Great Ocean Road, 12 Apostles, and Loch Ard Gorge

Left the driving, Start on the right (Melbourne) to left 

Three friends and I took four days off to explore the expanse of pavement on the edge of the Southern Ocean. As soon as we landed we would leave town in the morning to go down the Great Ocean Road. One of Australia's top road trips. 

Lets Go To Melbourne

But a night in Melbourne- the greatest city of Australia in my opinion. More worldly than Sydney but less extreme than Perth, it sits on the southern part of the country, across from Tasmania.

We decide to go out and canoodle with new friends at roof top bars. The artistry of the city, from the graffiti on the walls to the dramatic interior design, makes it the San Francisco of Australia- I am told.

We rise early to check out the Queen Victoria Markets. I grab a baby chicken and a David Bowie t-shirt, not really but you could get both.  Its time to get our Wicked camper, which are these cool vans with murals on the side. Should get popular in the states soon.

Queen Victoria Markets 

Cable line outside Discovery Hostel 

Driving Great Ocean Road

Walter White was our guardian angel for the weekend. We headed  south, hoping not to fall off the planet. Apollo Bay was four hours away. On the way you have to see Bells Beach, which is the iconic setting for Keanu Reeves "Point Break".  The other unforgettable spot is a hillside treasure in the town of Lorne, Teddy's Lookout. Constructed with a compass detailing the surrounding locations, it comes with a view of a sea inlet and homes that make you reverie.

Bells Beach

View from Teddy's Lookout

Our spirits were so lifted we jumped on top of the van for a photo shoot.

An arrow pointed us toward Erskine Falls, a great bonus stop off the G.O.R.  Time to get back on the road, we had an hour until the misty town on the ocean, Apollo Bay.  With a population in the 2000s, we thought we would have a quiet night but that wasn't the case. 

Morning called for a good breakfast as we saw hundreds of runners crossing the finish line for a marathon. 

Pit stop: Great Ocean Road Wildlife Park is a self-sustaining park with Australian wildlife like kangaroos, wallabies, and dingos.

12 Apostles & Loch Ard Gorge

On the southern edge of Australia's coast is a rocky cliff rim with giant limestone stacks that bear the brunt of the Southern Ocean. The 12 Apostles, now 8 after multiple collapses turned these formerly attached caves, to archways (eroded from waves), into  rock stacks.

On the sunny and breezy day, I drifted off to my own little spot to take in the beautiful coastline. The site is very popular with tourists, even arriving on helicopter.

If you have time to see more, drive three minutes west to Loch Ard Gorge. A hidden beach sits deep into the gorge. With winter  and our stay here in Australia approaching, we decided to jump in the ice-cold water.

As we headed back towards Melbourne the sky started to darken with lilacs, corals, and blues.  We found refuge off the highway next to a farm with horses and cracked a bottle of whiskey to warm our bodies. The whiskey was turning us into cowgirls because later into the night, we tried to mount one of the horses next door. 

Take Off Tuesday to Malibu

I take the 5 Freeway to the 134 West until the 101 North. I just want to be on the beach. I have my surfboard, ice chest, and tent.

I left Pico Rivera, Calif. and 1.5 hours later I made it to Sycamore Canyon Campground that is settled in the Santa Monica Mountains off PCH in Ventura County.

Canyon- Campground- Beach

I set up camp and head to the beach. My cousins are there, about 12 deep.  I spot them chilling under a few umbrellas with drinks in hand. I feel like I am walking into a commercial.

It is a slice of prime shoreline on the Pacific Ocean, the sand softer and rich in dark tones.

If you come out early in the morning while the fog rests in the canyon I feel like I am in Iceland. The pictures I've seen show black sand and cold water with white spray.

I dive in this morning. A rush of sensational fills all holes in my body and I close my eyes underneath the surface. I am weightless and blind in that moment.

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A small sandy bluff into some rocky terrain and then you hit the parking lot that sits against the canyon cliffs.

Sycamore Canyon host 51 camping sites with about 5 restroom facilities. The beach is a short walk under a tunnel. The hiking trails to the west lead into a barren burnt landscape from a past fire. The paths are challenging as the inclines steepen quickly.

Charcoal gray, white, red, and splashes of green come alive from the slow growth of sprouting bush. New beige and rust colored bark expose through the black branches.

My cousin Kaelynn, Jess and I gain elevation over a hill and start up a trail that expands only two feet wide. We relish in the accomplishment of making it up the trail to the peak.

A high ridge overlooking the sea, it reminds me of Baja California, Mexico. I am in Malibu I remind myself.

The fog and sun hold hands. They take turns gracing us over the course of three days.  I enjoy the two naps I get in the sand. My cousin quickly fills my time with sandcastles, Frisbee, and jumping in the waves.

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Bike rides, campfires, and good food, this is a summer vacation I could get used to. Short walks in the morning along the shore followed by meditation sessions.  The sand is a soft gritty kind. This is the type of observation I notice these days after being too so many beaches. I like the quality overall.

FRESH FRUIT

CHORIZO CON FRIJOLES

RIBS & TRI-TIP

PANDULCE

HUMMUS & VEGGIES

FRESH VEG FROM COUSINS GARDENS

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     A three-day two night is just what the doctor ordered. Sycamore Canyon is a great getaway, 20 miles north of Santa Monica, Calif.  Turn off the phone and turn on the adventure!!!