My road trip with mum... as inspired by Ms Winfrey

I've been catching up on my Oprah episodes and have only just watched Oprah and Gayle's big Yosemite Camping Adventure (hilarious).  I really enjoy watching those two travel together and I was so glad to see Gayle came to Australia with Oprah.  I mentioned last time that her Road Trip adventure with Gayle were some of my all time favourite episodes.  They were just so much fun and they had me in stitches.

After watching those episodes, it inspired my mum and I to take our own little road trip together.  We took our little trip was back in May 2007, but I thought I would dig out some old photos and reminisce.

For starters, I had never driven outside of NSW/ACT, so it was a little exciting when I crossed the Victorian border as a driver! 

We drove straight down, through Cooma, with a quick lunch at Cann River and straight on to our first stop Lakes Entrance. 

Mum had some memories of visiting Lakes Entrance, Vic on a school trip when she was 12 years old.  She hadn't been back since, but she was really keen to see it again.  We stayed overnight at the exact same place she had stayed as a child (I don't think they had made many changes since then either!!!). 



Lakes Entrance is a pretty nice place.  It's really flat, there are lots of lakes, bridges and the famous Ninety Mile Beach.  It's a wonderful relaxing place and because it's so flat, it's really walkable.

All along the main road, there are wooden carved sculptures in honour of the men and women who fought in WW1.



Right near the beach is the Surf Lifesaving Club.  For some reason it reminded me of the surf club in Home & Away. :)



As mentioned, there's a stack of bridges.  Lots of fun to walk around and explore.


On to Melbourne.....
After a couple of days in Lakes E, we were keen to get back on the road.  We drove on to Melbourne only stopping for a quick toilet break and to buy a new album ("Nine Lime Avenue" - which will now and forever remind me of this trip).

We stayed with some old family friends who live pretty darn close to the city.  The below photo is the view from their balcony.

Whenever we are in Melbourne we've created a tradition.... we like to go to the 35th floor of the Sofitel Hotel.  Then go to the men's toilets for the most amazing full window view of the city.... can you believe this is taken in a bathroom?  There are full length views in the ladies too, but it's not quite as good.

We went to a couple of places mum had actually been to when she was on the Lakes Entrance school trip back when she was 12. One of these places was the Shrine of Remembrance (above).  We were there right in time for a very touching ceremony.  It had us thinking of loved ones who had fought and are no longer with us.

Another must when you are in Melbourne.... go for a walk along the Yarra. 

There's heaps more to go, but I'm a little tired.  I might try and do some more in the next few days.