Cruised off to Apollo Bay

Cruised off to Apollo Bay to stay with the Badges for our annual break down there.  Yes, not Maldon, Apollo Bay where they rent a shack every year.

I was supposed to leave on Monday morning but my fistula got infected over the weekend which is really scary, as it can wreck it and I would have to have surgery to make a new one.  This is my first fistula that has lasted for 12 years, unusually long.

So it was off to emergency for antibiotics on Sunday, then to the clinic on Monday morning for the specialist to have a look at it.  They didn't want me to do my dialysis run until they saw it so I had to stay and do it on Monday night instead.

So after losing a day finally I set off on Tuesday morning and got to Apollo Bay to find the Badges among the rock pools at Marengo.

The Fisherman's Co-op now has fish'n'chips so it was there for lunch then back to the shack to settle in.

We had one of Edwards excellent lasagnas for dinner, salad compliments of Jan.

A good sleep in the next morning then up into the hills to Stephensons Falls to catch up with friends from the Blues Club who have camped there for 33 years.  You might remember I camped there with them a few years back with Zack.

We all had a good hike up to the Falls

Kel told us about the nearby Forrest Brewing Company, a new micro brewery so we headed off there for lunch.  I was a bit worried it might be a bit over the top, but it was nice and basic, and the fare was light, but tasty and excellent value.

We checked the history board outside and it was originally on old service station and shop.

We had heard that the Forrest Hotel had closed, so we wandered around the corner to check.  what a surprise.  We found another whole street that was the main center when the rail link was the only access to the area.

The old station area was taken up by a camping ground, then there were the remnants of two old sawmills on the old railway yard.

Every corner of this town seemed to contain a surprise and Edward was in his element peering at junk over fences with clear and explicit "KEEP OUT SIGNS".  No pickers welcome here Edward!

As we headed over the top of the hills back to Apollo Bay it had been a big day, but a good one.

The in joke was that this was the dry run for Jan's birthday which was the next day, but how could we upstage ourselves, as this was not on the day it would not suffice?

Thursday morning, sleep in again, then up to pack up, Jan's birthday not forgotten.

A last scout around the main street while Edward secures the tickets for the Music Festival when we return in 10 weeks time.  Jan stocks up on prawns for to take back to Maldon at the Fisherman's Coop.

I had come down the back way over the hills on Tuesday, however the trip home was up the Great Ocean Road.

I am a bit tired, so am glad to get home around mid afternoon, unpack and have a nap.

For more photos check out :

https://picasaweb.google.com/102935184649222300700/CruisedOffToApolloBay

NOTE: All  but Marengo rock pools and Stevenson Falls pictures in this blog were entirely shot by myself and Edward on the phone camera.