The Great Ocean Shortcut

It was 3am. Emily and I were wide-awake thanks to the jet-lag and as a result we managed to get on the road by four while Sydney was still mostly asleep. Due to time restrictions we are not following the coast between Sydney and Adelaide, as we will on tour, but are cutting straight across the interior and joining the official route at Port Augusta, driving mostly on the A32 for the transit. I would like to share what I have seen.

Sydney is one of the most beautiful and clean cities I have visited. It is full of trees and surrounded by ocean, rivers and inland waters allowing little beaches and stunning sea views everywhere. Neighbourhoods covered in bright vibrant graffiti with food from all over the world reflecting its cosmopolitan inhabitants. We ate at a Vietnamese restaurant . It was awesome and surprisingly affordable and I’m planning to make a habit of it.

It was raining buckets as we drove out into the Blue Mountains and the Australian countryside started working its charm on us immediately. Winding roads through the lush hills with weeping willows and gum trees, followed by bright yellow fields of canola as you climb onto a vast plateau that turns into a semi arid flat land. From a distance it could be the American prairies and the Arizona desert respectively but looking closely the plants are not at all the same. But the most exciting difference is the wildlife!

Cockatoos, budgerigars, pigeons with radio antennas on their heads and flocks of greyish plain looking parrots that when spooked reveal the pink under their wings and on their bellies in a stunning display as they fly away. And plenty of crows, whose extended family have made themselves at home just about everywhere in the world eating just about everything. Photo shy Emus seem to prefer the arid flat lands but the Kangaroos go wherever they want with surprising speed and no regard for farmer’s fences or traffic laws. When Kangaroos aren’t grazing or bouncing around you find them napping next to the road… Wombats, shapeless balls of fur, also… fond of napping…

All the Australians I’ve met are lovely, down-to-earth people. Not quite what I remember being told growing up in South Africa though I think the slander was due to a long standing sporting rivalry between the two countries. Speaking of sports… if you don’t know about Ozzy Rules Football you are in for a treat. A bizarre mix of rugby and basketball played in the middle of a bar fight. Obviously, I don’t understand the rules yet. So far I have thoroughly enjoyed Australia and I’m excited for what I will see on the Trans-Oceania!

The Cook