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Yep, that's the situation. Blogstipation has set in. I think it's a combination of a number of things. Going on holiday, experiencing so many things in a short amount of time, waiting for photos to be developed, I feel like I'm in a kind of post-holiday limbo. I have so many things to write about that I don't know where to start. It's very frustrating I must say. I have to start somewhere but there are so many things to say - I don't really know how to convey the feeling of sitting on the balcony of the Top Pub in Apollo Bay, looking at the foreshore, listening to the waves and watching a spectacular lightning show play above the mountains. I don't know how to explain the stress evaporation that happens to me every time I am near the ocean breathing air that comes fresh from the mountains and the forest. I can't fully convey the feeling of freedom I felt while driving a car for the first time in a year. I want to show you the other-worldly "hobbit-like" sleepy hollow called Gellibrand. The land that time forgot. Weeping willows, dappled sunlight, an old hotel and a picturesque valley. Blossoms, ferns, majestic hills and valleys that exceed imagination.

Well, now that the creative metamucil seems to be working, I will leave you with a photo of the hotel where we stayed for 4 nights and the road that led to such a beautiful sense of freedom.

Technorati Tags: Apollo Bay Gellibrand Holiday

I apologise for the lack of posts - I have been on holiday. Actually I'm not sorry I was on holiday so forget that last sentence.

The itinerary:

Thurs 22 March 2007:
- Train to Southern Cross, V-Line train to Geelong
- Pick up car at Budget Rent-A-Car
- Drive to Apollo Bay
- Check in at Great Ocean Hotel (a.k.a. "Top Pub")

Fri 23 March 2007:
- Golf at Apollo Bay Golf Course (18 holes)
- Check out pub, decide it's not worth hanging around, sit on balcony with a few beers

Sat 24 March 2007
- Golf at Apollo Bay Golf Course (18 holes)
- Dinner with Grandma and Dad at Middle Pub
- Drop in at Grandma's house
- Back to hotel, check out the 2 pubs in town (yikes!), sit on balcony with a few beers

Sun 25 March 2007
- Golf at Apollo Bay Golf Course (18 holes)
- Visit Grandma & Dad

Mon 26 March 2007
- Check out 10am - Ocean Road Hotel
- Coffee!!!!
- Drop in at Grandma's to say goodbye
- Drive down Ocean Road, through Lavers Hill, Gellibrand, Colac and to Geelong
- Spend ages trying to find a service station to fill up in Geelong
- Drop off car at Budget Rent-A-Car
- Get to V-Line depot 5 minutes before train departs for Melbourne
- Southern Cross Station - Melbourne

And that was the Apollo Bay holiday!

I have so much to write about so this is the first of many posts. I will be reviewing many things, including the Top Pub, Budget Rent-A-Car, V-Line, and the Apollo Bay Golf Course. I need to develop the photos to give a better sense of what I am talking about. Yes, I am using a film camera, not digital. This is not for any particular reason other than I had no camera and I bought one of those disposable Kodak cameras with flash ($24.00). When the photos are developed I will be reviewing the camera as well!

My first review is the luggage from Strandbags:

The Skyway Montlake - $72.00 (on special!)



















If you are thinking of travelling anywhere, get a piece of luggage that has a handle, wheels and is lightweight. It makes a huge amount of difference when you are navigating Southern Cross station to not have to put your shoulder out. Especially when it's a hot day and you are sweating like anything and can't find a place to buy a bottle of water. That's when a wheelie suitcase comes in handy. I had 2 other bags and they were a nightmare to carry on my shoulder. Trust me. Get wheels and a handle. This was the best piece of luggage I have ever owned. Brilliant! Lots of compartments, made from micro-ballistic nylon material and with a zero-gravity frame. Okay, the description they give it makes it sound like I'm taking it on the next space mission. And micro-ballistic (do they shoot it with a little gun?) sounds like something you would see on MythBusters. But it is a good suitcase and I recommend the crap out of it.

P.S. This is not the sort of thing I would recommend buying on Ebay. I got this at Strandbags because the people know what they are talking about and because you can actually check out the compartments and see for yourself. The photos on Ebay don't give the best idea of quality and size. Also, a suitcase is not the sort of thing you would want to compromise on...

Until next time....more photos and reviews to come.....

Technorati Tags: Apollo Bay Montlake Suitcase Strandbags