detour: a three day tour of the great ocean road turns into something entirely different
i left melbourne early one sunny day in january to see this “great ocean road” that people were talking about. supposedly, the easiest way to see it was by tour, so into the tour bus i climbed, and off we went. after a few hours of driving and stopping for short periods of time just to take photos, i was getting tired of the tour. luckily, i made some friends and was having fun chatting with them.
on the eve of the second day, we stopped for the night at brambuk backpackers. after unloading the van and eating some food, i struck up a conversation with allen, the manager of the hostel (who also happens to be one of the co-founders of the cultural center and an international ambassador of culture representing a slice of aboriginal australia). after ten minutes of conversation, i knew the tour was over and a new chapter in my australia trip had begun.
allen was eager to share his experiences with me, and i was excited to listen and learn. one night at the hostel turned into three days of exploration, meditation and education. more information about what i learned will be included in future posts about australia’s true history.
