VO Tour - Frankston

 11th-13th January - Frankston

A remarkable job, really, our pack-up. Without Chris, we still managed to get the job done in 90 minutes. Mind you, I will be glad for his return, as he is a reliable member of the team.

A change of plans, bought on by the state qf the caravan park at Monbulk. 

When we arrived, the kids stepped from the car and were handed some loud-mouthed, foul abuse from an example of the urchins that called the park home. Their parents came out of a nearby van and proceeded to let fly with their own version of foul language. The word selection was the same, but modem education had at least gtven the children the advantage of correct usage.

Out with the NRMA guide and the road map and it was off to Frankston!

The Frankston Mobile Village was the destination and we were pleased to be there. Beaut park, with great facilities.

In the afternoon, we went to the movies - again - this time to see Forest Gump. I had seen it the night before at Ballarat but all of us went today. What a great show. Tom Hanks deserves all accolades that may come his way from this movie. I feel it is an automatic choice in my top ten, which will need some reshuffling when I return home. I felt moved in the same way as I had by The Colour Purple and taken through a roller coaster of emotions. Highly recommended.

Home to the camp and finally the erection of the tent - a job we had left until the cooler part of the day. This was a real trial, as the ground was rock hard and many of the pegs took the bending option. After much blood, sweat and tears - and the odd expletive - it was up.

The next morning, following an excellent night's sleep, we headed for the south and the Mornington Peninsula, in search of some swimming beaches.

A visit to the Cape Nepean NP on the tip of the Momington Peninsula was a surprise packet. We had no indication, before arriving, that an excellent series of walking tracks existed and so had not equipped ourselves for walking. The kids weren't particularly worried, as they only desired foaming water.

This was eventually found at Portsea Ocean Beach, not far in terms of kilometres from Cheviot Beach, where Harold Holt disappeared (check your fish and chips). The beach was at the bottom of a reasonably steep walkway and was not over crowded, despite being busy. There was only a narrow section of the beach open and the water looked quite choppy and broken. After the children and I had swum, Sue went off for some swimming in the surf. Unfortunately, she caught a rip and was taken out to sea. After struggling for about ten minutes, she was assisted by some others swimmers and a couple of board riders. She earned my ire by not calling for helpfrom the Life Savers, who were heavily represented.

After escaping the water and resting, she spoke with the Life Savers , to find that they had executecl 37 rescues the day before and wanted the beach closed but were denied by the local authorities. We believe that the tourist dollar was more important than the threat of someone getting into strife. The fact that the beach was to be the scene of the last round of the Uncle Toby's Iron Man series following day probably had a lot to do with it as well.

Friday the 13th and our last day in, nominally, Melbourne.

Our clay started with washing and chores, before our trip to Melbourne Airport to retrieve our eldest, from his visit with Gog and Pa. He arrived, looking well, even though the flight had been slightly bumpy, particularly on descent. He had many stories to tell about his five days with his grandparents and the afternoon urfolded in their retelling.

The setting for this was the Royal Botanic Gardens, on the south side of the YarraRiver.

We ate a picnic lunch before wandering through the park lands, in awe at the wonderful variety of native and exotic plants, trees and shrubs. One particular tree that captured our attention was planted 100 years ago by the then Governor's son and was adjacent to the Governor's residence at the western end of the Gardens. It was an Algerian Oak Tree and it had a massive branch coverage width. We measured it to be about 40 metres from where one branch dipped to touch the earth on one side, to where a similarly branch did likewise on the opposite side of the tree.

Several of the ponds were fascinating, with the bird life including ducks, swans and mourns and the waters also containing eels and turtles.

There was a romantic atmosphere to the place that was exemplified by the lovers, young and old, that were dotted about the gardens on benches and under the shade of trees.

From here, it was back to the caravan park for a swim in a heated pool - although, with an ambient temperature in the mid thirties, this actually became uncomfortable after a while.

We spoke with an older couple who were touring Australia and compared notes on places they had
been. Whilst they were able to pass on some interesting infonnation about Western Australia and Northern Territory, we were able to advise on several places in New South Wales, particularly coastal sites that they intended visiting on their way home to Queensland. Conversation petered out after they expressed views about aboriginals that did not sit well with me.

Pack up tomorrow and off to Lakes Entrance NP, with the full crew. Our visit there will signal that two thirds of our trip will have been completed.