Help (Gundagai - New South Wales)

Sadly, we left Mornington this morning (Saturday) and headed for home. We are over-nighting at Gundagai, but more about that later.

We were on the road by 9:30 on the new by-pass that links the Peninsula with Melbourne. The further north we went the the higher temperature and the thicker the smoke from the bushfires. The area from Benalla through to the border was the thickest. The images on TV last night were terrifying, particularly of the fire around Glenmaggie where we have friends. I've emailed and contacted them by text - they are fine, unscathed again, thankfully.

We actually left Mornington one day early to break up the drive, otherwise we would have been facing a 10 hour trip tomorrow - and that is without breaks. Gundagai was chosen at random, I wanted to get further on than Wodonga or Albury and that really only left Gundagai or Yass. Any town further than that and I would have been too tempted to just keep driving.

Wotif v Trip Advisor

Uncharacteristically, I used Wotif.com to book our accommodation, not Trip Advisor. There is a lesson in that. Trip Advisor served us well throughout Ireland and France. In fact, I received an email this morning informing us that somewhere we had stayed in Ireland was placed in the top 25 B&Bs. Actually, 2 of the places we stayed at rated in the top grouping. And of course there was our wonderful find in Beechworth (Albertines) on the way down to Mornington. 

So, after a quick check on Wotif and a glance at the website of the potential accommodation, I booked. We're here, sitting in the Irish State Room. I'm sure it's called that because it has been painted green. (I found out at dinner it was so named because the Irish Ambassador had stayed there). Our accommodation is at the Lanigan Abbey. Check out their website at http://www.laniganabbey.com.au it looks OK. Ah, but looks can be deceptive. It also offered breakfast which was a bonus. So, while we were letting the afternoon drift away I checked out Trip Advisor. Some of the previous reviews were entilted: "Run",  "Worse than Fawlty Towers" and "If you didn't laugh you'd cry". Get the picture? Curiously the other two reviews were glowing. So, who was right?

We were phoned by one of the owners this morning to provide directions because the Wotif address is inaccurate. During that conversation we also opted to dine here because the implication was that dining options were very  limited. Having just walked Sheridan Street, the main street, I would tend to agree. There are two pubs, an ex-servicemans club, a cafe and a Chinese restaurant. The ex-servicemans club looked OK. Beyond that, just about everything was closed. Later discussion with the owner, Brian, revealed that had we opted to eat out we would have been heading for South Gundagai and not Sheridan Street.

Before we returned to our accommodation I wanted to find the old timber bridge I remember driving across as a child. Found it. Or what's left of it. It is literally falling apart and even the first six spans (of 76) that they had restored to use as a viewing platform have now been closed.

Back to the Abbey. Our State Room consists of a sitting room at the top of the stairs. It is open to the downstairs - no door. The bathroom is off the sitting room and there is a door through to the bedroom. Both rooms face west, and yes it is hot. A portable air conditioner has been placed in the bedroom. I am editing this prior to bed and it is still warm, although the cooler is making a difference.

Certainly we've stayed in worse places. In our Uni days we even lived in worse! But things just feel a little uneasy. When we arrived we found the area to park the car, but there were no signs as to the entrance. The owner appeared from what turned out to be the back door and so we entered the property through there. Interesting.

The furnishings in our rooms are fine - no problems there. On the marble coffee table in the sitting room are copies of Royalty and Majesty. Seriously, I couldn't make this up, I didn't even know such magazines existed! No, I didn't open them, nor the souvenir magazine copy on the royal wedding from some English paper. It's like deliverance country but in reverse. And every bit as terrifying.

Subscription anyone?

And so we sit in our green sitting room watching the tennis and waiting for dinner. When asked what time we would like dinner, Jayne replied, "6 because we usually go to bed early."  That was met with silence, so I suggested later if that would be more acceptable. We settled on 6:30 for dinner and 7:30 for breakfast, which became 8am as we went to bed.

Dinner was fine as was the tour of the house afterwards, but I couldn't escape the feeling that if you didn't meet the 'standard' your time here at the Abbey could be decidedly unpleasant.

One of the Trip Advisor reviews likened the Abbey to Fawlty Towers, which is a bit harsh. The owner is a man of definite views as you will find out if you stay there. If you are a member of the Gundagai community it is something of which you would already be aware.

Staying at the Abbey is an experience. It has been beautifully restored and the furniture and artworks are exquisite. There is no doubt that an enormous amount of money and love have gone into resurrecting the building from its previous dilapidated state. Is that enough to bring me back? No.

And that's it for a while - it's back to work again. No more holiday stories till mid year when we are heading back to France to finish what we started. Hopefully Jayne will stay vertical and we'll see more of Paris than a hotel room and hospital bed.

Au revoir.  

Sunrise, sunset (Mornington Peninsula)

Yes, it's fixed! I spent most of yesterday afternoon working on the rear deraillieur of my bike and finally got it sorted. Aside from battling the southerly wind this morning, it was a great ride - 3 PRs on Strava and I clocked up 100km for the week. Not bad considering I'm in holiday mode.

The temperature kept climbing last night and reached 42° around 6:30 or 7pm. By that time we had sheltered safely at the Harba Oyster Bar and Grill on The Esplanade. It is a very pleasant venue and would be lovely on a summer's afternoon when the sea breeze is blowing. It wasn't yesterday, so we settled into a dark corner to sip a Pinot Gris and people watch while we waited for dinner. The Mezze Plate was seriously delicious and big enough for a main meal - luckily we shared it.

Given the temperature outside we weren't keen to return to the sun and loitered over our main meal and some more wine. The owner cam around to have a chat. Nice PR. When we were leaving I lamented the lack of camera as the setting sun coloured the sky. The shots below were taken on my iPhone.

I know that temperatures were 45° plus today in Sydney, but it was seriously hot here last night too. We had the air con on until I went riding this morning. It was 26° at 6am and although the southerly cooled things down a little it made my morning ride more challenging. It's much better to have the wind behind you.

Today followed the usual pattern: an early morning ride, return for a nap, late breakfast and then a 5km walk. It's a tough life, but someone has to do it. After the walk we head home and discuss where we might wander during the day and decided to head for Hastings. Hmmm. Not much going on there, just another village but without the charm of Flinders or Sorrento. So we decided to visit one last winery ... Ten Minutes by Tractor. Great name and, as we've come to expect, great wine. It also has a restaurant attached, a hatted one at that. But, it's Friday and that means pizza so we we returned home and had an early dinner/late lunch at DOC. The pizzas. Yum.

Tomorrow we are leaving Mornington behind and making our way to Gundagai. Why? You ask. Purely to break up the drive home. I've only ever been to the Dog on the Tuckerbox, I've never actually stopped in Gundagai before, so I expect there will be one more blog entry before work recommences on Monday.

Sorry seems to be the hardest word (Mornington Peninsula)

I thought I'd open with an apology: sorry for not posting every day. While the blog sequence is in chronological order, there are days missing here and there. This is because my internet connection is actually my iPhone and the speed of upload is sometimes so frustratingly slow that I give up.

Today is Thursday and I am intending to post this today.

Over the last two days we have done some driving around the Peninsula and have spent time at Sorrento (again) and yesterday at Flinders. Two very different worlds. Sorrento is where the old money meets the new money. I have stopped counting the Porsches and Masseratis because there are too many BMWs and Mercedes getting in the way. A European car is de riguer darling. This morning while having breakfast on Main Street we saw a new Jaguar and a Rolls Royce.

Sorrento is not like other parts of the Peninsula. The shopping area has been crowded each time we've been there and the houses ... wow. There are plenty of mansions with ocean views tucked away behind impeccably manicured hedges. You can only glimpse the mansions because the hedges are so thick and tall. It really is Gatsby territory. That said, you can keep it. I prefer the laid back feel of Mornington itself. It feels less rushed and there are plenty of options for eating and drinking, most of the cafes double as bars in the afternoon.

Food Reviews
Food wise... Lilo, a cafe for breakfast has the most generous serves, but the coffee is average and they don't do fresh juice. Lilo is on the Esplanade towards Mount Martha and is about 2km from Main Street of Mornington. Via Boffe is on Main Street and has tables out the back of the shop. The crowds testify that the food is good, but once again no juice and the coffee is OK. Boyz for Breakie do fresh juice - yay - but the coffee was too bitter. Reasonable menu, but not enough to bring us back. Then we discovered Biscottini, finally everything came together. Another cafe on Main, good coffee, fresh juice and great sourdough. It is going to be our regular breakfast haunt until we head home.

As for dinner, the pick so far has been The Counting House. It's on the Esplanade just around the corner from Main Street. Good wine list and a small but interesting menu. DOC, part Italian deli, part restaurant. They do pizza the proper way, less is more. Yum. They also serve a variety of mozzarella plates and a lasagne. The wines are all Italian and I have yet to see the place not packed to the rafters at dinner time. The service is fast and efficient. It's on Main down towards the water. Soy is obviously Asian and does Yum Cha for lunch. We went for dinner. Not radically different from any other Australian-Chinese restaurant and a little expensive for what it was.

Flinders
We decided to visit Flinders after speaking to shop assistant in the morning (I love David Smith shirts). Flinders is on the south-east corner of the Peninsula. It is a small community in comparison with development from Mornington down to Portsea. There is a small shopping centre with a take-away and obligatory art gallery a surf shop and not much else of note. There are a couple of other galleries and antique shops and a 'licensed' post office - I'll have beer with my mail please.

A licensed Post Office ... cool.

Phillip Island in the distance

There was also a jetty, popular with the fisher folk of the area. You can see out into Bass Strait and also across the water to Phillip Island. Just up the hill from the jetty was the local golf club. The tourist drive went right through the centre of it and there plenty of signs telling drivers to beware of errant golf balls. Drifting around the edge of the course off a small cliff was a para-sailor .

As we were driving back down to the main road we noticed that one of the locals had answered that age old question: what do you do with the remnant tree truck in the front yard of your house? Do you really want to know? Check out the picture below ... 

Nice view, but I prefer the lookout.

Says it all really.

A little further on from Flinders is the southern most tip of the Peninsula, Cape Schanck, complete with lighthouse and walking trails and some stunning views of the rugged coastline.

Pulpit Rock

Pulpit Rock is a significant feature of the area and has been the focus of many artworks by local and overseas professional artists.

The flowering gums are beautiful and everywhere. The main colours are red, orange and crimson. I'm going to try and get some seed pods to bring home and plant on the reserve behind our house.


The temperature hit 38° today and I spent a large part of the day inside trying to fix the slipping gears on my bike. I think I've been successful after 4 different youtube tutorials and a trip to one local bike shop to purchase a bike stand. I did try to book the bike in for a service, which was a cheaper option, but the best they could do was offer me a time in 3 weeks. It's like getting in to see a doctor. I'll let you know tomorrow whether I was successful.

If I were a rich man (Mornington Peninsula)

The discovery of last evening? We have a resident possum in the roof. He/she leaves around 9:30 pm and returns 4 and 5:30 am. Better than an alarm clock and quite a bit louder on a tin roof. So after possum came thumping home, like a teenager from a party, I got up to prepare for a ride.

Melbourne across the bay

And so my day begins, with 25km ride along the Esplanade. I rode around the 'road closed' sign and almost got through to Dromana except the road is really blocked for road work another km or so further down, so it was turn around and head for home. It is really fresh here of a morning and it takes about 15 minutes to warm up. After that it's all good, except it is such a beautiful ride it is difficult to focus on the pace. The Espie is Mornington's own version of the Great Ocean Road. OK, not as long or as grand maybe but just as beautiful.

After returning home it was Jayne's turn for exercise - after coffee, of course. We walked down to main street and selected a cafe from the many that line the street and had a very pleasant breakfast in the sun. Then it was time for a walk, just over 5 km down the Esplanade and back again averaging 5.2km per hour (I love Strava).

Then it was time for more sight-seeing. We thought culture should be the order of the day and headed off to the Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery. It's only a small gallery but it had an interesting selection of works on display. The main display focused on works of local interest by well known artists: Boyd, Blackman, Williams, to name a few. Then there was the special exhibition. It had a science focus and had works from John Gould, Neville Cayley and several other significant art/scientists. As an aviculturalist is was particularly interesting, although there were plenty of drawings and works that weren't birds. There were also interactive displays, like the one of photographed butterfly eggs. When you touched the picture of the egg it enlarged to show a photo of the butterfly that would emerge.

Enough brain food, it was off to look at old things. We headed for the antique section of the peninsula: Tyabb. There is a village behind a fence next to the Tyabb railway station that houses several buildings full of antiques, books, bric-a-brac, garden ornaments and the like. Sadly for us, not everything was open, but the stores that were certainly led us down memory lane. One shop keeper asked us how we were - I replied, feeling old because I could remember so many of the things that were up for sale. It's well worth a visit, but save it for the weekend.

Stonier Estate

Stonier Estate

As the afternoon dwindled away we decided it was time to visit ... a winery! How did you guess? Today's lucky winner was Stonier. Awesome. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and a Sparkling made the traditional way. Yum, yum and yum. We had a most wonderful hour there discussing wine, Australian and French and our experiences overseas. So, we purchased some to take home.

The area down here is very reminiscent of the Margaret River region in Western Australia. Lots of hills and views to the coast. Fields dotted with grape vines interspersed with well fed cattle. I know it gets cold in winter, but the weather so far has been delightful. Beautiful blue skies and temperatures no higher than 26°.

And the blog title? There is a lot money in this area. The mansions overlooking the bay are worth a small fortune. But, more about that later.

Nothing but blue sky do I see (Mornington Peninsula)

I began the day by stretching my legs on a neat little 20km bike ride. I thought the area would be fairly flat. Wrong. There are some challenging little hills and I'll need to tackle these more and more if I intend to increase the distance I'm riding. And increase it I will. The target this week is 100km.

Sadly, I thought Victoria was more loving and caring when it came to cyclists. Wrong again. The bicycle lanes, clearly marked with sign posts and white stencil bike, resemble those of NSW. Much like home, the lane was there and then not and then there again. There were parts where it was covered in gravel, or was being overtaken by roadside vegetation. Occasionally, it was smooth and clean and a pleasure to ride on. More often it felt like it was a thin layer of tar hiding a cattle grid.

I was back home and in bed reading the paper (online) by 7:30 but we didn't move to round 2 of exercise until after 9 when we walked 2kms to the cafe I selected for breakfast; Lilo on the Esplanade toward Mt Martha. Excellent choice. Great coffee and huge serves. Lunch not required.

The cloud and drizzle of yesterday was gone to reveal a blue sky and pleasant temperatures in the low 20s. Time to explore the Peninsula. We drove down to Portsea, in part so I could explore the road to see whether a longer ride was in order. The Esplanade was closed part of the way and the detour went straight up the side of a mountain into the heavens. No way these old legs are tackling that end of the world. Not sure where I'll ride in the morning.

We stopped at Sorrento and did a bit of window shopping. It was very crowded and for a moment I thought I was in Italy. There were Vespas parked on the footpath and we were walking behind a large Italian family who were conversing in Italian. Most amusing.

Looking toward Portsea

From there we headed for our first wine tasting at Main Ridge wines. This required a drive up the mountain ridge that runs down the centre of the peninsula. The view from Murray's Lookout was superb.

The winery produces magnificent wines and I have finally been convinced that Australia can produce a decent Pinot Noir. As in France, it is all about the terroir. During our wine tasting we discussed what other wineries we should visit and had a number recommended to us. We're saving those for later.

Melbourne in the distance

Following that there wasn't much left to do aside form head home and get changed for dinner. We walked down to the Counting House and had a beautiful dinner. It offers a small menu that was interesting enough to cause me trouble when selecting what to eat.

It's a tough life here. Everything is within walking distance unless you want to get to the wineries. And the weather is just getting better. I am aiming to take some shots of the sun setting over the water. Soon.

La bamba (Beechworth)

Not sure about the spelling of this one, but it was played at the Italian restaurant we had dinner at tonight. More about that later.

We left home on Saturday morning, almost on time. I had intended to be on the road at 9am but a morning ride with Dan and then breakfast delayed our departure. Regardless, we were heading south on the F5 by 9:30. It was about 25° when we left the Macarthur region and the temperature climbed steadily as we headed south. Somewhere in-between Yass and Jugiong (where Richie Benaud's father was the principal at the primary school - just like you Russ) the temperature maxed out at 40°. Mind you, that is according to the gauge in the car, so it was probably hotter.

Needless to say I wasn't too keen to stop for lunch in the heat and thought we'd push on a little. Gundagai passed, then Tarcutta, where the signs of the recent fires were quite visible and the temperature hadn't really changed. So, Holbrook looked like a likely destination, particularly after the segment on one of the news programs recently that lamented the soon to be operational Holbrook by-pass. 

In retrospect a by-pass for Holbrook will be a good thing because there is not much to be by-passed anyway - except the bakery. And that landlocked submarine. I actually read the plaque about why there is a submarine so far inland at one time when our children were young enough to play on it. Too long ago to remember why. Anyway, in a cunning display of marketing and positioning there is a bakery at each end of town, so, they get you coming and going. There aren't many more food options. The one cafe I remembered didn't open on Saturdays. Who'd have thought it? A place that relies on passing trade and their cafes don't open on weekends! Totally Australian. Bring on the by-pass!

So we continued on to our destination for the evening, Beechworth. We'd been to Beechworth years ago, but not to stay. This was purely to break up the drive to Mornington and we are so glad we did. 

Once we had decided that Beechworth was to be the resting point I commenced looking for place to stay and as had become our practice when travelling in France and Ireland, checked Trip Advisor for the best place. Albertines was recommended and now that we have stayed there we would recommend Abertines as well. It was just delightful and a most beautiful setting. Judi and Owen, our hosts, welcomed us like family and made us feel most at home, down to organising dinner reservations.

Our accommodation, complete with sitting room was beautifully appointed. There was complimentary water and soft drinks, a shaded verandah on which to sit and relax, delightful gardens to enjoy and some delicious liqueur muscat from Rutherglen.

Sadly, we were on the road again all too soon, but we assured Judi and Owen we would be back - especially as there are so many bike tails in the area.

We left in light drizzle, a change from recent Sydney weather and headed for Wonga Park to visit Jayne's sister and her husband. After an enjoyable catch up with Libby and Steve we drove down to Mornington and our accommodation for the next week. It is an interesting place. The bedroom is loft style and the rest is down stairs. It used to be a stable for the rich people back in the day and was then a storage place for a hotel down the road. Anyway, it is lovely and is our base as we explore the peninsula.

Bagged unpacked we headed for dinner. We walked up one side of the main street - curiously and creatively named Main Street - cartographers in this country, seriously. And then down the other until we came to DOC, an Italian restaurant.  Crowded. Packed, in fact, we didn't think we'd get a table, but did. We'd only been seated for a minute when the music stopped and the lights went out. I thought there'd been a power failure, but the people at the next table assured us it was something special. Then  La Bamba blared over the speakers and some of the wait staff came out shaking cutlery as a be-sparklered dessert was delivered to a birthday diner.

The food was beautiful. We had a lovely meal and then braved the blustery weather to navigate the short walk home.

Tomorrow the exploration of the peninsula begins. That would be after an early morning bike ride - if it's  not raining - check it out on Strava.

Life is a highway

Good morning gentle reader. 

We're back on the road again - but unlike our last trip, this is just for a week.  As regular visitors will note, we have maintained the song reference in the title of the blog and we will continue so to do.

Jayne and I are heading south tomorrow to Mornington in Victoria. Curiously, Mornington is on the Mornington Peninsula west of Melbourne. It is an area of wineries, cafes, restaurants and we hope, a quiet, restful time before work recommences. Well, before work at work recommences, we have both been working through the break anyway.

In other news:

• We are returning, in July, to the scene of the dreaded fall down the stairs and the resultant broken leg. Not to the actual apartment we stayed in, but to Paris. Unfinished business as they say with the last holiday cut short. Cait will be joining us this time and she is meeting some friends over there before we head home. More about that as the time draws near.

• I am also going to commence a new blog that will act as a soapbox for me to present my views. Generally this will focus on education and I want to keep the travel blog separate. Watch this space, well, not this one, another one, but I will publish the new address here when I get around to it.

So, until the 'rubber hits the road' (I just love jargon) ...