This was our eighth holiday booked with Maggie and the team at Travel Wallet and, as ever, their faultless service resulted in another great trip. Over the years Maggie and the team have built up an in-depth knowledge of our likes and dislikes and so organising this three week break in Australia was more like having a conversation with friends than dealing formally with a team of travel consultants.
We began with a three night stay in Sydney and Maggie arranged for us to stay in a boutique hotel next to the Harbour Bridge in the dynamic Rocks area of the city. We were in easy walking distance of the bustling harbour area with its plethora of cafes and bars and the magnificent Opera House and Botanic Gardens. Seeing the Opera House lit up at night was something that we will never forget.
We were fortunate to be in Sydney at the time when the annual open air opera was taking place. Having seen the venue during the day with its spectacular location and views of the Opera House we took the plunge and experienced a magical night-time performance of Carmen.
Picking up our hire car in Sydney we began the main part of our trip which was to drive along the coast from Sydney to Melbourne and Adelaide incorporating the world renowned Great Ocean Road. We specifically asked Maggie to organise overnight stays for us in small bed and breakfast accommodation in coastal villages and towns and as ever she came up trumps for us. Complementing journeys along the coastal roads of New South Wales were overnight stays in wonderful secluded cottages and homesteads in picturesque locations such as Eden, Lakes Entrance and Philip Island. Some sections of the coastal highway just simply took our breath away.
Catching our breath with a two night stay in Melbourne and enjoying its beautiful Botanic gardens we then began our journey along the Great Ocean Road to Adelaide. Built ninety years ago and intended to rival the ocean road between San Francisco and Los Angeles it did not disappoint. Magnificent coastal vistas would suddenly appear around long curving bends followed by descents into delightful coastal towns and villages.
The highlight of the Ocean Road trip was undoubtedly the world famous Twelve Apostles – enormous rock stacks reminiscent of a band of giants wading ashore. The town of Port Fairy was a particular delight with its beautiful riverside frontage and Oscars Waterfront Boutique Hotel, situated by the riverside with wonderful views of the marina, was the accommodation highlight of our trip.
After sixteen hundred miles we finally bade farewell to the hire car in the lovely city of Adelaide and after an overnight stay flew to Perth for a long weekend of rest and recuperation. Having been to Perth on a previous trip we could relax in familiar surroundings and walk along the magnificent frontage of the Swan River and watch the world go by in Kings Park with its fantastic views of the city. It was then back home with some great memories of a beautiful country.
Thanks Maggie and the team for yet another treat and roll on the next trip in 2018!
John and Liz.
Bridgnorth.
April 2017.