26-30 Dec 2023. Bairnsdale to Orbost via Lakes Entrance.

Cycling Days: 2 Rest Days: 3
Distance: 147kms (total to date: 398km)
Ascent: 1,222m (total to date: 4,934m)

Time: 14.5hrs. (total to date: 45.5hrs)

Two days rest in the Bairnsdale town holiday caravan park was good. Rowan’s stomach recovered, the heavy rains passed & we got to meet fellow campers.

The camp kitchen was the perfect place to hang out. We got valuable insights about travelling to India from Kiran & Rajesh – eat the local street food and visit the temples she said. I replied laughingly “eat, pray, love” & she said I was lucky as I’d already found love :)) We’re planning a trip to NW India with SueR next Nov, this got us excited. Thank you Kiran for making us delicious chai!

And of course one cannot travel far in Australia without meeting South Africans. Brenda and Nico (from Newcastle & Welkom) are keen on fishing. She also loves to bake & we cycled away with home made biscuits and rusks in our pannier! Am saving the rusks for our big hill climb back to Jindabyne.

On the Camino it’s common to realise after a week on the trail that you’ve packed more than you need. Uhm, same for us. No Albergues with donativo boxes out here so we mailed 2kg of gear home …

Back on the bikes we cycled the East Gippsland Cycle trail with a detour to Lakes Entrance. It’s a popular holiday destination for Melbournians – too popular for us. The campground felt more like a 4wd, fishing and camping show !! We nicknamed it “Jonestown”, it was certainly a case of the one with the most toys wins.

It was too cool & blustery for a swim in the ocean so we made do with a quick stroll on the beach. There is Tasmania on the other side of the Bass Strait.

We planned to cycle to the mouth of the Snowy River at Marlo but Di at the Orbost visitor centre advised the road had no shoulder for cyclists & it was very busy with holiday makers towing caravans & boats. Not safe we concluded, especially after Margaret’s near escape with a forestry ute the day before – we wouldn’t tempt fate twice!

Di saw our forlorn faces as we looked over our maps to come up with plan B. Next thing she offered us a cup of tea!
A cup of tea from a stranger & a forced rest day – life is good :))