In Adelaide, we taste the best South Australian burger, it is delicious. Then we meet up with Gaël who will be sharing our way back to Melbourne in a rental car. We start off together with a walk in Adelaide hights. Gaël is on his first very big trip and starts strong with a year-round trip in Australia. He is already close to the end of his year and tells us about his adventures. He is also part of the good guys, he is a nursing's assistant and loves his job. He is also worried about the way things are turning out in our society.

The situation in the retirement homes is dire and he tries at his own scale to bring back some humanity in it but with the hours and the conditions, it is sometimes difficult to near impossible. Still he describes the great big smile of an old lady to whom he makes just a tiny compliment and one realises that it doesn't take much to improve the daily life of these people. Seems like old people are really let down in our so-called « modern and developped » societies whereas in most primary people, they are cherished and respected. Another thing that needs to change.

First we are setting off to Kangaroo Island, but we have to stop by the Maclaren Vale, very famous for its wine, where Gaël and Tom have a little tasting and select some bottles for our meals. During our shopping, Gaël reminds us that it is still possible, even when traveling, to produce less waste, such as only taking vegetable in bulk and not using a plastic bag, we learn and some weeks later i still remember his advice everytime we go shopping. It is just a habit to take on really. The first night, we spend it in a cheap little camping close to a very strange village, all the houses are relatively clean but entirely empty. The weather is quite variable and tomorrow we are going on the island. We fall asleep rocked by the sound of the waves on our tents steps. The ferry carries us the next day onto a nice little island.

First we go to the other side of the island. We are lucky, it doesn't rain before the evening. We pass by a koala on the border of the road, it is hurt and can't move anymore, it's all scared by the tourists taking pictures. There is no phone network so we cannot call for help. The other tourists don't care at all and leave without even a look back to the animal now featured in their pictures. Luckily we pass by an animal sanctuary only 1,3km away from him, we rush inside and explain where the koala is. Some weeks later i write to them on their facebook page to ask for some news, he is safe and sound !

We arrive too late at the visitor center so it is impossible to pay for our camping, however we realize that the trees of the parking are full of koalas. It is such a pleasure to see them all with their sleepy faces or their curious little eyes looking at us. Apparently eucalyptus is a very strong drug, and they eat this all day long, i wonder what they see when they look at us. We also come across little kangaroos. Apparently the kangaroos of this island have adapted and they are smaller and steardier too. Finally we find a nice little camping and even with the rain we spend a rather comfortable night (we did pick up in Melbourne some camping mats that we had ordered which are super light and comfortable).

The next day however it is a disaster, it's raining cats and dogs. We forget the little trek we had planned but still go see in between two moments of calm, some of the must-see places. e admire sea lions who really couldn't care less about the rain then we get completly soaked through when going to look at big pink rocks which look like the pink granite coast of French Brittany. We go straight away to a camping place to change and put on some dry clothes. We have a stressful as we double back to go and get the drone forgotten in the kitchen the evening before, but we leave again happy to the other side of the island which we won't see much as with the rain, we spent the time in the local bar.

We are leaving the island the next day and pass by Robe. We were tipped off about a nice local brewery. And it is really nice ! Especially after tasting the fifteen different beers they have and having learned the difference between a blond, a dark, an IPA, an Ale, a Lagger,..etc. We start again quite joyously on the road. In order to get some tim to visit the Great Ocean Road, we are trying to push as far as possible but the weather turns greay and then to rain.

We are hesitating, we drive on ahead, double back a bit, we are now driving into the worse part of the day, the one where all the animals seem to have an appointment across the road. Not too much damage except for one bird that litteraly throws itself under our wheels but we do pass by a lot of kangaroos who are waiting for us to get close enough to decide to cross the road, an enormous deer coming out on our left from the pitch dark night, rabbits and an echidnea who is not in a hurry. Tom's nerves are put to the test. Finally we end up having some dinner in a picnic area, in a little town illuminated by the neons of some shabby looking motels. After having briefly though about setting the tent there or sleeping in the car, we decide to go back to the national park camping and set the tent up. It is raining during the night. Gaël's tent isn't the best one and he ends up finding refuge in the car. Our tent is small but fairly waterproof so we sleep ok.

When we finally arrive on the Great Ocean Road, the weather is again pretty shaky. We met the day before, an orthodox malay (rare!) who explains us how his country is organised. It's fascinating ! 9 states of which 7 kingdoms and 2 republics i think, a constitutional kingdom over the whole lot and a more or less successful cohabitation of multiple relgions. This country is built upon vary varied ethnical and cultural origins, it seems so complex and rich at the same time. Ah the world is not so standard as one may believe when we stop looking into our own belly-button (french expression but thought it carries the right image really), solutions to leave all together are different everywhere and each have their own pros and cons.

We make the Great Ocean Road circuit, beautiful rocks freed from the mainland stand there majestuously in the middle of the waves, the orange from the ocre of the rocks brings them out violently against the grey-blue of the waves and when a ray of golden light pierces through the clouds to illuminate the whole landscape, we feel blessed by mother Nature.

We finish the road in Torquay, a surfers town where we enjoy good beers and a good night sleep before going back to Melbourne. Gaël leaves us there to pursue his own adventures in Tasmania, he was a great road companion and a beautiful person we hope to meet again on the way or back home.