Sydney in 36 hours
Our Sydney trip was cut short when our flight from Christchurch was delayed by 24 hours. We got some sightseeing in Christchurch done and managed to still do a lot in Sydney in less than 2 days.
Great Ocean Road
We set out on a 3 day drive along the Great Ocean Road, starting in Melbourne. Our first day we saw Torquay and Bells Beach where many pro surfing competitions go on, Anglesea Golf Course where kangaroos were basking in the sun and Airley's Inlet where the Split Point lighthouse is located. In Lorne we got fish and chips for lunch, went to the Erskine waterfall- 200+ steps down and back, and stood at Teddy's (not Tommy's as Lindsay called it) Lookout. On our way back to the road, we came across a kangaroo feasting in someone's yard. As we approached our final destination, Apollo Bay, we paused at Kennett River to search for koalas and found two hiding up in the trees.
Day 2 was full of every kind of weather- high winds, snow, rain and hail. Our zip
lining tour in Otway National Park was canceled but we walked through the tree topped rainforest. After driving and climbing up so many mountains during this trip already, I was pretty confident that my fear of heights had significantly subsided- the climb to the top of the tower at Otway reminded me that I really dislike being so high up... Please see the pictures below of me looking *thrilled*. Despite the crazy weather, we were happy to have braved the aggressive winds for the beautiful views of the Twelve Apostles (now only actually eight).
Day 3 we took the inland road back to Melbourne, only stopping for tea on Camperdown.
Day 2 was full of every kind of weather- high winds, snow, rain and hail. Our zip
lining tour in Otway National Park was canceled but we walked through the tree topped rainforest. After driving and climbing up so many mountains during this trip already, I was pretty confident that my fear of heights had significantly subsided- the climb to the top of the tower at Otway reminded me that I really dislike being so high up... Please see the pictures below of me looking *thrilled*. Despite the crazy weather, we were happy to have braved the aggressive winds for the beautiful views of the Twelve Apostles (now only actually eight).
Day 3 we took the inland road back to Melbourne, only stopping for tea on Camperdown.
Melbourne
We were told how wonderful the food and cocktails were in Melbourne, but we didn't believe it until we ate. Absolutely everything we ate and drank was incredible. We ate and drank mostly in Fitzroy but it was well worth the trek. Here are our recommendations:
Eat at-
Smith and Deli: vegan sanwiches! The meatball and Reuben were awesome and I wish I could have tried more!
Ichi Ni Nana: Japanese tapas. These were pricey but we had the best seat in the house- a ski lift!
Drink at-
The Black Pearl: one of the best cocktails in the world... There's really nothing more to say about it.
Rooks Return: Wednesday is live jazz night. Ask for Mel and he will make you one of his two favorite cocktails, or experiment if he's feeling brave. Even the experimental cocktail was amazing.
Naked for Satan: rooftop bar with a great view of Melbourne and fun, house made flavored vodkas.
Eat at-
Smith and Deli: vegan sanwiches! The meatball and Reuben were awesome and I wish I could have tried more!
Ichi Ni Nana: Japanese tapas. These were pricey but we had the best seat in the house- a ski lift!
Drink at-
The Black Pearl: one of the best cocktails in the world... There's really nothing more to say about it.
Rooks Return: Wednesday is live jazz night. Ask for Mel and he will make you one of his two favorite cocktails, or experiment if he's feeling brave. Even the experimental cocktail was amazing.
Naked for Satan: rooftop bar with a great view of Melbourne and fun, house made flavored vodkas.