Wide awake at 4:30 am on a winter morning, excited for the trip that I have waited for since my acceptance to Deakin University.  Finally, we came to a date when we had no assignments or classes and can go for this most awaited trip.  None of us had a car and therefore we decided to book one from Budget Car Rentals. We left our house at 6.30am in the morning to catch a bus to go to the rental service, struggling through the shivering cold when the sun was yet to rise, but our excitement kept us going. All we needed was an international driving license to borrow the car which cost us $50 for a day.

Image courtesy of XM2 and Visit Victoria

We fastened our seat belts, tuned into our travel playlist and off we went. There are multiple beautiful beaches and spots on the way to 12 Apostles, starting from Torquay beach. We enjoyed the sunrise feeling the cold sand over our feet and sipping the morning coffee. Moving forward with freshness and energy, our next destination was Aireys Inlet. This extravagant coastal town is well known as Great Ocean Road’s best kept secret. It offers various picturesque cliffs, serenity and a spectacular river.

Next up was the historic Memorial Arch where we stopped to take some photos. This memorial was built for the soldiers of World War I who built the Great Ocean Road as a tribute to their service. Despite the excitement, it was important to fuel ourselves for the rest of the trip. We stopped at Lorne beach to eat our pre-made lunch that we carried from Geelong, to save on time and money.

Image courtesy of Robert Blackburn and Visit Victoria

Continuing on this journey, where the roads split the view, such that we had beautiful blue sea on one side and lush green mountains on the other. Enjoying the view, we did not realise that we had travelled 70 kms to our next stop, The Otways and Maits Rest rainforest. We had a small walk amongst the tall ancient trees and beautiful scenery. We left early as we still had an hour drive to reach the 12 Apostles.

Image courtesy of Mark Watson and Visit Victoria

At about 4 pm, we finally made it to our ultimate destination, the iconic 12 Apostles. We sat there quietly for an hour, absorbing the majestic limestone pillars as the sun set on us. It is hard to put into   words how beautiful it is. I would recommend everyone to visit it personally. It is everything that you would imagine and MORE.

Image courtesy of Mark Watson and Visit Victoria

We headed back to our car, with a view that is going to stay with me for the rest of my life. A lot of people imagine the trip would be expensive and make excuses they will go once they get a job and they save enough money. But unlike people’s belief, this trip cost us less than a day trip to Melbourne. As Hans Christian Andersen once said, “To travel is to Live”. So, get up, pack your bags and embark on this magnificent journey.

Cover image courtesy of Mark Watson and Visit Victoria