Mountains, Mechanics and Mammals

After spending two months exploring two states we left Sydney to hit our third - Victoria. Although we have travelled extensively in Eric, we have tended to stick to coastal roads, so we decided to head inland for a change and enjoy a different kind of scenery. We ended up doing a three day drive that took us through the snowy mountains of New South Wales and into the Alps of Victoria. It's definitely been one of the most enjoyable times of our trip - driving for around six hours a day, winding round mountains with amazing vistas and through national parks under a rainforest canopy.

Finally our journey ended in a town called Sale, this unassuming place was to be the setting for Eric's biggest challenge to date, it was time to take him for his Roadworthy Certificate (RWC). This RWC is needed by law in order to sell Eric, it proves to buyers that he is in good mechanical order. When we bought him we didn't get an RWC for reasons that would take too long to explain and also make us sound a bit stoopid. So we were very worried that he wouldn't pass as Victoria is one of the toughest states for testing cars and Eric has a tendency to squeak a lot. It could end up costing us a small fortune to get him in a fit state to pass. So like two big gay dads that take their adopted Chinese child to their first school sports day, we dropped Eric off at the mechanics. We were both a bag of nerves and there was only one thing we could do to take our minds off the situation - play Bingo!

After 30 games, I kid you not, it had done little to ease the tension, even when the bingo caller accidentally burped down the microphone, it brought us little light relief. Finally the phone rang, Ed took the call, a little smile came to his face, our Eric had passed with flying colours. We were so proud.

So with a roadworthy van we travelled South to Wilson's Promontory - Victoria's favourite national park and the Southern most tip of mainland Australia. We spent two days at the Prom and it was absolutely spectacular. I know we keep writing about these amazing places but this one was very special. Due to the campsite being the only inhabited area within a 40 mile radius, the sky at night was incredible, it was literally alive as stars flashed and shot by. Also, due to it being the most southerly point, we finally saw our first sunset, as we lay on Whisky beach with a plastic beaker of chilled Sauvignon Blanc in hand. Okay, I realise we are making some people sick with these paradise stories, so here comes a bit of negative for you. It turned out that when we got to the Prom it was the schoolies season, when 18 year olds fresh out of there exams escape for the weekend to get absolutely bollocksed. After seeing the amazing sunset we got back to camp and were greeted with the joyous sight of a young lad projectile vomiting all over the showers. These schoolies just have no stamina.

After the prom we decided to continue our nature theme and went to Philip Island. Here lies Victoria's most popular natural tourist attraction - The Penguin Parade. It is the home of the little penguin, the smallest of the penguins which are only found in Southern Australian waters. Once the sun sets, around 500 penguins come out of the water, waddle across the beach and seek out their burrows in the surrounding area. Paying a little bit extra, me and Ed went 'penguin plus' for a ringside seat and it was worth every cent. You could literally reach out and touch them - to make the experience even more magical an electrical storm raged out across the ocean as they passed by. Unfortunately you weren't allowed to take photos as the flash frightens them, so here are some photos from the website.

Okay so penguins were ticked off the list, what could we possibly do next? No not more bingo, we decided to swim with dolphins and seals instead. Driving round the coast to a town called Sorrento, we set off at 8:30am with our guide Judy, a fabulous woman in her 60's and a tireless dolphin campaigner. It was a great day. Seals swam around us as Judy put us at our ease with comments like "Look at the teeth on that Bull seal, and people think it's safe to get in the water with them!" Then at the end of the day we finally found the dolphins. Into the water we rushed as Judy explained that singing through our snorkels would attract them. So me and Ed did our best version of 'Video Killed the Radio Star' as they approached us, then swam under us and then fooked off. Okay they didn't play with us but they thought our karaoke was shit and that really made us chuckle.

So on we go now to the Great Ocean Road and the Grampians before we make our way to Melbourne.

Before I end this post though, me and Ed have received some amazing news recently. Finally, after 9 months of waiting, Ed's cousin Kerry has given birth to a beautiful baby boy called Harry and I've become an uncle to Madison, my sisters first child. Congratulations, we're over the moon for both of you and can't wait to meet them! Here's some photos so we can show them off.