I am still playing at being a tourist in Victoria and have seen a fair bit since my last entry. I have driven the Great Ocean Road, seen the penguins of Phillip Island and even walked on Ramsey Street, so as you can tell I'm cramming a fair bit in.... A lack of cash is strong motivator to do things quickly and get back to Queensland to work! But even though my budget is a tad stretched right now, I'm determined to see everything and do it all properly. It was with this attitude that I parted with some hard earned cash to tour the Great Ocean Road and Phillip Island. Now having lived in Yorkshire for most of my life, I'm used to pretty good scenery. But the views the Great Ocean Road offer are stunning and provide some picture postcard photo opportunities. There are the 12 Apostles (only six are viewable from the ground, in order to see all 12 you have to go up in a helicopter - just another way of making money I reckon but that could just be the backpacker or budget traveller in me coming out!). Then there is London Bridge (formerly London Arch till part of it fell down and became London bridge... seriously I'm not pulling your leg!) Finally there are the gorgeous beaches including Bells Beach, a world renowned surfing beach (it was far too cool and trendy for me, full of bronzed bodies, blond hair and board shorts!) But for me the most impressive bit wasn't the stunning views of cliffs or the winding road snaking its way from Melbourne to Adelaide, it was seeing a koala in the wild for the first time!  | | Koala bear |
Now before I came here I pretty much presumed you would see them all over the place, but you hardly ever do. So as the tour bus wound its way around yet another set of unnerving bends and I spied a koala sleeping in a eucalyptus tree (they sleep over 70% of the day) I was chuffed to bits and insisted on sending a message to my Ozzy friend who has never seen a koala in the wild (I guess some people have all the luck and today it was my turn!) From the Great Ocean Road it was over to Phillip Island where I found out how victimised single travellers are. Now I like travelling on my own and whilst most of my trips have been with friends, when I went to Phillip Island I went alone and was immediately told by the driver to sit in one of the single seats as opposed to the doubles! Now as I pointed out, yes I was a single traveller but how was I supposed to meet anyone if I had to sit on my own? He didn't really have an answer for that one but I guess he won as for the rest of the day I sat in a single seat contemplating my singleness! Luckily the day improved beyond the driver's bullying of singles with the spectacle that is the penguin parade. The penguin parade happens just after sunset as the penguins return from their day fishing to their burrows. It is a brilliant spectacle seeing these fairy penguins come ashore and head home for the night, however you cant take pictures because of the flash. Now this I can fully understand but something I can't understand is the fact that just down the road you can take photos of the penguins at dusk so still there is a flash...... Maybe these types of penguins don't mind being blinded too much, very bizarre! Could you be a student diarist?
If you hail from North Yorkshire or are studying in the county and think you could squeeze out a few hundred words about once a month (more if you want to!) get in touch with us by emailing northyorkshire@bbc.co.uk | 
