Taking Road Trips and Making Music -- A Few of My Favourite Things!!

I have just returned from a wonderful weekend away in Portland, Victoria, with my husband. We took a little road trip to visit friends and family, and we took a few instruments to play along the way. It was great fun! We just got back, and I'm ready to go out on the road again, any day now, as I'm always looking to share more musical moments. Until then, I'll do some laundry and a bit of blogging about where I've been.

Whenever I am out, I like to check-in to my location using the Swarm/Foursquare app on my iPhone. I was able to do quite a bit of that, while Adrian was doing the real driving and Miss Jelly Bean was in her backseat-driver position. Whilst on this four-day road trip, I recorded over 30 check-ins on Swarm! Checking-in on Swarm is just a silly little pastime that I use to entertain myself and to create conversation with friends online and in the real world. If I check-in enough times in a location, I can become a "mayor" of that location. Woohoooo!

I've never before been interested in politics or much competition, but Swarm is a game that has gotten my attention -- I like being the mayor (of several cities)! (Please note the crown on my head in my profile pictures in the Swarm screen shot I'm sharing here.)


By playing the game of Swarm, [in my mind] I am helping communities get attention, using the internet to verify activity and life wherever I am; and, sometimes, I even become a winner via multiple mayorships or by earning virtual coins just by being myself -- a virtual busy body.

There is a practical reason for me to play the Swarm game, though. I have a little problem remembering where I have been and what I have done, without recording these things in some sort of journal. So, my check-ins create my journal and help me remember things -- like this lovely old bakery in Dunkeld, Victoria.

The Old Bakery Wild Plum Cafe in Dunkeld, Victoria

The Old Bakery Wild Plum Cafe, Dunkeld, Victoria

I have my bakery photos now, and my check-in is recorded on Swarm…..so, I'm happy to know that I can find this place again, the next time I go out on the road to Portland.

Portland! It is such a beautiful city. I'm enjoying my reflection of this road trip.

What was my first impression of Portland on this trip? I was impressed by Portland's friendliness and generosity! Good on ya, Portland! FREE food and drink! Yes!! Happy Australia Day to me!!!

Of course, the beautiful City of Portland has a lot to be proud of and, besides getting photos of free food, there are plenty of picturesque scenes for tourists like me to collect for our Facebook photo albums (see the beautiful sea below)…...but…..friendly people handing out free sausages and cold beverages to anyone who desires it -- that's one of the most attractive things in the world, I reckon.

The Bridgewater Blow Holes -- Near Portland

My friend's backyard -- a gorgeous Portland seascape.

Portland waterfront -- early evening

Whilst visiting Portland, I enjoyed a couple of side trips: to Bridgewater Bay and to Port Fairy. I'll save those Portland side-trip pics for a separate post on this blog.

Before I close this blog entry, I'll share my pics of the lovely lunch spot in Linton that Adrian and I found on our way back to Daylesford -- Wares, Plants 'n' Things Cafe. It was a pleasure to find this spot in a small country town to enjoy lunch outside with Miss Jelly Bean. Our pup was treated as special as we were, with her water delivered to our picnic table.  Jelly got a special doggie-biscuit hand-out  -- real-world-poodle-luxury on a road trip -- and the toasted sandwiches were delicious and delivered to Adrian and me by the owner, beautiful! I imagine we'll be back!

Driving from Daylesford to Portland and back makes for a lovely little road trip. Very enjoyable (as far as the scenery, people, and food go), it is, indeed. I'm looking forward to my next road trip to Portland, Victoria, Australia!