I love this one:

Quark size! WHAHAHAHAAH........

16 Dec 2008, 5am - Halls Gap, Grampians

We woke up at 5am to catch the sunrise. Yesterday's climb to Chatuaqua Peak gave EU the idea for an early morning hike to watch sunrise. Storming up the mountain in near pitch darkness is NOT my idea of fun. Do you know Australia has several of the most venomous snakes species in the world?

Sunrise somewhere up Chatuaqua Peak

Early morning view of Halls Gap

After watching the sunrise, we went back to Halls Gap for breakfast. The motel beside YHA hostel serves continental breakfast buffet from 7am. Cereals, toast, fresh milk, yoghurt, coffee and tea... Not bad for AU$10.

16 Dec 2008, 9am - Mount Willaim, Grampians National Park

Last night, we had decided to go Mount William, Lake Bellfield, and The Pinnacle.

Mount William is the tallest peak in the Grampians, at 1167 metres. Located in the Southern Grampians, there are 2 ways to the peak of the mountain. Due to the lack of time, we took the shorter way. The longer trail is a 12 hour climb!

The trail starts at a carpark (Sundial Carpark). Labelled "moderate to difficult", the trail is actually a paved road up to the communication station at the peak. I think the difficulty is from the sheer upslope at certain parts. It took us about 2 hours to get to the top.

Wildflowers can be seen everywhere

View of farmland from the other side of Mount William

So very cold up there

Plateau seen along the way

16 Dec 2008, 3pm - The Pinnacle, Grampians National Park

We had lunch back at Halls Gap, at the same restaurant as last night. This time, the pizza tasted much better.

Invasion front of Phytophthora cinnamomi: foreground shows degraded environment, invasion front evident by dying Grasstrees Photo: David Cahill. Taken from rideforest.com.au

After lunch, we drove to The Pinnacles trail. A sign warned us of a Phytopthora Cinnamomi fungus epidemic. Apparently, this invasive fungus rots the roots of infected plants, killing large areas of vegetation throughout Australia. We will need to scrub our boots and pants when we leave the park, to prevent any further spread.

The trail up the Pinnacle is varied and very interesting. It starts with the usual trail through vegetation, then cuts through a sandstone formation. Along the way, there is a lookout point where Lake Bellfield can be seen. The last part is a scramble up a relatively smooth sandstone surface to the peak.

The peak is, erm, overwhelming. There is a secured lookout platform at the peak, and it hangs over the side. A sheer long drop down. Yes, I'm afraid of heights. And the sound of wind howling towards the peak does not help.

Lake Bellfield seen somewhere along the trail

EU and me at the Lake Bellfield lookout point

Common skink found near the peak

Unusual rock formation

16 Dec 2008, 6pm - Lake Bellfield, Grampians National Park

Lake Bellfield

Lake Bellfield is the last item on our itinerary in the Grampians. It is very easy to get to, as it is beside the main Grampians Road. I think it is a dammed up river, built in the 19th century. Supposedly, it was even full at one point in time.

The dam is a rock-fill gravity-arch dam. The granite used is quarried from the surrounding mountains. The cuts can be seen if you look closely at the surrounding banks.

Anyway, the water is cold, rather clear, and have fish in it. Canoeing, sailing and swimming is allowed too. Wah...

The water seems very far away when I look down from the road. There are even trees growing all the way from the bank to the road. I doubt the water level had been much higher for the past decade. Is this a sign of drought?

Low water levels. Drought?

View from embankment

EU on embankment

Convex dam. How did that curvature withstand the pressure?!

16 Dec 2008, 9pm - YHA Halls Gap

We went back for dinner at dusk. Knowing Australians are scared of the dark , we had bought groceries earlier to cook. Spaghetti, baked beans, organic range eggs, and cream of mushroom!

Tomorrow, we head towards the coast. Great Ocean Road here we come!

Yeah, there's an Install Fest in NUS tomorrow, organised by linuxNUS.

Venue:SOC1 #03-17
Date: Feb 5 2009, Thursday (TOMORROW!)
Time: 6.30pm

More information at linuxNUS website.

Anyway, I think I may be going there at 7.30pm. It's a long time since I met the folks for dinner.

17 Dec 2008, 8am - On route from Grampians to Great Ocean Road

We started on the drive to the Great Ocean Road with some enthusiasm. Surviving Pinnacles should always make one feel relieved, no?

This drive to Apollo Bay on the Great Ocean Road will be the longest drive in our road trip. Approximately a stretch of 400km, we will head towards Dunkeld, then Hamilton before stopping for brunch. Then we will veer off the major highways, heading south towards the coast. If all goes well, we will reach Portland or Port Fairy around 3pm. Following the coast to Apollo Bay, we should reach Apollo Bay by 6pm.

Of course things did not go as planned.

17 Dec 2008, 11am - Hamilton

We stopped for brunch here. After circling the town like a vulture, we descended on, of all things, a Chinese takeaway eatery. We should sample some "Asian" cuisine in a western country, right?

Anyway, judging from their accents, the owners came from China. I had vegetarian noodle soup (it tasted no different!) while EU had vegetarian Char Kuay Tiao. Well, a sweet version of Char Kuay Tiao. EU thinks it is undeliciously meatless.

We also stopped at Hamilton Shopping Centre, supposedly a major highlight. A quick roam around later, we decided to get....

... 5 litres of water.

We are thirsty, okay? And the big, sturdy bottle can definitely withstand my clumsiness. Besides, we are in a desert!

17 Dec 2008, 5pm - Great Ocean Road

After driving for ages, and countless disagreements over whether to trust the GPS or me (me, OF COURSE!), we finally saw a big blue expense of water. Yeah!!!!

The Great Ocean Road is really nice. The ocean is really blue, and the waves are at least half a metre high. Big waves....

Strangely though, the vegetation along the coast is not doing well. Most are brown, half-dead, and wind-swept. Maybe the limestone formation they are growing on does not retain much water.

Wonder which will be the killing blow: the stoning from falling rocks, the impaling from rocks, the impact from the fall, or drowning?

The broken London Bridge. A couple making out got stranded there when it broke! How can they bash through a kilometre of shrubs and still feel like making out?!

The Blowhole (Port Campbell National Park) A howling tunnel, people once found bodies from a shipwreck there

Very long steep walk down to the Twelve Apostles lookout point. This lookout point is much more well-developed than the rest.

Right View of the Twelve Apostles. I only counted 8 though. See, one has fallen.

Left View of the Twelve Apostles. Look at the BIG waves!

I suddenly have the urge to thank my family and friends for all the help and advice they have given me throughout the years. Putting up with my idiosyncrasies is no easy thing, I know. The guidance each of you have given me every time I got confused is really appreciated too.

Thank you, thank you! May Buddha bless you, always. May Buddha be a shining light to guide you through troubled times, just like He has guided me too. Amitabha.

I am on twitter, under the name jmarki! Do add me, and let me know who you are.... My memory is failing me...

On a side note, someone from $WORK found my blog while searching for my $WORKPLACE on yahoo.com. How did that happen?!