PASSING WITH FLYING COLOURS -- DAY 13

I slept in, kind of.  I woke up without an alarm at 5:45 then promptly went back to sleep until 8 :)  Finally a day without an alarm clock.  

Called about a flight up to the 12 Apostles, as it was a beautiful clear day out.  No luck because they had no flights already scheduled.  Decided to do the other end of the GOR that I missed on the way here on Saturday --- Torquay, Anglesea, and Lorne.  Interesting house along the way -- check out the location -- it would have a view for sure.

Not as many cars as I thought, I guess since the holiday weekend is over, the people are headed home.  Driving slow -- stopped first in Lorne - a seaside village with lots of people out at the beach.  The tide was low and there were a few kids out there messing around on surfboards.  One small boy kept getting up on the board then doing different jumps off of it, very amusing.  People were walking on the rocks looking for something too, don’t know what.  

In Anglesea, got takeaway for lunch (saving on food, as I don’t eat that much anyway) at a local bakery.  It was good and pizza like, but cold.  They would have heated it up, I am sure, if I had asked.  

In Jan Jac, drove around the little residential area -- very nice homes. It’s before Bell’s Beach on way to Torquay.  Stopped at Bell’s Beach, they were dismantling the event grandstands, etc.  It was much more pleasant there without all the crowds.  Oddly enough the waves were very calm.  So I guess God blessed them with the correct weather on the days they needed it for the surf competition. 

In Torquay, stopped at beaches and saw the ANZAC memorial (yesterday was ANZAC day-- and this country goes all out to honor their fallen -- the US could take a few tips from them for Memorial and Veterans Day).  The memorial was all covered with flowers and notes.  It was a great site to see.  What did Churchill say,  “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”

Also in Torquay, they had beautiful beaches all along the coastline and little shops by the esplanade.  

Surfworld museum is located here on the main highway in a shopping center complex.  I hit it and learned the history of Australian surfing.  They had a great documentary playing -- “Surfing 50 States”.  For someone who loves traveling and documentaries, it was a treat (and I bought a copy).  These two young kids/surfers, go to the US is 2006 and hit every state and surf there in some way, while enjoying the culture.  They do come to my state and enjoy the food and fun.  It was very endearing film because the boys were so free spirited and young-- no cares in the world.   I would loved to have had a camera to film my backpacking adventure in Europe in 1996. 

After getting directions to the country roads, I ended up at Tiger Moth World -- a highlight of the trip.  A Tiger Moth is a 1930’s bi-plane they used to train pilots in WWII. 

Let me preface this with I have always been fascinated with old planes.  In school, I had projects on the Red Baron and airwarfare over Japan and Europe in WWII (what a large subject to bite off), so for me to see a plane over Bell’s Beach on Saturday and then be sitting my butt in one on Tuesday was not so unexpected.  But I do get motion sick in cars and dreadfully so in boats, how could I expect to do aerobatics in an antique airplane? 

Upon arrival at the Torquay airfield (ie a large cleaned off pasture, no paved runway), I entered the painted up/decorated building.  They had paintings of old airplanes and piloting gear everywhere.  They also had a really cool looking minigolf course for kids (I guess for kids while their parent or parents went flying).  The bathroom was even painted with scenes of flying and had a shower.  

I choose the one hour flight to Lorne.  While I was waiting, two airplanes came in with some very nice people from South New South Wales.  They told me it was great.  He even bought the helmet and goggles.  They were classic car enthusiasts and were excited about a trip to the US to do Route 66.  

After getting my flight suit and very heavy pilot’s jacket on, I bravely walked out to the field and watched the good looking nice young men (James and Cameron -- both about 20 years old) push the other plane out of the way.  Had I lost my mind?  Here I was a Southern Belle in her pearls and makeup about to get in an open air antique plane -- What the hell, you only live once. 

Then my plane came in and James, my pilot -- who had been flying for 3 years, showed me how to properly enter the biplane (as the sides are made of fabric).  He buckled me in very good and I put on the helmet, headphones, and newly cleaned goggles.  Up, up, and away we went...... As we took off you could see the shadow of the plane on the grass field.  

It was an awesome experience.  On the flight out, he did a few turns but nothing drastic.  Over Bell’s Beach, he flew down a little to see the activity.  We flew along the same coastline I had driven earlier in the day.  It was wonderful to see it from the air.  You could see the “other” side -- the cliffs and the secluded beaches, the surfers from the air paddling out, the stand up paddle boarders, the people walking on the paths and beaches.  Over Airey’s Inlet Lighthouse, he did a couple of turns.  It was like flying with Peter Pan in a way, (One of my favorite rides at Disney) seeing things from a different perspective.

One way to keep me quiet -- put me in a biplane and fly me for an hour over the Aussie coastline ;).   As we flew over Cathedral Rock, it was breathtaking to see the sun starting to go down over the trees and cliffs.  I tried to get some pics but no camera can really do this experience justice -- it’s more about the feel of the wind on you and the all encompassing sights.  

At Lorne, James turned us around and headed back -- with a great big aerobatic circle.  I don’t think we did a complete flip, but I could have been wrong.  It kind of made your stomach turn when he first started, as you didn’t know what to expect.  But then it was “all good”, as they say here.  He did a few of the up turns and such on the way back over the spectacular scenery below.  With the sun setting to our west, the ride was very memorable and my pilot great -- he has a future in this and seemed to have a true passion for it at such an early age -- that’s good to see.  (I have a few close friends that have true passions for things and I love that, I guess I have a passion for traveling and experiencing different cultures.)  I give kudos to Tiger Moth World and think I passed with flying colours!! 

We landed at what I thought was an angle but when we set down it was very easy and smooth.  I hopped out of the plane without any assistance and gave him back his gloves, that he had given me and I had needed.  Bought the video for proof as my family and friends won't believe this, it should be arriving at home in a couple of weeks.  And then headed back to Apollo Bay by the “inland” road.   

That was probably a mistake in some ways and smart in another, in my direction there was no traffic, I never ended up behind any vehicle.  But for the last 40 kms it was windy/bendy the whole time.  And it was dark, I saw either a wombat or some other weird creature on the side of the road. I was relieved to see the lights of Apollo Bay and glad to get to the Beachfront Motel.  

This place is owned by Rex and Amanda Brown, who were both very nice.  It is a perfect location for exploring Apollo Bay by foot (as it is steps from the main drag) and the GOR area by vehicle (there is parking right in front of your door and Apollo Bay is almost in the middle of the area).  They maintain a clean and nice motel and have a guest laundry.  Couldn’t have asked for a better retreat for an Easter weekend at the beach.  It’s also right across the street from the beach and you can hear the surf from your room.