Lookout

Our final full day in the Grampians was the full-on tourist thing. We drove up to Boroka Lookout and took the easy walk to the platforms. This video was made there. Unfortunately, the dial on the still camera was incorrectly set so there are no other pictures of our day.

Even more unfortunately, it was me who changed the setting without telling LK so the less said about this the better. Anyhow, it was just as well there are no photographic records, given that the last bunch of pictures shows me very red in the face with my tongue hanging out.

That's because the next stop involved driving to Reed Lookout (or Reids Lookout or Reed's Lookout, for maps and road signs had all three versions). From there it was a 1km (.6 mile) to the lookout called The Balconies. A walker returning told it was a great view and a really easy walk that only takes about 10 minutes.

He forgot to mention that flies would use your face as a lounge room on the way there, that an easy walk can still make my left hip hurt like a toothache and that a bushwalker's 10 minutes is a fat guy's half hour. Oh yes, the view also looked pretty much like the view from the place we had just been at. But then, I have never been known for a fine appreciation of Mother Nature's gifts.

After the Balconies it seemed obvious to me that it was time for a beer, but somehow the rest of the party decided we should drive on to McKenzie Falls. Once there, I was hoping for a return to sanity, but before we could even debate the merits of yet another walk in the hot sun Shirl issued a very military-sounding "Off we go. Come on, everyone."

And we actually got about 20% of the way down to the base when we were able to see just how far down we were heading. And of course, just how far up we would have to climb.I whimpered a bit, and, fortunately, Shirley needed the rest room and probably didn't fancy watching rushing water so far from the privacy of the ladies room. We all agreed it was back up the hill to the car.

From there I discovered you really can drive faster on those curvy mountain roads when you want a cold drink. And after a couple of cool ones it was back to the cabin where we saw three emus grazing on the ground and dozens of roos later that night.

Yesterday morning we drove to Ballarat and today we checked it out. Verdict next time.