There are huge masses of kelp washed up along the beach and rocks today, but no signs of the whales that were seen on Friday. It’s getting to be a joke that where ever I go, there are no whales. Fishermen on the pier, coffees in the café, another relaxing day as we unwound from last week.

3.30 this afternoon and I decided that I desperately needed to get out and go for a bike ride, to try and capture the last of the sunny afternoon, so while everyone else snoozed on the couch I rode off along the Great Ocean Road, arranging for them to pick me up at Torquay.

It was cool, but bearable, and magnificent riding through the forests and along the beaches. The late afternoon sun and good waves had brought out every surfer for miles around. Even the motorists were surprisingly well natured, considering it was the end of the school holidays and everyone was heading back to Melbourne. There was only one baseball cap wearing P-plater driving the ubiquitous Commodore who decided to spin the wheels as he overtook on the wrong side of a traffic island.

With impeccable timing, Jo, Mark and Lesley drove past just as I rounded the roundabout at the bottom of Torquay. Packed the bike into the car and we continued on to Geelong to peek into Machine Age, and look for Mark & Lesley’s old couch, then eat more magnificent food at the Sailor’s Rest on the waterfront.

10 pm, back home. It looks like a bomb site, there’ll be no avoiding the housework next week!