Merimbula to HOME!

It was a really bad drive from Canberra to Merimbula (240kms), lots of steep hills and small roads, lovely towns and scenery though, I drove for a little bit but then let Brenton take over, I did not trust myself!

The weather gods must have known this was our last stop because the sun came out to say hi, it warmed up and although I was told it was raining and yuck in Melbourne we were wearing t-shirts on our second day here! 

I loved driving into Merimbula, we used to come here every year for family holidays so it was nice and familiar and I enjoyed showing Brenton around.

TOP FUN!!

We stayed at the Tween Waters caravan park, $34 per night, a great spot and a nice stroll into town.

We visited the wharf on our second day and tried our luck with the squid jigs but we were just not born to be fisherman!

Driving away from Merimbula was sad and exciting at the same time, besides a brief visit back for a wedding we have been away a year!

We stopped in a little town called Bruthen for a lovely meat pie.

The weather was starting to turn nasty again, and after 390kms we decided to stop at a rest stop for what would be our last night on the road!!!!

Our lovely little rest stop 11kms out of Rosedale.

Tired travellers!

Normal roads again!!!

We left on the 6th of July 2010 and arrived back a year to the day on July 6th 2011!

Washing the van for the first time in 12months just before we got home.

Wow, 202 kms later back in Melbourne to stay..

What an amazing year we had! 

Getting to see Ayers Rock, Kings Canyon, playing at the pubs in the Alice, Canoeing with fab friends down Katherine gorge, 4wd trip of Litchfield, Riding camels in Broome, working in Port Hedland,riding quad bikes and snorkelling in Coral Bay, travelling overseas to Bali, wine tasting in Margaret River, catching my first fish in Denham, crossing the Nullabor, catching lots of fish in Port Lincoln, heading to the most northern point of australia, the old telly track, snorkelling in the great barrier reef, sun baking on Whitehaven beach, theme parks in queensland, our capital canberra, and so so many more amazing experiences!

Sad to say but....

THE END (until next time)

xxxx

Kiama to Canberra

We heard Kiama was a great spot so after newcastle we drove 275kms and stopped in to check out the famous blowhole.

You really did have to catch it at the right moment though...

It was a great little spot down here and so far no rain! 

A tourist taking in the scenery.

Great scenery!

This is more like it:

It did get even bigger but I was not quick enough with the Camera!

We stayed at the East Beach caravan park, 4kms from town $31 per night.

After Kiama we headed inland to the capital of australia, Canberra. (250kms)

Although the sun was out when we arrived in Canberra on the 1st of July it was FREEZING! We had not been this cold the whole trip, that night it even got to -3 so we slept in trackies, beanies and gloves and we were still cold, it just goes right through you!

Could not visit the capital and not see parliament house (and really there is not much else to do here) so off we went to see where all the important decisions are made.

Very neat and tidy.

So much marble.

Its great to have a wander around and even better, it's free!

Now here is where it happens.

Future prime minister?

After a day at Parliment house and another FREEZING night we visited the war memorial.

"Here is their spirit, in the heart of the land they loved; and here we guard the record which they themselves made" (Charles Bean, founder).

The Australian War Memorial commemorates the sacrifice of Australian men and women who served in war. Visit one of the world's great museums; an outstanding archive and centre for research into Australia's wartime history.

Pay your respects and reflect. Find out what it was like to be in war. Connect with people and events that helped shape Australia.

www.visitcanberra.com

We had a free half hour guided tour inside the museum, very informative.

Even the pictures look cold!

Hoping it will warm up for our last few nights on the road, can't believe we are so close to home after almost a year of travelling! We have now been to every state in Australia!

Next stop Merimbula!