Weekend 4th-5th April

Well yet again more than a week has gone by and I haven't yet told you of our great camping adventure on the Mornington Peninsular.
We decided that it would be nice to get away for the weekend, and there is no cheaper way to get away than a quick stint of camping.
El had planned the route over her working week and I had spent 3 days getting very excited.
We set off on the Saturday morning bright and early, and for us, and for a Saturday it really was bright and early. We had the car and were on the road by 9 am.
First stop was the Australian Gardens, a sort of National Trust esk place, They had set out this garden with plants from all over Australia, built water features, and sculptures It is quite hard to explain so I am providing you with this link for you to peruse at your leisure. http://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/australian_garden What I will say is that arriving at such an early hour meant that we had the entire place to ourselves and in the morning sun it was a very pleasant way to start our weekend. Armed with coffee we got back on the road and headed for stop number 2 Red Hill market. They absolutely love markets here, markets and food. We had a good look around the market and were tempted by many things, jams and chutneys as well and chocolate cake and yummy breads. We managed however to leave the market place having only purchased 1 earring. We drove to Arthurs Seat, this is a region that has it's very own scenic chair lift, the only issue with said chair lift is that it is broken. When I say it is broken what I actually mean is that it fell out of the sky and collapsed, they re built it and again it fell apart. You have to wonder at Australian construction, when we first arrived there was a considerable amount of hype regarding the Eye, it is pretty much an exact replica of the London Eye the only difference being that it lasted 2 weeks before the extreme heat buckled the structure. Call me silly but even I who have little knowledge of engineering may have factored in the extreme temperatures of a Melbourne Summer and worked that into my plans!
So with the chair lift in taters at the bottom of the hill we proceeded to the viewing point. I can tell you that on a clear day it would have been a wonderful view of the peninsula, the sad truth is that it was not a clear day and we could just about make out the coastline.
We next touched down in Rose bud and set up camp. The camp site was slightly scary, full of makeshift homes and caravans that looked as if their owners had arrived some 30 years ago and decided to stay. We however had the perfect little pitch right next to a track leading down to the beach.
After we'd set up our temporary home we decided to drive all the way along the peninsula. The sun had finally come out and it was really nice drive through all the different seaside townships. We stopped for lunch in Sorrento ( a rather posh little seaside town ) and decided that we could try and buy a camping light.
The following then took place;
We went into the first shop, a homeware store selling everything you can imagine under the sun, I approached the man at the counter and this was our conversation:
Me - Good morning
Him - Hello there how can I help?
Me - I was looking to buy a camping light
Him - Ok - like a torch ?
Me - no - you know the ones which you sort of …
With my hands gesturing the motion of pulling the top of the light up
Him - Ah - an inflatable lamp
Me - Pardon?
His colleague quickly took the lead and escorted me to the camping Isle. They did not have the lantern esk lamp I required, he advised that there was a variety shop up the street and we should try there. we thanked him and left.
As we walked up the street I was giggling to myself about the inflatable lantern, little did I suspect that things were about to get a lot worse.
As we entered the variety store my better sense of judgement should have told me to expect the worse, this dimly lit store was packed full of everything under the sun and there was a thick layer of dust covering most of it. El approached the counter
El - Hello we are looking for a lantern type camping light do you have one ?
Me - keeping my hands firmly at my sides trying not to laugh
Shopkeeper - Yes we have this one - Pointing to a lamp which could have lit the cutty Sark
El - emmm we were really after something slightly smaller
Shopkeeper - No that's all I have
El ( pointing to the shelf above the shopkeepers head ) emm What about that one?
Shopkeeper - ahh yes we do have that one.
Me - trying so hard not to burst into giggles
El - How much is that ?
Shopkeeper - $35 that is very expensive, I wouldn’t waste my money.
Me - could we look at it please?
Shopkeeper - I guess you could ( taking lamp down from the shelf )
** The shop keeper then dusts off the lamp, rips it out of the packaging and stands it on the counter**
Shopkeeper - You do know that this takes 4 batteries which will cost you another $12 -that’s $47 in total that's a lot of money
Me - Yes, thank you but we really do need a lamp.
Shopkeeper - what about a cheap torch
El - Emmm I think this one might be just the ticket actually.
Shopkeeper - Ok then let's fire him up.
** The shopkeeper then took 2 packets of batteries, and put them in the lantern, he then spent 15 minutes trying to get the top on the lantern.
He then tried to turn it on and it did not work**
Shopkeeper - sorry it's broken
El emmm maybe the bulb has gone?
Me Maybe the batteries are in the wrong way
Shopkeeper - come back later and I'll fix it
Me - Oh it's Ok we'll figure it out
Shopkeeper - hang on
** He takes the bulb out of the lamp and tests it on a bulb testing device he has behind the counter it is working**
Shopkeeper - Lets swap the batteries around
I am now laughing so hard I am crying, El is trying to make out that the whole thing is funny and the shopkeeper joins in,
After a further 10 minute struggle the light comes on.
El - that is perfect, thank you so much
Me - yes, thanks
Shopkeeper, are you sure you want it?
El and I - YES.
25 MINUTES AFTER ENTERING THE SHOP WE MANAGE TO LEAVE WITH THE LAMP.
It didn't stop there either.
On our way to the camp site I decided I wanted to stop in Aldi for some food. El was not at all happy with my super market choice which obviously made me want to go there even more! So we walked around with me buying chocolate and biscuits and then we came to the alcohol isle, I picked up a bottle of cheap bubbles and headed for the tills. When the teller came to the fizzy wine she says " does one of you have some ID " El produces her drivers licence proving her to be 28 years of age, I realise the woman is fixing her gaze on me. I looked at her, and she said
" and you " I looked at her in disbelief,
"I don't carry ID I'm 26 years old"
Her response to this was …
" Well I can't sell the alcohol to your friend as she could be buying it for you and you are clearly a minor"
My jaw hit the floor. El was delighted and we swiftly went to Safeway down the road.
We hit the beach then and decided to have a few beers and attempt the crossword puzzle book we had just brought but it was so so so cold that we had to concentrate just to be able to breath! We then had an inspired idea.
Earlier in the day we had driven past Peninsula Hot springs
Yes, even lowly back packer campers can throw caution to the wind and head for one of the most exclusive luxury spa's in Victoria for some evening bathing.
42 degree water certainly warms the cockles and an hour later after nipping between 38 40 42 and 2 degree natural springs ( the 2 degree plunge pool was like torture )
We were warn enough to head back to the camp site and sleep.
It really was delightful at the hot springs and we are going to take Sa there this week as a surprise.
The next morning we packed up the tent in 5 minutes flat and set off on our adventures, it was a horrid day and after a rather blustery walk half way up a cliff we were wet and cold and I was tempted to head back to the spa.. El was far more practical and despite her desire to do a 16 km walk in the teaming rain far more practical we went to a couple of the beaches on the backside of the Peninsula and started the drive back to Melbourne. Somehow, as we turned a corner there in front of us was a rather stunning steam train with a sign saying Mornington Railway. Now I firmly believe that if you are driving along a road, and you have no where you have to be, and you have the spirit of adventure and you see a steam train and you DON'T stop then you are a fool. So we stopped.
It was quite lucky that we did because as El pulled into the car park (in a rather dramatic style) the train was just getting ready to leave, apparently it runs just 4 times a day twice a month and we had just happened upon one of those lovely things that life brings. We had a coffee at our destination and within the hour were back at the car park and ready to resume the journey home.
It was a lovely weekend, the weather was rubbish but not even that could get us down - it just shows that a bottle of bubbles, some chocolate, ( Did I forget to mention the lovely breakfast we had ) and a copy of the puzzler will see you through, and camping with a lamp ( even if it did cost $47 including batteries ) is just the thing to put a spring in your step.
Much love to you all
Leah and El