The day we left for a long holiday in July 2019

We finished packing the caravan, checked everything again and hoping to luck we didn't leave anything behind.
Time to leave for the ship to sail from Devonport, Tasmania to Melbourne, Victoria and we arrived in Devonport 2 hours before sailing.
The first photo is the first view of The Spirit of Tasmania as we wait in line to get checked in.

2nd photo shows going into the ship and you can see on the left of the motorhome the cars parked in the hull.

The next two were taking from the 7th deck of the view of Devonport, then our inside cabin.
We always sail at night then in the early morning we can be on our way up the highway.
This sail we were 2nd of the ship.

The last 3 photos we are on our way up the highway in Melbourne, Victoria.

Well of course you can't go by car across the sea - but that's how Google maps shows it!

Home!

After 4. 1/2 months we arrived home safely via the Spirit of Tasmania with an excellent smooth sailing across Bass Strait.
Had a couple of things go wrong on the holiday, leaking sink in the bathroom, and a flat tyre on the caravan the latter happening just two days before sailing.

Family of 5 are still in our house so things are rather cramped.

Took the photos with my phone below of the Port of Melbourne as we waited to board the ship.
Melbourne, Victoria.

The sand was very clean and silky.

A cruise ship and the red ship is the Spirit of Tasmania.

A few High Risers.

Driving onto the ship.

Part of the dinning room on board.

Blue!

Many things happening in this house at the moment.

The family of 5 are still with us, but moving out and the end of this month or early next, will miss them when they go.  At least they won't be far away, not like before when they lived in Queensland.
It's so good that we all get on so well, even the little ones, the girls aged 8, 6 and the boy aged 2 are such a delight and so well behaved.  They ride their bikes up and down our driveway after school, talk to the boys next door who go to the same school which is just up the road about 1 km. We all spend much time laughing and I do believe we are very lucky to have such a happy family.  Eldest son and his wife and little one aged 2 are not left out either, a baby is due early November.

Sold the 4 wheel drive in two days to a cash buyer.
The sale of my late father's house is progressing beautifully and Settlement date is the end of this month. Remember it sold in 3 days.
Ordered a new 4 wheel drive, top of the range.
Looking at a caravan to buy in May next year, can't be delivered till then apparently, but just looking.

Son living here has a job interview in the country about 15 minutes away, so we are keeping our fingers crossed on that.  He has two other jobs, so if he's lucky enough he might have 3. Of course if he gets full time then he will have one.

The streetscape below is on the way into Melbourne, Victoria from the north.  I always like this 'fence' that is on the side of the freeway.  Don't know how long it is.  Took the photo from the window as husband was driving down at normal speed.

Graffiti in Melbourne, Victoria.

Graffiti is predominant in the inner city of Melbourne, Victoria, in the lane ways.  A cousin of my husbands sent me these photos taken yesterday.

Hosier Lane is a bluestone cobbled vehicular and pedestrian laneway on the southern edge of the central city grid of Melbourne, Australia. Hosier lane is a much celebrated landmark in Melbourne mainly due to its sophisticated urban art.

From Melbourne, Australia to the Home Port of Devonport, Tasmania!

Travelling on board the Passenger Ferry The Spirit of Tasmania is part of our journey and holiday to Mainland Australia and beyond.
Information to a link [here] to how large or small the ferry is, how long it takes to cross Bass Strait and so on.

It's a very comfortable cabin with a good bunk, so therefore we both have a good sleep woken only by the female on the intercom waking everyone in each cabin approximately 3/4 of an hour before having to be in our cars ready to disembark.  We have a shower and eat breakfast later in the morning at a Road House along the way.

The seabed it about 50 meters deep so therefore it's considered a rough stretch across Bass Strait. Of the 22 times we have been across we have never experienced that thus far, always the first time though.

The wait in the queue to drive on board is rather long. However, before the queue it's finding somewhere to park that can be and is mostly a problem.  We stop at a Service Centre way up the highway, then travel down over the Westgate Bridge to the Port of Melbourne arriving just in time for the 'queue'.

One of the two Ferries in Melbourne. Part of St. Kilda beach which goes to the left of the photo a very long way down.

The cars go right back to the back pier and turn around up along the side of the Ferry in 3 rows. All cars enter the bow and go out the stern.  When in Devonport, Tasmania it's the opposite.

A Melbourne sightseeing bus comes around the pier as some of us wait in the parking area which isn't cheap either.

Part of the waterfront Apartments overlooking a small area of St. Kilda Beach.

The Gateway Bridge taken through the windscreen of our vehicle.

One of the Service Centres we park at some distance up the Highway.

The centre offers McDonald's, Subway and Petrol, showers and loos.

So what do we do whilst waiting here for several hours - surf the net in our car and talk to each other.

Heading towards home with HDR

Heading towards home & experimenting with HDR

The ship leaves port about 6pm and arrived in Devonport, Tasmania about 6am, disembarking at 6.30am.  Then go through Quarantine again which consists of Sniffer Dogs and people.  Tasmania has strict quarantine laws.

We enjoy sailing at night time, we eat dinner on the ship, then go to the shop on board to have a look, then off to the cabin shower and into bed, fall asleep and wake up in not enough time to get ready to disembark.  You have to remember what level you have parked your vehicle, the levels go in colours and letters, so it's the matter of going down the right stairs of the ship or lifts.

Waiting in line to go through Quarantine in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.  Then wait in line again till we can drive on board.

Driving up the ramp

Inside of one of the decks where the vehicles are parked.