South Coast Drive

We’ve been on the road for a few days now headed south to Melbourne with two camper vans and it’s been great. Getting out of hot, busy Sydney was a much-needed breath of fresh air for us all. The two Toyota Hiace camper vans we rented from Britz are actually quite nice and I’ve been feeling a little spoiled because “roughing it” has come with a refrigerator, microwave and running water thus far.

Our route has been along the scenic Princes Highway which, for the most part, hugs the coast. About an hour outside of Sydney, shortly after the town of Wollongong, the land opens up dramatically into lush rolling farmland with horses and cattle grazing through the kind of green that appears to be glowing. Every once and a while we caught a glimpse of the inviting coast to the east and the horizon to the west is filled with flat-topped mountains thick with dark rainforests.

We spent the first night camped at a small, secluded beach called Merry Beach by the town of Kioala and were greeted at dusk by wild kangaroos littering the campsite. It was so incredible seeing kangaroos, more prevalent than squirrels back home, feasting on the grass and being able to get within 3 feet from the strange but beautiful animals. I went wild photographing them especially a mama with a little Joey cramped into her pouch.

This first campsite we found was perfect. Besides my first wonderful encounter with kangaroos we were only about 200 yards away from the ocean on a gorgeous beach. Plus, first thing in the morning Elena and I took a great run along a dirt trail that headed up to the surrounding cliffs and on to other tiny beaches with astounding views. And when we thought our morning couldn’t get any better these friendly rainbow lorikeets- big, colorful, parrot-like birds- came right up to us and we were able to feed them from our hands.

The following nights we hopped along down the coast staying at Mallacoota inlet, Tyres Lake beach and Wilsons Promontory National Park. They were all pretty cool campsites especially the last one where we all tried body boarding on a nice surf break but none of them could compare, in my opinion, to our first night.

It was just such a special place. It wasn’t listed in any of our guidebooks, no one recommended it. It was just this tiny spot on one of our maps that turned out to be such a wonderful place, a gift, our first little reward of having automobiles and being able to get off the beaten path.

Sydney- people, sites and giant bats

Stepping off the plane at Sydney International airport I was struck by three things. One the suffocating humidity, two total exhaustion from 15 hours in airplanes and three utter disbelief that I actually pulled this off. Six weeks ago I stumbled across The World By Road website and made a bold decision to drop all aspects of my life- my job, my car, my friends- and join this expedition.

Three days later I am certain I made the right decision.

Sydney is a wonderful city. I have spent the last three days meandered through a sea of tall, leggy, fair-haired and friendly people. It’s a very clean city full of young professionals in starched shirts and ties hurrying off to work and shows very little signs of poverty in the city center.

Overall it’s a very modern looking city with many tall, sleek buildings but it will occasionally surprise you as you turn a corner and are confronted by a beautiful old stone cathedral or a breath taking view of one of the many surrounding harbors.

Visiting the famous Opera House was definitely one of the highlights of my sightseeing. It is truly amazing and no matter what angle I photographed it from, and I tried many, I don’t feel like I could capture how stunning this piece of architecture is.

However, I think my favorite experience thus far was losing myself in the lush rainforest trails of the city’s Botanical Gardens. We stumbled upon hundreds of Red Flying-Fox bats hanging from the trees- dripping from the highest branches like giant ebony raindrops. The large wild fruit bats were pretty active for the middle of the day and were creating this wonderful, deafening screech that will be hard to forget.

The only down side so far is that three days of gray skies has this sun-worshiper and photographer a little frustrated and desperate for some golden light and long, deep shadows.

Regardless of what the weather will be I can’t begin to explain the sense of excitement and optimism I feel about this expedition. I have joined this incredible, dynamic group full of people who have so much to offer and learn from. It’s so wonderful sharing in the responsibilities of the trip. Instead of little ol’ me by myself, scratching my head by trying to decipher the train schedule there is this wonderful team I’ve become a part of who share my love and respect for other cultures.

It’s going to be one hell of a ride.