Corrigan Arrives and I Learn To Drive

Yesterday Corrigan arrived and it was a big day for me since I arrived because I would be behind the wheel of a car all by my lonesome for the first time. For those of you that don't already know, the Australians 1) drive on the opposite side of the road (left) and therefore 2) have their steering wheels on the opposite side of the cars (left). It totally throws the mind for a loop the first time you go for a drive. Actually the same is true when you are a passenger for the first time in an Australian car.

Considering I had just done one test drive the night before Corrigan arrived I think just losing one side mirror and knocking off two others on cars that were parked on the side of the road wasn't too bad. I mean it was my first time and therefore there is always going to be a learning curve in some manner or fashion right? Just kidding, but I bet I had a few of you going. The car survived and so did we.

Today we, (Corrigan, myself and Allyson an American visiting one of Lano's friends) hit the open road and headed out to see the Great Ocean Road while making our way to Otway Fly a tree top walk. The journey to Otway was to take 3.5 hours because we opted for the Great Open road route, but in actuality with all the stopping and site-seeing it was closer to 5.5 hours. No worries, on our way of trying to find Otway we found a bunch of fury new friends ... aka the Koala Bear. We stumbled across one roaming in the street and then found a few more just hanging around (literally) in the trees. The guys are just so friggin' cute I wanted to go over scoop em' up and take 'em back to Lano's as a surprise. Not to sure how they would have felt about it and I guess I won't ever know.

When we finally made it to Otway we all agreed that it was pretty cool, but not worth the 5.5 hour drive. Had we not had the Great Ocean Road and our new fuzzy friends along the way I do think I would have had a lot of explaining to do as to why I dragged Corrigan and Allyson on a 5.5 hour drive to see some big trees.

Tomorrow we are off to tour the wineries. Allyson's friend Tori set it all up for us. She is renting a van and driving 12 of us around to do some yummy tastings.

Sorry to say I am still uploading some photos to flickr so expect to see the next round in a few days.