Just a drive

Nicholas suggested we go for a picnic on Christmas Day. So Donna and I went for a drive to see why parks might be good. 

We drove around s not and ended up at Sugarloaf reservoir.  A great spot and maybe one to use.  It was however 35º in the shade so we didn't stay long today.  Just long enough for a couple of snaps and then back home where it is cool inside. 

Watsonia motor Show

Donna and I spent this morning at the Watsonia motor Show.  That is kind of an exaggeration of a name.  Basically it is a bunch of really nicely done up cars both restored and hotted up.  They park around the local shops so they get local trade while you look at the cars.

Here are some of the more interesting ones. 

Hopefully this is in order.  Check out the aspire in the Jeep, then the yellow one is the promotional vehicle used for the Mad Max movie,. Third, check out how low this is,  it is one of those jack up suspension cars. Lastly I just liked this old Fairlane 500, it is very similar to one my uncle Kevin had. 

Mt Buller

As fate would have it, as we were about to leave for home yesterday we looked out the window to be greeted by the most magnificent blue sky, not a cloud to be seen.  We decided that as the top of Mt Buller was only about a 30 min drive we could do it on our way home. 

Because it is almost summer we were able to drive a lot of the way and then just walk the last pinch.  That last pinch though is quite steep,  see picture. 

INSERT PINCH HERE

The walk though was well worth it.  There is a plinth on the top showing what is in every direction and just to prove we are there,  here is Donna at the plinth.  The view is spectacular although not great for photography at that time, the light is quite flat. 

INSERT DONNA HERE

Pinnacle Valley Merrijig

Donna and I had some points to use up so we decided to book into the resort here in Merrijig for a couple of days.  It is right at the base of Mt Buller surrounded by mountains in a gorgeous little valley. It is so quite and peaceful up here.  The Delatite River runs through the bottom of the Valley and you can sit and listen to it from the resort. 

Today we headed up to the top of Mt Buller.  Unfortunately the weather had closed in and the top was covered in cloud, so no sight seeing.  We are yet to see my Buller in good weather.

ONJ Wellness Walk

Not last weekend but the one before Donna and I completed the Olivia Newton-John Wellness Walk in aid of the Olivia Wellness Centre at the Austin Hospital.  It is a Centre that provides help and complimentary treatment for patients with cancer.  I haven't actually been there but I am told it is really very good.  Anyway we had good weather and it was a pleasant walk. 

We are now planning on doing the City to St Kilda walk/run but this time in aid of gastric intestinal cancer research, something close to my heart or maybe  I  should say stomach, especially now it is back.  So don't be surprised if you get an email from us asking to help raise funds. 

Anyway here is a photo of us just as we are about to start the walk. 

St Leonards

An almost sunny Sunday and we had off for a day trip in Bob.  Trying to vary the schedule a bit we head down to Queenscliffe. As usual we take a les direct route.

As we drive out of Geelong we decide to visit all the small places off the main roads.  There are some really nice little towns on the way.  Eventually we stopped at Pt Lonsdale where they had a market.  Donna can't go past a country market.  These little towns are right on the water and everywhere has magnificent views. 

Moving on we pull in at St Leonards for a bite of lunch.  A couple of hamburgers that were Ok without being great but a nice lunch anyway.  By the time we got to Queenscliffe it was time to turn around and head home. 

Belated Birthday present- Tiger Moth Flight

As a birthday present this year the family gave me a voucher for a flight in a tiger moth. So today I took my belated present and it was awesome.

But first -

I don't want to drag it out too much but we travelled over to the Lilydale airport via Healesville. Which isn't really a way to get there as you go through where the airport is to get to Healesville but I had a birthday voucher from the  RACV Club so we decided to make a bit more of a day of it by having lunch at the Club first. The RACV Club at Healesville is really very smart and the food always excellent. So Donna and I detoured to Healesville first. Donna had a superb looking T-Bone steak with steamed greens as a side while I had the more adventurous Braised Duck Gnocci which was unusual. In that I mean that the gnocci was unusual not the duck. It was unusual as instead of being smothered in either a creamy or tomato sauce it was cheesy with a very light sauce. All to make the duck the star of the meal, which it was. Both choices excellent and the view from the windows of the Club out to the ranges it is nestled in  as always spectacular. I do like it up there.

Enough food talk, the flight I hear you say. I was given a 20 minute joy ride of the Yarra Valley. A tiger moth is a very small plane from the first world war era. An open cabin bi-plane, they are noisy and windy. At the place where I did it they try to got you into the feel of the era as well by supplying an old style leather flying jacket and of course the leather head gear and goggles. They are so much fun, they feel all the changes in the breeze but are at the same time ultra manoeuvrable. We zig-zagged our way across the valley and turned some circles just for fun. As you can see in one of the photos below there isn't much visibility, either in front or out the side. I wanted to be about 30CM (1foot) taller.  

I so enjoyed the flight I would like to do some of the more adventurous flights like their aerobatics one where you get to do a loop. That would be fun. Anyway for now I've thoroughly enjoyed this flight. Thank you family.