It's 6:45pm and has been dark for an hour. First night in the campervan with it loaded with all our stuff. We have a LOT of stuff. This is not comfortable like home but I'm getting used to it and I have a sneaking suspicion that I'll be pretty happy in here eventually. I am a creature of habit and I like to have a routine and a plan. Driving around Australia in a campervan so full of stuff that there's barely room for the people is anything but routine. Words of wisdom before we left: “Don't get rid of your favorite trackies, you'll regret it” and “What ever you do, don't take too many socks. You can buy those anywhere you know.” and “These days, it's pretty unlikely you'll die on the null arbour if you break down so I would just keep pouring oil in that thing and go, go, go.”

Jeff is happy as can be and, in a strange change of roles, is organising things and putting everything away. He is streaking around the campervan (as much as there's room to do that) trying to find a place where we can get radio reception. Seems that there's a lot of interference in this little box. He's like a new man and it's really neat to see him so relaxed and happy. As I write, we are listening to am news radio and he is commentating on all of the stories. I am sitting on the bench at a little foldable table that I argued we didn't need but that is proving quite useful. Seems that maybe I should just let Jeff run with it as we've clearly found one of his strengths in travelling via van.

Came over to the big island on Wednesday with 6m waves on average, howling wind and rain. The guy in the tourist booth regaled us with stories of 12m wave crossings.

I planned to stay in Melbourne for a day to catch up with friends but it was so nice to just make ourselves at home and relax at Kerry's house that we stayed until Sunday. We biked all over Melbourne (boat houses at Brighton Beach in the picture) and had a super time. Today we are on the great ocean road and it feels like the first real day of our trip. Strange to have sold or given away all our stuff, left our house and friends and just be heading off for who knows what. I think it's just sinking in now. Funny that we are unemployed but I feel like there's so much to do – sort out how far to go tomorrow, figure out where I went wrong with my first attempt at knitting (it mostly looks like a knot right now), email our friend in Adelaide. Can't wait for tomorrow to see what new things we'll see!