Day 68 – Melbourne, Australia – 10:04 PM

It has been a whirlwind 60 hours.  My previous post ended with me sitting in Melbourne’s Flinder Street rail station awaiting the arrival of Ben, a friend I originally met in New Zealand.  Roughly sixty hours later, I am back in Melbourne sitting in my 4-person shared dorm at Urban Central, my hostel for the night.

After locating Ben last Friday, we boarded a train to a small town 3 hours east of Melbourne.  From there we traveled the remaining 30 minutes by bus to Maffra, Ben’s hometown.  Joining us on this journey were Ben’s cousin and two other acquaintances, all from Germany.  We made it to Ben’s home and his family welcomed us with open arms.  The path along the east coast of Australia has been tramped under the soles of thousands of backpackers.  We stop in the same locations and take part in the same tours and activities.  It was liberating to leave that route, if only for one day, and venture into a small town that rarely sees backpackers.

Shortly after our arrival, a home cooked meal was laid before us.  The large portion of chicken glazed with barbecue sauce, rice, green beans and corn on the cob filled my ravenous appetite.  We sat discussing our upcoming travels and shared stories from our varied backgrounds.  Our stories ranged from those just out of high school and beginning to travel, to another who was finishing traveling and looking for employment, to myself who resigned from a career and is progressing around the globe.  What joined us together in a town few recognize was the hospitality and generosity of Ben and his gracious family.

Following dinner, we decided to walk through the local wetland preserve.  As we traversed the dirt trails and refurbished boardwalk, Ben explained how he and his friends would play there as children.  At that time, the wetlands were overrun with trees and roots.  It was more of a swamp than a sanctuary.  The local government stepped forward and cleaned up the area.  It is now home to various species of birds including pelicans and painted snipes.  We completed the short loop within the preserve and returned to his house.  After my early morning flight from Sydney, multiple train rides and a short bus journey, I was ready to call it a night.  By 11 PM, I was fast asleep.

I was awoken early the next morning by the sound of various birds chirping.  I could not but help listen to one particular bird whose chirp sounded more like a scream.  It was incredibly loud and could not be ignored.  Shortly after 8 AM, I rose out of bed and made my way to the kitchen.  A stack of warm pancakes inches high sat before me.  I was instructed to grab a plate and dig in.  I was also pleasantly surprised to see a jar of maple syrup eagerly waiting to be poured on my plate.  The previous three times I have eaten pancakes or waffles in Australia there has been no maple syrup.  Hailing from the United States, maple syrup is a staple of our breakfast.  It is the one and only topping I reach for when eating pancakes or waffles.  I had given up hope of seeing it in Australia.  Needless to say I poured a decent helping over my pancakes.

Following breakfast, we decided to venture to Raymond Island, approximately 45 minutes from Maffra.  Raymond Island, while being a popular weekend getaway for locals, is also the natural habitat for a large population of koalas.  Having not yet seen a koala in Australia, I was eager to pack my bag, grab my camera and see these graceful creatures in the wild.  I was not disappointed.  After parking the car in Paynesville and taking the ten minute ferry ride across Lake King, we set out on foot with eyes raised towards the trees.  The first koala we spotted sat high in a tree and gazed down on us as we approached.  With my zoom lens attached to my camera, I was able to snap a couple photographs before continuing on in search of more.  Just then we spotted an older looking koala resting on a low branch approximately eye level with me.  It was also only an arms length away.  I raised my camera again and snapped a couple more photographs.  All told, we spotted ten or so koalas.  Ben was slightly disappointed as he has spotted many more during past trips to Raymond Island.  Being from a country that has no native koalas, I was pleased with their turnout.  I also managed to get photographs of numerous fluorescent-colored birds.

After departing Raymond Island, we drove further east to Lakes Entrance, also known as Ninety Mile Beach.  This large swath of sand abuts Bass Strait and is believed to be the fourth-longest uninterrupted beach in the world.  After setting down my towel and bag, I walked towards the awaiting ocean.  As I stepped into the surf and the first rush of water swept over my feet, I was taken aback by its temperature.  I immediately realized how far south I had traveled by how much the water temperature had plummeted.  Having grown up in New England and vacationed on Cape Cod, I am used to water temperatures that make you tense up and question your motives as you wade into the surf.  I took another step or two and dove into the oncoming waves.  After a short swim, I found my spot on the beach and dried off quickly under the cloudless sky.  By 5 PM, Ben and I were on the road once again heading east from Maffra to Kilsyth, to meet up with another friend I met in New Zealand.

I am eternally grateful for the hospitality I received in Maffra from Ben and his family.  They opened up their doors to me and cooked me delicious meals.  More importantly, they opened up their washing machine and allowed me to throw in a much needed load of wash.  Tomorrow morning, I depart Melbourne on a three-day drive along the Great Ocean Road.  From the moment I began researching Australia, this scenic route along the southern coast of Australia has been at the top of my “things to accomplish” list.  I also find it unbelievable that in six days I will depart Australia and make my way north to Vietnam.  I am over two months into my round-the-world adventure and almost complete with two countries.  My month in Australia passed in a blur and much like New Zealand, I made incredible friendships that I hope last years into the future.