A long christmas break calls for a long coastal drive and the destinaltion we chose this time was Melbourneeeee !!!!!
This one was perhabs the most random trip that we ever planned and 2 days prior to travelling we did not even have our driving license. So we just had 1 day to plan the entire itienary and accomodation.
Melbourne is about 1032 Kms from Sydney if one travels along the coastline and 878 Kms via M31. We chose the coastline drive as it offers great scenic view with a couple of picturesque stop overs.
We took our first halt at Wollongong to get some snacks and buy the GPS device for our rented car as it is really difficult to travel without GPS and phones cannot be trusted due to signal issues all along the way.
The next stop over was Eden - a beauiful town in New South Wales where we were going to stay overnight and which also marks the halfway of thr trip. This time we tried out something new and booked a bunk bed for us through AirBnB which turned out to be quite exciting actually. The house owner was quite hospitable except for the fact that she had a big dog, quite friendly though :). We took a stroll around the town both in the evening and next day morning along the Aslings beach and a nearby lake.
We then started our drive towards our next destination "Lake Entrance" which was a quick one for lunch as we wanted to make it to Melbourne before dark. We also took couple of short stopovers for quick pictures and refilling our food stock.
Melbourne was now just 2 hours away from us. I was starting to get super excited about visiting the fashion capital of Australia.Not long when i could already feel the vibes of the vibrant city and there i could see the look and feel of the streets getting changed as we entered into the city.
We first headed to our friends place who stayed almost in the heart of the city not far from the CBD and got a chance to meet their adorable little one. After a night full of chit-chats and sumptuous dinner we went straight to bed. It was a beautiful yet tiring journey.
Day 1: Today we planned to explore the areas around CBD and all the famous streets an cafes Melbourne is famous for.
We first headed for a brunch with our friends. Oh what a place it was, with unlimited breakfast option and amazing desserts.
Thereafter we said goodbye to out friends and started on foot to explore the neighbourhood. We visited all the iconic places like the Melbourne cricket ground, Flinders street railway station, Melbourne Town Hall,Princes bridge and the Seafarers bridge.
We ended the first awesome day in the city with dinner in one of the cozy cafes and took a tram back to home.
Day 2: Drive to the great Ocean road: One of the most scenic drives i have done in my life. We drove all the way to Queenscliff, had breakfast in one of the cafes of this cute little town, explored few of the surroundings that this place had to offer and started our drive to the 12 apostles. This drive is definitely a must do if you are anywhere near Melbourne. The ocean flows by the side of the hilly road though out the drive and it just makes it feel out of the world. The 12 apostles are huge rocks standing amidst the ocean giving you simply outstanding views to witness. We felt like never leaving the place and clicked thousands of pictures there.
By the time we returned back it was already dark. It was 31st December and we had plans to go for the New year fireworks in the city but i was so so tired that all i wanted to do it sleep ... ha ha ha.
Day 3: Hitting the beach: Melbourne has few amazing beaches to offer. We did our breakfast at a beach side restaurant in St Kilda Beach. A goodstart to the new year, must say :)
We then went to the Brighton beach, which is famous all over the world for its bright and colourful bathing boxes, so getting a few pictures clicked was a must. Today was more about lazing around by the beach and exploring some good eating points. We also passed through lot of wall arts Melbourne streets are really famous for, quite eye catching they were.
Day 4: Day to cruise though the city on tram. Came across lots of new places where we would not have been able to reach on a car like the Melbourne pier and the "Jean Paul Gaultier National Gallery of Victoria", so taking a public transport is one of the best ways to explore some parts of the city.
In the later part of the day we went to the crown casino, just loved it!! Since it was christmas time, the whole place was decorated beautifully. There were also some fine dining places around which was perfect for our last night dinner in this spectacular city.