27.9.06
weathered. [the actual word-ed post of my grampians experience]
this trip was truly one 'back to nature' experience. and by back to nature, i also mean back to basics and your un-girly unglam roughing it out.
drove all the way to the grampians after 3 sleep-deprived days of rushing an assignment, and so i made up for it in the 4 hour car journey. we took a long time to find the camp site, but when we did we realised that this was gg to be REAL camping. the site was neatly tucked away amidst vast expanses of plains, mountains, rivers and valleys. unfortunately, there also werent showers and so we had to forgo bathing. nonetheless, we pitched out tent and happily set of on a long hike, all ready to brace the elements.
the hike was pretty strenuous, which was ironic since this holiday trip was supposed to be relaxing. but the view from the top of mt zero made it all worthwhile. would have liked to stay longer and admire the breathtaking scenery, but we had to rush back down before sunset for fear of being lost and forgotten in the jungle trail especially since we realised we had no reception (yes, once again, talk about going back to basics). got back to our site just after sunset and started cooking dinner over the fire in the dark. then wanted to have a campfire but all the spots were taken up by other campers, so we played silly games in our tent instead.
that night, i was not spared. it poured, and i froze in the tent - unable to get to sleep, wondering when it'll be daybreak. it was already cold, but the rain aggrevated the condition. and being a seasoned camper, this was totally unexpected. usually it'll be the reverse - it'll be too hot and humid to sleep.
daybreak finally did arrive. it was a sunday so we had a bit of worship and sharing. we then dismantled the tent and headed off for the mckenzies fall and the balcony, which were the 2 famous scenic spots in the grampians. did more hiking as a result. we then travelled back along the great ocean road, stopping by the 12 apostles (again, for the benefit of a few others), the loch ard, the blowhole, and the thunder cave. there was alot of distance to cover, and we were thankful we had walkie talkies to play with along the way. its amazing how we managed to entertain ourselves so greatly. we were throwing pop quizes and lame jokes across the cars, and were even playing black magic (the ice-breaker one, of course). soon it was nightfall and i contributed in driving down the great ocean road in the dark (which can be quite a scary experience as one cant see beyond the headlights). finally, we arrived at nics uncles beachhouse. that was where we had a nice good long warm bath, and i fell asleep shortly on a couch by the fireplace. i like that thought, of cuddling up by the fireplace. reminiscent of storybooks, sweet old folks and bedtime tales.
woke up to the smell of bacon and toast and eggs, because apparently the cg mates i'd grown so fond of over the past 3 days were cooking up a storm in the kitchen. had breakfast, then headed out to bondi beach for some nua-ing in the sand. it was slightly chilly but after playing some games that required lots of running, we were all warmed up and, in fact, out of breath. photowhored, took some silly videos, and that marked the end of the great times out basking in the sun for this trip. we went back to the beachhouse, packed up and headed back for glen.
not without stopping at geelong for the all-famous fish and chip though. but guess what, its closed down!! not one of us could come up with a plausible reason for its closure, sad. i first came to know about it when the girls, josh and kel drove down the great ocean road. we din get to have it then too. oh wells. hmmm and talking about food, i must say that throughout this trip, mealtimes were really irregular. had entirely snacks (lemon biscuits, oreos, potato chips) for a breakfast! never felt so unhealthy in my entire life. we also skipped lunch the next day. mainly cos we were on the road and so it couldnt really be helped.
in addition, i think i've experienced more varied weathers in this trip than i have in my entire life (hence the post title). it is, after all, melbourne. the city renown for having 4 seasons in a day. it shone, hailed, rained, and blew like there was no tomorrow. and gosh, if the people who went with me to the great ocean road previously thought they'd experienced the worst of winds, this time when i was there it was comparatively 10 times windier!! i almost couldnt take a non-shaky photo, and my camera is antishake! if i were to describe the feeling, i'd call it a new kind of brainfreeze. honestly cos it felt like so!! the winds blew so strongly that my head was chillmaxed (term coined by josh, used literally here) and a few times i was almost literally 'swept off my feet', albeit not by a knight in shining armour.
but all was good. fabulous, rather. and because harsh times build strong bonds/friendships, and great times etch deep memories, i'm missing the cg already. thanks all you great people for the wonderful time! i really like how we all look out for each other and help each other along.
and i'll TAKE ONE FOR THE TEAM (a phrase spontaneously coined and used EXCESSIVELY throughout the whole trip ;p), any day.
i fluttered by;
11:30 PM
