Square in an Italian restaurant specialising in skewers of fish and meat which with salad, chips and wine was a great way to end the day.
We began our trip to Phillip Island famous for it's Penguin Beach on Tuesday arriving just before lunch. Has villages called Cowes and Ventnor so very Isle of Wight like! We stopped first at a surfing beach, tested the water, very cold but wet suits obviously helped the surfers.
There are many lovely beaches
and after looking at some we checked into our hotel and changed into warmer gear and set off first for 'the Nobbies' a headland with islands off the south west coast
and saw a wallaby on the way to the penguin coast so have done well with indigenous wildlife!
Unfortunately photographing the penguins is for the professionals but we had great view from sky box as the penguins after a hard day fishing for food struggled with the rip tides on the beach before eventually managing to stand up and make a dash for the relative safety of the scrub at the back where they make their burrows. There are now so many that some have a very lengthy walk up the hill watched by us humans! Final day and after early coffee went down to Pyramid point named for obvious reasons!
Then onto another nature reserve area which includes a heritage farm with a few old breeds of animals and some great views before
arriving in Rhyll for lunch which is a small sailing village
to a restaurant with lovely views too!!!!!!
Great end to our little side trip so back during the afternoon to pack ready for early start home tomorrow, will take a long time as going back to Auckland before heading to UK. It has been a wonderful trip and I could sooo easily just carry on travelling! Hope you have enjoyed all my notes look forward to seeing many of you in the not too distant future, you will be tested, but first I look forward to reading it all myself!
Signing off for the last time (this trip!!!!!!)
Janet
I have to know what the lady inmate was incarcerated for! Particularly since it seems her name was Janet? Rosie
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