Day 2 - Mornington Peninsula / Phillip Island

The sky was still dark. Amidst the cooling rain outside, all four of us were still deep in slumberland.

All of a sudden,

*BANG BANG BANG*

Andrew leapt right off his bed. The clock still read 6 o'clock in the morning! Who was it banging at the door frantically?

Andrew opened the door cautiously, trying to take a peek at whatever it was that was making the loud banging sound. As the door eased open, there loomed a dark figure standing in front of him.

"Breakfast's ready", chirped the motel's owner in his typical Australian bloke accent.

Yes, breakfast was served to us at 6am in the morning. The usual serving time was 7am onwards only, but we requested for a special early delivery as we planned to start the day early. However, the fact that all four of us were still in our slumberland when breakfast was delivered made us quite embarrassed of ourselves because we made the owner's effort of delivering the early breakfast gone wasted. Also, that spoke volumes of our ability to keep to our promises of waking up early, which showed up consistently over the next few days.

The plan was to catch a ferry early at 9am to bring us to the other side of the Melbourne greater region, Mornington Peninsula, so that we had more time there. Taking into consideration the time needed to wash up, eat breakfast, pack stuff, check out, driving and some buffer for any other business (including buffer in case we lost our way), there was really no time to waste.

Each of us took turns to wash-up. While waiting for the turn to use the toilet bowl (this constituted one of the any other business), basin, or shower room, the rest busied themselves with other equally important activities: packing luggages, applying honey/butter to the toast bread, pouring fruit juice etc. Once we've all washed up, we sat down comfortably on the bed to enjoy the breakfast. We took our time sinking our teeth on the toasted bread laced with honey while filling our oesophagus with cool apple juice.

After clearing up, checking out, loading our stuff onto the car, we were all set to go to catch the ferry. However, Daniel was puzzled at why John and Andrew was unpacking the tripod. Then he realised that the group had not completed a very important task -- taking a group photo. And so, we spent the next 10 minutes or so taking a few photographs to our satisfaction before we leave the motel.

Rippleside Motor Inn

We soon realised we took far longer than permitted, and we had to drive at top speed to reach the ferry terminal. To put things into perspective, the drive to the ferry terminal needed at least 40 minutes, and we had exactly 40 minutes to take us there.

Paul took charge of driving for this urgent stretch of drive. As we made our way out of Geelong town, no one made any comments/jokes unlike yesterday. The atmosphere was tense. As the clock ticked by, all of us were holding our breath, hoping that we would not miss the 9am ship. We were living on dangerous edge.

8.45am ticked by, we were still flanked by pastures dotted with cows or sheep.

8.55am and we were still a distance away from Queenscliff, the small town that housed the ferry dock.

8.59am reached and we were speeding down the road, navigating through a few roundabouts which slowed us down.

Tick. The clock showed 9.00am.

It was at that instant that our car screeched to a stop abruptly at the ferry ticket gate. We could see the big ferry right in front us, and we would have drove right up to it if not for the toll barrier gate.

"4 adults and a car? That'll be A$68", the counter staff said.

Upon hearing that, all of us was suddenly enrolled in a competition of "who was the fastest to fork out money from the wallet".

We scrambled out our wallets but John took the medal. As John was seated on the far left, the monies passed from John to Andrew, then to Paul who passed it to the counter staff. As the monies exchanged hands, we were all focused on one important question: whether we could be on board the 9am ferry right in front of us .

"I'll put you guys on this ferry," assured the counter staff.

We all heaved a heavy relief and congratulated Paul for bringing us to the the ferry on time, and more importantly, safely as well. As we drove in, we realised that there were only 3 cars in front of us. Not long after we switched off the engine and alighted from the vehicle, the ferry closed its doors and prepared for sail.

We congratulated ourselves that we made it in time, and congratulated Paul even more, for he was so composed throughout the journey. The epitome of coolness personified. We celebrated our success by relaxing at the lower deck observation area and enjoyed the sea breeze and sea view. A woman walked by and offered to take a group photograph of us, after which we made our way upwards to the deck for even more photographs.

Group shot @ Queenscliff-Sorrento Ferry

40 minutes later, we arrived at the other side of the Melbourne greater region, Mornington Peninsula. We drove along the coastal road and enjoyed the view of Port Phillip Bay. The beaches were dotted with colourful beach houses, presumably changing rooms.

We soon got bored of the repetitive view and switched our minds to the next important task: pump up our vehicle for the fuel level was perilously low. We were lucky to spot one kiosk by the roadside and drove right up to it. The prices of fuel were slightly more expensive compared to Geelong's, but we had no choice for our tank was near empty.

The big guzzler drank a full 69 litres before it burped some signs to notify us that it was near full. That works out to be A$130, and this further translates to a fuel efficiency of a poor 7.5 km per litre. The poor fuel efficiency could be justified by the steep climbs along the Great Ocean Road as well as our frequent stops yesterday.

Just when we were about to curse and swear yell at the expensive diesel, we were educated by a notice pasted in front of us that illustrated a huge chunk of that monies goes to the government, as well as the petrol company and the humble kiosk earns only a tiny little bit. We felt better after that but still shook our fists at the profiteering parties.

Don't blame the kiosk for the pricey fuel

We dropped by 'i' again and picked up a few brochures. The plan was to find a restaurant to have a fine lunch with wines. "Red Hill Brewery" was one of the award winning restaurants with good choices of beer, so we headed there.

On the journey, we followed the mountain road. It was lucky for us to have a four-wheel drive, if not the uphill experience would require tremendous engine work.

As we ascended the hill, we were surprised to see two cyclists working their way up on their manual wheels. That sure required a lot of effort! We zoomed past them, and reached a lookout place called Murrays Lookout.

Murrays Lookout really offered a truly astounding view of the entire bay. Needless to say, out came the cameras with their photo-whore owners.

Murrays Lookout 1

Murrays Lookout 2

Andrew having a bird's eye view at Murrays Lookout

After a few turns, we reached Red Hill Brewery. It looked more like a small cottage rather than a brewery. We were invited by the bartender (suspected owner of the brewery) to try out their brews.

Red Hill Brewery @ Morning Peninsula

The bartender serving us samples of four special brews

The first one, Golden Ale, proved to John and Daniel's favourite -- the taste was sweet but not overpowering or fruity. The second Wheat Beer tasted a bit like Kikkoman (soya sauce), a bit too malty for our taste. The third one, Scotch Ale, was Andrew's favourite. The fourth one, Hop Harvest Ale, is a special winter brew, but not to any of our likings.

For lunch, we ordered the Seafood Boil, Dish of the Day (deep fried prawns in ale), and pork belly (the equivalent of 'kway chap' but without the soya sauce).

As we waited for the dishes to arrive, it started to pour heavily. We sighed a huge sign of relief that we were not caught in the rain, but we started to wonder whether we would be trapped in the cottage as we did not have an umbrella. Soon, with the cold weather outside and the cold air-conditioning inside, we were freezing so much so we had to put on the additional jacket that we took off when we first arrived.

Thankfully the food came just in time to warm us up.

Deep Fried Prawns in Ale

Waterzooi (Seafood Boil)

Pork Belly

The highlight of the lunch was the deep fried prawns in ale. The prawns were fresh, the meat was succulent, and the beer-fried crust was crispy to the bite. Every crunch was savoured. The rest of the dishes were average and the portion of each dish could be more for the exorbitant prices that we were charged.

As we left, we grabbed a six-pack comprising 4 golden ales and 2 of Andrew's favourite (Brew 3). The rain had stopped, so it was a smooth journey onwards. This was the coldest point of the trip as each of us had fun blowing smoke from our lips (it was noon what more!). Soon enough, we were frozen to the bone and had to rush into the monster truck and switch on the heaters full blast to warm ourselves up.

We made our way to Phillip Island. By the time we reached, it's about 2pm. Again, we dropped by 'i' to pick up some brochures, as well as to buy the tickets to Penguin Parade, an attraction where we could see cute little fairy penguins returning from the sea. (Animal Planet Moment: Fairy penguins are the smallest penguins on the planet)

Originally wanting to buy the cheapest ticket, we bought ourselves tickets at one class higher as we were persuaded that it was more worth it. Andrew and John also bought cute little souvenirs that features penguins and koala with popping eyes.

Give the cute penguin a good press and out come the popping eyes!

Paul and Daniel didn't buy anything, but joined the rest of the group enjoying a stick of ice-cream in the icy breeze outside.

We then made our way to our hotel to unload our luggages. It was not difficult to find our way to Bansfield Motel as the island was small and the big trunk road leads to most parts of the town. As we checked into the motel, we soon grew to like the hotel. It was more presentable with a most spacious room, and a glass window that overlooked the grass outside. In fact, John liked the spacious (but cold) toilet so much that he had the honour of being the first one to christen it.

The next item on the itinerary was to visit the Penguin Parade. All of us were quite concerned about the weather as we read that Phillip Island weather is especially cold. Of course we put on more layers of clothes so that we can fight the chilly seaside evening breezes.

As there was still time to spare, we toured around the city centre, which was essentially a mere street dotted by 30 shop houses or so. Disappointed, we made our way to the Nobbies (near Seal Rocks), which claimed to offer a view of the sea seals colony. It was a new attraction too.

Upon entering the Nobbies Visitor Centre, we realised the Seal Rocks where the sea seals colony are supposed to be living on were 2 km away from the shore, and there was really nothing much for us except than to watch the pre-recorded documentaries and educational exhibits. That didn't disappoint Andrew as he always had his Panasonic Lumix 8 camera ready to snap all the nice photographic shots -- which he can then claimed he took the nice nice photographs.

Not a bad idea at all!

Seals @ The Nobbies / Seals Rock (it's a mock picture!)

We were then chased out of the Nobbies as the centre was closing. Apparently the two attractions, The Nobbies and Penguin Parade, were operated by the same company, so the strategy of closing The Nobbies early is to avoid cannibalisation of their business, especially when Penguin Parade is the incumbent business that draws big bucks.

Soon we find ourselves at Penguin Parade which was a short five minutes' drive away. As we approached the visitor centre, we saw a signboard that gave advice on the weather to expect tonight.

Scarf and ear protector are recommended, but none of us has them!

Group shot @ Penguin Parade

We were glad that we wore more clothes, but were disappointed that we did not have any ear protectors. Daniel spotted a cute little sign which we all laughed at (to keep you in suspense, we'll show it further down).

We made our way to the premium seats. One of the staff were having arguments with two Asian visitors who were refused entry. The staff's attitude was quite bad. We could not decide as to whether the rude attitude was due to racial discrimination or the lady just having a bad day. John felt more of the former.

Soon, darkness crept up on us. The visitors were clamouring for the best seats, and were eager to see the penguins return from the sea.

Minutes passed, the glint of the sunlight reflecting upon the waves were getting dimmer.

Another minute passed. Still there were no signs.

The sky was really turning from dusk to darkness, and we could clearly see the crescent moon.

As we waited patiently for the penguins, we braved the cold winds from the sea. The winds were like no other; the gusts swept around you, chilling your face, ears and neck. They blasted your jeans and reached the marrow of your shin bone despite the long leg hairs we have. They reached corners unmentionable to put down in print. They chilled you like cold hands wrapping around your warm neck. Needless to say, not long after, each of us was frozen to the bone that we could hardly feel our numbed hands.

There were occasions where a few hands pointed out to the sea, and the crowd was drew to the direction, hoping to find some dark shadows that looked like penguins. But they were all false alarms. The dark silhouettes were dotted rocks.

"They are still swimming yonder", the ranger cum guide assured. "When darkness falls, the predators can't see clearly and that's when the little ones come up to shore."

After almost giving up hope, there were some excitement when we heard quacking and yelping from the ocean amid the breaking waves. Yes! The penguins were finally here!

One by one, forming a group, they approached the shores gingerly with their webbed feet. As they get closer to us, we could see how tiny they were. Cute! Some made their way up to the hills, some made their way inland to the bushes, while a few remained in front of us. We soon learnt that the group that remained was waiting for the next group of penguins to arrive. Such coordinated behaviour even among birds... Smart!

Penguins returning from sea to shore (it's a mock pic again!)

When we satisfied ourselves that there were no more penguins coming in, we traced the penguins inland to the bushes and trees where they spent their night resting and mating. Their calls were so unique and distinct, yet sometimes disturbing.

Though photography and videography were banned, Daniel attempted to record the sounds made by the waddling penguins using his handphone recorder. He was soon scorched on the ear by the same rude staff who berated the Asian visitors prior to the start of the tour. Apologising apologetically, our good man kept his handphone immediately and went to a corner seemingly to sulk. Unknown to the rude staff, our friend hid his handphone underneath the folds of his jacket and continued to record the penguins' mating calls. So much for defiance of authority!

While Daniel was being scorched by the rude staff, John took advantage of the distraction and was also quietly using his handphone to record the sounds of the penguins as they nested. Thanks Daniel for the sacrifice! High-five for the unplanned coordinated effort that brought us this clip!

Penguins' talk: "Tonight, I celebrate my love for you."

We walked side by side beside two love-bird penguins upslope until they hid away in bushes, presumably having found a Hotel 81 chain with rooms to spare. Raunchy calls soon emerged from the lofts of their "transit" room.

Realising we were at the entrance of the visitors centre, we decided to call it a day and returned back to the visitor centre to pick up souvenirs and grab our complimentary hot drinks while allowing our frozen flesh to thaw. Andrew bought a supersized penguin soft toy (we'll show this toy in Day 3) while John bought a mini one. Daniel bought a koala soft toy that resembled Einstein while Paul grabbed two polo T-shirts.

Tonight's penguin count stands at 554 only, far less than the 1,000 expected

Adopt me, please!

We returned to our cars, and made a point to check our car underside for any potential penguins. Yup, apparently they could make their way 200 metres inland, up into the car park, and hid under the car engines. No, we are not joking. Here is the proof and the picture that was promised previously:

Yes, we did check under our car to protect the little ones

By the time we reached town, there wasn't much choice for dinner for Aussies are well known for knocking off early. The situation is compounded for a small town like Phillip Island.

We did manage to locate about 4 to 5 restaurants. We asked around for any preference, and Paul straight away suggested, "How about some Chinese food?". The rest of the three thought Paul was joking, and casually ignored him.

Instead we stopped by a Fish n Chip restaurant. We had a discussion in the cold evening air and made a mental note to come back later and grab some Fish & Chips for supper.

In the end, the gang went into a pizza restaurant and ordered 3 large pizzas with one bottle of fizzy orange.

Andrew wonders if four of us could finish the pizzas

Apparently our stomach couldn't encapsulate the 3 large pizzas. We calculated that each of us need to finish about 4-5 slices. In the end, Paul and Daniel managed to eat about three pieces while John and Andrew managed about four. We were looking at the uneaten portions, and then came the embarrassing moment -- we were asked to leave the restaurant for it is closing for the day.

It was only 8pm then. We had no choice but to leave the restaurant. Not wanting to waste the pizza, we pooled the unconsumed portion together, and it came up to be the portion of one large pizza!

And so we were chased out of the pizza place.

We were so full that we could hardly walk straight. Talk of the Fish & Chips supper was thus scuppered.

Back in the comfort of our Bansfield Motel room, no one wanted to touch the pizzas. We thought of having it as breakfast, but decided it was not a wise idea. We got so sick of the pizzas! Paul vowed not to touch pizzas for the next one year.

We decided unanimously that the only place for it to go would be the dustbin -- not the stomach.

We also decided unanimously that each of us would have a beer before bed. But while waiting for all to finish their cold showers, Paul and John fell asleep on the bed. They never did wake up till the next morning. Without brushing teeth and more importantly, without the beer parade.

Andrew, on the other hand, had the supersized penguin to hug to bed. Daniel, who was sharing the Queen bed with John, thankfully did not roll the comforter to himself and leave John in the cold wilderness (unlike the previous night with Paul).

Before long, the snores came thundering.

And that was all for Day 2.