The Road that is great and by the Ocean!

Loosely translated: Great Ocean Road. One of the things that I have been planning to do ever since we got to Melbourne. In the end we decided to include it into our trip heading to Adelaide. We didn't really get to appreciate it as much as we could have. Our aim was to get to The Twelve Apostles by Sunset for some great photos. This didn't exactly go to plan. We first had to drop off the car we were borrowing back upto Violet town, stayed there two nights just for some free accomodation. So, we drop off the car, pick up a hire car, lovely Hyundai Getz (when I say lovely I mean a Skip on wheels - but with a CD player and air conditioning). We had to drive two hours just to get back to Melbourne before getting anywhere Great Ocean Road. May I add we were late picking up the car due to having difficulties finding the hire place - how were we supposed to know the shop would be labelled as a Party Hire shop with "Car Hire" in small writing!! 3 hours later we hit Great Ocean Road. By this time we knew we were getting a little short on time and it was Gavs time to drive. What made the road for me was not just the coastal views but the road its self. How I would have loved to have taken my TT along it for a bit of a blast. It is one of the windiest roads I've ever come across (well until two days later). That little car got an absolute caning along that road. Our sole goal to get there by sunset. Mission failed. Guess we shouldn't have chosen to accept it! Stayed at Port Campbell for the night in a strangely homely hostel. Open log fire etc etc. It was empty, only 4 other people, 2 of them we didn't see and 2 girls. We taught them how to play Poker and had a great laugh with them. Next day Twelve Apostles - by daylight and then on our way along the rest of the road heading up through The Grampiens. We were told (Thanks for the advice Ryan & Kelly from Base) this was the best route to go as the rest of the road that goes a long the coast isn't so great and is just called The Ocean Road. Grampiens were pretty spectacular. A mountain range that had been hit by bush fires in the summer. A lot of the growth was starting to shoot again but still you could tell the devistation. Again it was a great windy road that led right up into the mountains at one stage, which gave some pretty awesome views of the mountain range. Stayed at a place called Horsham for the night. Not the best place we've stayed, titchy little porta cabin with two single beds and about a foot inbetween, but most importantly it was dirt cheap! Not the nicest of towns but it was close to the highway for our remaining journey onto Adelaide. Left pretty early knowing that we had to get the car back by 4. Not much scenery on the Highway, just wide open space. And to be honest, not much to report about Adelaide. Met some nice people though: Chris from Sweden, Colette from London, Sarah from Scotland and ofcourse Hayley who has moved over here - Lucky her!. Happy days, til next time.....