Up hill down dale and other things

Days 6 - 9

Or

Remember the Sabbath.

I’m going to have to condense 4 days into a shorter space. The main reason is we were away up the Yarra Valley for a special treat. The other reason is I couldn’t be arsed doing all that typing on such a glorious day as this.

Generally the weather has been like Margaret years ago. Yep, one day hot and draining the next, cooler and moody.

On Monday night we had the highest nighttime temperature for a hundred years. 37°.

Do any of you guys know anyone that was around a hundred years ago to say?

Well, maybe it was you Billy Mac!

Sunday we had Trev's Mum, Dad and Sister around for a baaarby.

Jack, the dad would remind the Mount Ober ones of that gentleman, in the truest sense of the word, Ray, that was in McGiverns 4ball.

Thelma was as sweet as a jar of honey. The kind of lady you would like to have as a neighbour. Debbie. Ah yes dahling, the charming and vivacious Debbie. A treat, a sight for sore eyes. And a voice that carries well. Debbie is in Amateur Dramatics.

If you didn’t know they were siblings, you’d think they had just met on a tram. All four are very close emotionally, and all four are as separate as our Billy and me!

We’d a lovely wee afternoon. Jack going on about the Immigration, The rest of us sampling the wines we got at Mornington Peninsula. Altogether excellent.

Day 7

Or Up hills and down dales.

Monday morning, and the temperature was on its way up to 43.

Trev lent us his A/c Toyota to do our travelling. Thank God for that.

We loaded up the car for the three-day expedition that was to include an animal sanctuary. More wineries, general touristy stuff, and of course the Dawn balloon flight.

We’d travelled for about an hour, deep into farmland where the fields are the size of Ballymena.

Stopping the car to let the two puffers get out it was like walking into an overworked sauna.

The gauge in the car had told us the outside temp was 41 and it was not lying dahlings.

Sorry Debbie.

I’ve never experienced heat like it outside the van or a couple of restaurants I was unfortunately working in.

The girls puffed quickly and we were on our way.

Nicola had found a wee B & B up near where we were to fly.

It was on a farm in the middle of the bush. Our accommodation was to be the original, but extended dwelling that was built there over a hundred years ago.

It had a pool where we met up with the owners Tom & Jeanette.

Below the property there were two smallish fields.

Imagine our delight when, after we had dinner and were sitting on the veranda, a herd of kangaroos appeared from the trees and started munching the grass.

Some ofem even bounced past us, not more than a few feet away.

Slept on top of the bed, way too warm to get under the bedclothes.

We had to phone the balloonists to make sure the flight was on and guess what?

High temperatures and strong winds meant it couldn’t get up.

Bummer.

We decided to tour around the area that was burnt badly in last years bush fires.

It was very unpleasant, even a year on.

Although the ground cover is back in the forests, the trees are blackened, and you can’t hear any birdsong.

The little town of Marysville that was destroyed has come to terms with its lot and there is a lot of new building going on.

Another early night was needed to get up early for the flight.

Day 8

Or

Where the frig are we going now?

At half six last night the flight was on, but we should call at 03:30 this morning to confirm.

Poor old Nicola stayed awake in case we overslept.

Calling in at half three she was told it was off, because of rain! And something else - 160kph gusts...

This was really getting on our tits.

Nicola never woke us with the bad news so we slept blissfully through that.

Apparently the rain came in torrents during the night, we had had a wee skiff early in the evening but nothing much.

There’s a tin roof on that Rosebud Cottage and the noise certainly never disturbed me.

We’d already decided to go to Healesville Sanctuary.

A sort of open zoo, with medical out patients departments for sick animals.

I wondered if the balloon pilot was in here?

This is a lovely place to visit.

All the animals are indigenous to Aus, and live in what seems to be a happy environment.

Naturally the happy snapper was at work.

I wondered how many pictures are taken daily in there?

They had a bird of prey display, and some Aborigine guy displayed his prowess with a boomerang and Didgeridoo.

A very entertaining way to spend at least a half day.

It rained for about five minutes while we sitting watching the birds, so this prompted our move back to the car and home.

We called into the oldest winery in Victoria, well you have to don’t you, if you’re in the area.

This one, Yering Station, was enormous.

They only produced about eighteen wines.

Their average price was about $22.

I still can’t get my head round the prices they ask for.

Arriving back at base after six, we got a baaarrby sorted.

Ate too much, watched the Cricket, yes Alan, the Cricket.

Went to bed and slept soundly till it was time to get up and do this.