Over the Half-Way Mark

I thought it was about time I included a map of this country I'm been gallavanting across, so that you folks out there who don't carry around the 4kg Lonely Planet as your bible can see just where I have been traipsing about.

A brief update since we last spoke...the Great Ocean Road was, in a nutshell, great. The majority of people venture out this way for the chance to see the famous 12 Apostles, formed when the forces of nature gradually erode the softer limestone rock, which create caves in the rock. When these newly formed arches in the rock collapse, 45m tall rock islands are left standing, all by their lonesome. I shall scan in a photo the next time I have a chance.

Two and a half days later, we rolled back into Melbourne Central in our Hyundai Accent- the THIRD vehicle we attempted to leave Budget Rentals with. The first car gulped up Tero's CD, which was some sort of compilation of Finnish music that me, being the openminded person I am, was more than willing to try out. Sadly, the 2 CDs he brought were reduced to 1 and the trip hadn't even started. Luckily, I had my I.Pod Road Trip with me which is backed with no fewer than seven Celine Dion albums. We moved all our luggage into Car #2 only to find out that they had secretly upgraded us due to the mishap and the key was actually for Car #3. Hmph!

Back in Melbourne we explored the area of St. Kilda and had a scrumptious Indian meal for dinner. We left feeling 80% full, which according to the new book "Why Japanese women don't get old or fat" is the perfect amount. Bullocks. We went for ice cream.

In less than two weeks my dear, wise, elder sister comes out to Sydney and then (see above Map), we fly up to the Whitsunday Islands, where I will most certainly scan in pictures of white sandy beaches and bury the scarf/toque/mitt set I've been forced to acquire here. From the Whitsundays, we move on to Fraser Island, not pictured, but located at the dot of the Sunshine State. Come early June, I am off to Cairns where I will likely stick to snorkelling and leave the scuba diving to the silly people who are just asking to be eaten by a giant shark. The final leg of my Aussie journey will be in the Outback (Darwin-Alice Springs/Ayers Rock), camping under the stars and sleeping with life-size bugs.