Spontaneous Road Trip Adventures 2016 – Part 2

One of the many nourishing things we explore in our online program, Flourish with Painting & Creativity, is how to nurture your creativity by knowing exactly what inspires you, personally, through The Picture of You.

Visiting either new or revisited places, near or far, it doesn’t matter, I just know I have to see places other than my own front door. Especially the bush, mountains and water. Those elements pop up in my paintings again and again and again. Because I have a deep affinity for them, and they stabilize and lift my creative spirit until I feel such a surge of energy, I simply have to paint.

For some people, what inspires them is watching old movies, or it’s playing with children’s toys, reading scary fairy tales, surfing, or growing a garden of colourful flowers. What it actually is, doesn’t matter, knowing what it is for YOU, does.

So, after my last post about our spontaneous road trip adventure, I left you just before we began our drive along the Great Ocean Road.

It was both Andrew’s and my (and Lacey Jane’s!) first time along this iconic stretch of coastline, and I couldn’t wait to get started. We’d left Melbourne around 3am and driven through the early morning to arrive at Torquay and woken up after a nap  with this little cutie parked next to us. Something told me this was going to be a great drive…

Bells Beach

First stop out of Torquay was the surfer’s haven of Bells Beach. There wasn’t much surf in this little bay, but around the corner you could see the waves peeling in a beautiful long break that went on and on and on. Surfers’ delight!

I was excited to take a selfie for my friend who loves to surf.

Lacey Jane, our cavoodle puppy, was excited too. As always. About going for a walk. Or a drive. Or a sleep. She loves life, that little dog.

Once we got home, I think she may have been a little depressed (or perhaps just exhausted?!) for a couple of days. She loves all the stimulation of life on the road – always something new to look at, smell and explore.

And she doesn’t mind walking in opposite directions.

Check out that surf break!

There were a bunch of surfers out that day and I could see why it’s such a famous spot.

Anglesea

At Anglesea we stumbled on some of the most delightful wetlands I’ve ever come across.

They were so lovely, we stayed beside them for two nights and I pulled out my paints and played (while Andrew recovered from a cold).

There were little wooden bridges connecting the sandy paths everywhere. It was like a hidden little haven for birds, plants and animals.

We totally loved it.

Andrew grew a beard while we were away. That’s what happens when you pack for two nights, but stay away for seven weeks, and don’t take a razor 🙂

He enjoyed it, but said it got annoying after a while and he’s now clean shaven again (ahh… thank goodness… much less prickly and more fun to kiss!).

I love all the little details of the bush.

And playing around, making marks on paper.

Maits Rest Rainforest Trail

Thankfully, we decided to pull off the road to make a coffee at Maits Rest Rainforest Trail.

It was magical!

If you’re driving the Great Ocean Road, I highly recommend stopping at this little treasure for a short walk through the towering tree ferns and into the magical world of fairies… I’m sure they must live in there somewhere 😉

Andrew and I both carried in a notebook and paints and soaked up the environment through painting and drawing.

It was a truly nourishing way to experience and fully immerse ourselves in nature. By slowing down long enough to really look at what was in front of me as I sketched a fern leaf, I found myself in a kind of meditative head-space, where the beauty was magnified and my body relaxed.

Plus, it was great fun!

The Twelve Apostles

The Twelve Apostles totally took me by surprise. It was SO busy! Like visiting Uluru in the 90s or Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. People were pouring out of buses, cameras around their necks, pushing strollers and talking in multiple languages.

We joined them. Cameras in one hand, and a small nip of wine in our travel mugs in the other, while we watched the sunset and snapped away.

I noticed myself getting quite angry when tourists jumped the fence to clamber out onto the ridge. I kept thinking how silly and selfish it was.

Augh… Pet peeve.

Rant over.

Just before the Twelve Apostles, we pulled off at a lookout and walked about a hundred stairs down the cliff face to the beach. I had brought my huge drawing board (a nightmare to try to carry down the narrow stairs, but once I’d realised where I was going I couldn’t easily turn back), and the magnitude of these natural land formations was drummed into me.

Andrew is a quarry manager by trade, and he told me stories of stones the size of golf balls falling off cliff faces just five meters high and breaking men’s ribs, so my eyes kept focusing up at the ledge where I’d seen tourists jumping the fence to take photos, peering for any sign of movement and getting ready to dodge.

Lacey Jane? Well, she just pulled on her lead and sniffed and jumped around as happy as Larry. No, even happier than Larry. She’s got to be the happiest little dog I’ve ever come across.

We made it back up to the top without any broken ribs, and with a whole lot of memories.

London Bridge & Wild Coastline!

Further along the Great Ocean Road, not far from the Tweleve Apostles, is the London Bridge and more wild coast line.

I wrote in my journal:
“We’re pulled up in the carpark of the London Bridge along the Great Ocean Road. Andrew’s making a coffee to warm us up after we just stood on the look-out in 50 knott winds and watched Bass Strait batter the cliffs and whip up into a frenzy before our eyes. The longer we stood there the stronger the winds grew until my legs were numb from the rain and chill factor from the wind.

Lacey Jane came out to The Arch at the previous look out and held her tail high the whole way, even though the wind was blowing and it began to rain. She just loved being a part of it with us.

Here at the London Bridge I stood and watched for ages – amazed and exhilarated by the elements in such full force. Makes you feel so alive when you experience nature like this.

Asian tourists were laughing and trying to take selfies, amazed at the strength of the wind. “How can you stand it?” one man asked us. We were enthralled by the power of the waves crashing on the limestone cliffs, wondering how long the second arch will last until it crashed down like its neighbour.”

We ended our journey along the Great Ocean Road at Port Fairy, which was a delightful town. I didn’t take many photos here though, so this is my token picture.

It reminded us of some of the gorgeous historic towns in Tasmania.

From here, we journeyed north to the Grampians National Park, which was full of kangaroos, wallabies and more good times. I’ll endevour to write about it in the coming weeks, as it truly was a highlight of this road trip adventure.

I hope you enjoyed accompanying us on this leg of the journey. If you get the chance to drive the Great Ocean Road, it’s a great trip! I certainly got all the inspiration I was looking for, from our travels along this beautiful stretch of the coast and couldn’t wait to get home to paint.

Wishing you a wonderful, gentle and creative week,

With love,

Nicola xx

PS. Would you love to join me in my Sunshine Coast studio for a day of painting? We have three spots left in the Intuitive Painting Workshop next month. Click here for more details.

I’d love to paint with you! xx