Continuing on with that ‘better late than never theme…..’ (Ahem.)
We were really disappointed we didn’t have more time to spend in Sydney, but I was also overcome with excitement to discover a completely new part of the country I was already so taken by. I had naively originally expected that we would just hop into a rental car and drive South down the coastline on a leisurely drive, but after discovering that the trip from Sydney to Melbourne would log twelve to fifteen hours in the car (and all while driving on the other side of the road!), that idea was quickly scrapped, and we made our way to the airport for a much more palatable hour-and-thirty-minute flight. After a small misunderstanding with our cab driver (which resulted at being dropped off at some random [wrong!] terminal and some subsequent whining and begging to allow our bags to be checked with barely twenty minutes till takeoff), we were off.
Our first order of business upon arrival was securing our rental car, and driving even further down the coast, out of Melbourne, down to an area called the Mornington Peninsula. We were absolutely ravenous by the time we were arrived, but we pushed half-way through the three-hour long trip in search of a little town called Springvale where we had heard you could find the best bowl of Pho you’d ever eat in your life. After a few a slew of U-turns, we finally flung open the door to Pho Hung Vuong Saigon, and sat down to what turned out to be one of the best meals in my thirty years on planet Earth: perfectly spiced clear beef broth, nearly see-through strips of thinly sliced beef shin and tendon, and piles of fresh cilantro, bean thread noodles, and chili peppers on the side. It was the best kind of comfort food, and chased away any remaining remnants of jet lag that had plagued our early wakeup that morning. We sucked our bowls down in record time and hit the road again, cranky no longer, towards Uncle Norman and Aunt Miyoko’s house nestled deep down in the peninsula.
As we traversed further out of the city and into the countryside, the scenery turned lush and green, and caution signs for the odd jumping kangaroo or clumsy wombat dotted the roadsides with increasing frequency. The Mornington Peninsula has become a popular country escape for the city dwellers of Melbourne proper, and is well known for it’s many wineries, golf resorts, rocky beaches, and quaint towns. Norm and Miyoko had generously offered to host us at their lovely home for three nights, and from the very moment we arrived we immediately felt at ease. I am very lucky in that I am married to man whose interesting heritage (half Kiwi [New Zealand], half British) lends itself to having wonderful friends and relatives all over the world, and, as a weary traveler, encountering familiar and friendly faces on the other side of the globe makes the entire experience that much more special. As soon as we were settled, Norm pulled out his impressive collection of sake glasses (it is a tradition in their house for each guest to select their own) and Miyoko began preparing us an appetizer of traditional Japanese tempura with fresh local fish and plump green peas. We settled in to their backyard, surrounded by the sounds of local birds and the scent of their garden flowers, kicked off our shoes, and relaxed.
We spent the next three days exploring the peninsula and taking in all that the gorgeous area had to offer. Norm booked us in for massages at the natural hot springs that he runs year round, and we were totally spoiled – it was the absolute best massage I have ever had, and after being reduced to a jelly-like state I slinked into the hot mineral-rich waters of one of the thermal pools, and floated on my back till my hands and feet were pruned. We dined outside on invigorating ‘spa food’ – healthy fresh pressed juices and delicious cool and crisp salads – and toured the grounds extensively, trying out something called a ‘Turkish Bath” and even braving a couple of the chilly plunge pools. (For the record, I was much happier lazing in the warmth than sadistically dunking in the cold.) The weather was unbeatable – warm, sunny, and dry – and we capped off a fantastically relaxing day with supper at a local Thai restaurant, sampling a green curry, delicious phat si lo (aka pad see ew, a rice noodle dish), and, my favorite, a whole fried local fish with tamarind sauce, enjoyed straight off the bone.
Our next days were spent cruising down the coast line and stopping in to explore the beach towns of Sorrento and Portsea, both of which were emphatically charming and surprising. We had both left Manly expecting that the ‘beach’ portion of our vacation was over (the forecast in Mornington was not exactly working in our favor), but the sun struggled to get it’s head out up and over the clouds, and we were afforded bright blue skies and (mostly) sunny afternoons for our entire stay. Our favorite beach was located in Sorrento, with a craggy and rough coastline punctuated by enormous rocks, and gorgeous seaweed covered flats that made for an impressive view while rounding up over a crest and dropping down onto the beach. We strolled through the center of town and shopped at the boutiques, taking breaks for perfectly brewed cappuccinos and scoops of fresh strawberry ice cream which were immediately followed with long naps on our outstretched towels, and some hard work on our Aussie tans.
Our final afternoon was spent touring the countryside, stopping in for tastings at two of Miyoko’s favorite wineries, and enjoying a long and late lunch of seared duck, curried mussels, and meltingly rare salmon filets. We swung by an organic market and picked up a selection of locally made (and very stinky!) cheeses to enjoy with that evening’s planned meal of grilled lamb chops, and indulged in a long nap and an old movie in bed before supper. Norm was an expert on the grill and seared the chops till just their very middles had twinges of scarlet, and after eating entirely too much (and sharing a few bottles of red wine), we participated in what I can only describe as a horribly sorry (but very enthusiastic!) karaoke session. (Let’s just say that my rendition of the B-52′s “Love Shack” was causing both of their poor cats to yowl uncontrollably!). An A+ for effort was given to all.
Mornington is beautiful – and unexpectedly so, actually. We had read that it was a haven for tired city-dwellers and knew it would be relaxing and ‘pretty’, but the plushness of the landscape, the sharp aquamarine hue of the ocean, and the rolling and unadulterated lush green hills that blanket the region literally took our breath away. We experienced all of this beauty in such a comfortable setting, and were so grateful to have such wonderful, kind, and caring hosts to have made our experiences there truly unique. I felt genuinely rested when we packed up our car (and apologized to said kitties for my utter lack of any vocal talents), and we sadly said our goodbyes. We rolled back up the coastline (and had a few panicked moments forgetting we were meant to keep our vehicle firmly planted in the left lane) towards Melbourne, and off towards the last stretch of our adventure – five days spent in St. Kilda, a funky enclave of the sprawling city, and five more glorious chances to discover even more about this fantastically enigmatic country.
{sorrento, in front of the beach}
{waves + tidepools}
