A return to Victoria was a must.  I knew I would make it back to 'The Place To Be'.

Traveling from Adelaide to Melbourne, I experienced one of Australia’s most popular attractions: the drive along the Great Ocean Road.  Stretching 243 kilometres (151 miles) from Allansford to Torquay, the GOR epitomises Australia’s diversity.  Steep cliffs disappear into the Bass Strait, and with the B100 (highway) atop these overhangs, driving the GOR can be an intense or sometimes even scary experience.  Due to its limited road space, dozens of sharp turns and low speed limits, GOR navigators are forced  to take in all of its beauty.

Noteworthy stops along the GOR included The 12 Apostles, London Bridge, Lorne, Anglesea, Apollo Bay, The Grotto and Loch Ard Gorge. Their natural splendor is incredible.  I had yet to see anything like the Great Ocean Road’s grandeur in Australia.

Arriving back in Melbourne, more than two years later, felt good.  In the Mecca of Australian Rules Football, I saw two high-profile AFL games.  Round 7 at Etihad Stadium featured the Geelong Cats and the Essendon Bombers, with the Cats taking the game 113-85.  Round 9 Was Indigenous Round, and the Melbourne Cricket Ground had the Collingwood Magpies – the New York Yankees of the AFL – taking on the Sydney Swans, 2012’s AFL Grand Final winners.  The Swans dominated to the tune of a 102-55 victory before a crowd of 65,300 supporters.  AFL games are full of highs and lows, and simply observing the crowd provides adequate entertainment at times.

You never know what you’ll see at Hosier Lane.  An alleyway near Federation Square, local artists sometimes devote hours to display their work on the brick walls.  Hosier Lane is definitely a destination, and always has crowds of on-lookers checking out the latest works.

Traveling in a campervan, I embarked on yet another Aussie road trip, making my way from Melbourne to Sydney.  This 878- kilometre (545-mile) 9-hour journey had me traversing through northeastern Victoria before crossing into New South Wales.