#over50femaletraveller – Page 5 – Over 50 Aussie female solo traveller USA road trip and beyond

Great Ocean Road

30 December 2018

Last night I was in Port Fairy but there was not one room available (well there was a room for $250 with parking down the road and I cannot justify paying that amount for a motel room and have to leave my car so far away). It was a pretty town but all along the coast to Warnambool,this time of year, is packed with tourists. My preference is to stay in smaller towns with locals and I found the perfect place in Mortlake 35 minutes out of Warnambool, called the Mt Shadwell The Stables Hotel.

Lovely clean accommodation with bluestone walls and dating back to the 1800s. Good pub food, friendly locals and breakfast at the town cafe was delicious. Clarke’s Pies are so delicious even cold.

Driving on the Great Ocean Road you will come across these signs. This road gets so many tourists from around the world this road becomes treacherous when drivers forget what side of the road to drive.

It is surprising how often I have to think what side as well, particularly after the 30,000 kilometres I drove on my USA roadtrip earlier this year.

First stop this morning was The Bay of Islands

The Bay of Martyrs

The Grotto

I picked up my first hitchhiker, Katia from St Petersburg Russia and went to The Arch.

London Bridge

Thunder Cave

12 Apostles

Gibson’s Steps

And I picked up 2 more hitchhikers from Germany.

Penola and Mount Gambier South Australia

29 December 2018

An alternate route from Robe to Mount Gambier takes you through historical Penola in the Coonawarra wine district.

I enjoyed the varied santa displays.

The old lolly shop

Mount Gambier is a lovely town with beautiful old homes.

Umpherston sinkhole magnificent garden dating back to the 1800s.

The Blue Lake is another sinkhole

Coffin Bay South Australia

27 December 2018

My last day on the Eyre Peninsula took me to this pretty fishing village.

Explorer Matthew Flinders named the area after a naval officer Isaac Coffin. The bay is famous for the Coffin Bay oyster. The ANZAC Cove scenes of the movie Gallipoli were filmed nearby.

I found my third Geocache here.

Tomorrow Carlos and Elise start their roadtrip back to Sydney as do I and we have separate routes. They are going through Melbourne but I will not, but wonder if we will bump into each other before we get home in either South Australia,Victoria or New South Wales.

Back in Australia

I have now been back home in Sydney for 4 months. After the exciting USA Road trip I have adjusted to some sort of normalcy. Going through withdrawals of adrenaline and endorphins I often wished I was back in the USA. However, as a traveller I understand that enjoying life is to embrace the moment no matter where I am.

My beautiful Sydney has many places which tourists from all over the world come to experience and I have it all in my backyard.

Lunch in Circular Quay.

A 2 hour drive from Sydney is Stockton Where I attended a cheer competition at nearby at Broadmeadow.

Holding a Sydney Fringe Festival concert in my backyard..

Celebrating Halloween at Bingay at the Beresford Hotel.

Cher concert at Sydney Olympic Park.

Pelicans of The Entrance NSW

Chromefest a rock n roll festival at The Entrance 90 minutes north of Sydney

Sculptures by the Sea is an annual art festival which takes you on a walk along some of the most beautiful beaches in the world just 15 minutes from the centre of Sydney.