Day 8: Sometimes you end up where you want to be without realising it

Route: Foster-Tidal River-Warratah Bay
Distance covered: TBC

And so it was today. I finished the day in a location that I didn't expect to, yet it was exactly where I needed to be. All because I'd misread the map.

The day started as was the case with every other day - a struggle to get out of bed because of the temperature outside of my sleeping bag (which, in itself, wasn't as warm as it could have been). Today's struggle was getting the tend dried, as the sun didn't move into a position to shine directly onto it until fairly late. I chatted with a Malaysian PhD student studying at the University of New South Wales for a while before leaving and refueling at the local petrol station, where I spoke with a dairy farmer who was setting off for a ride between milking shifts in the direction I was going.

I set off for Tidal River, the closest point to which one can drive to Wilson's Promontory. The dairy farmer passed me quickly and raced on ahead with his two companions following behind him. I carried on at a more sedate pace, taking in the spectacular scenery as I passed through it, stopping frequently.

30km from the final destination I entered the park, at which time I had to choose whether to camp there overnight. I chose not to, as I had come unprovisioned for an overnight stay.

The road itself, whilst in poor condition in places, was a fun ride. Sweeping bends, rises and drops made for a - at times on my little scooter - a thrilling ride.

Arriving at Tidal River, I found a park, secured my jacket and waited for the bus to take me to the start of the 6.8km hike I had chosen to undertake - to the top of Mount Oberon and back.

The walk itself was not particularly trying, and due to the vehicle-width track, didnt feel particularly wilderness-like, pretty though it was. I passed dozens of people returning from the top of the walk, being greeted occasionally by them as they returned.

The view from the top made the short hike worthwhile. Sitting on the granite outcrop, I looked over the majority of the Wilson Promontory National Park.

It was also one of the occasions on which I wished I did have a travelling companion, as the view was too magnificent for one person to be able to take in by himself.

Walking back down was much quicker, and as I completed the path, a bus to return me to the main site arrived and I was able to occupy the last available seat. When I return to the park in future, I shall come prepared for the hike to the southernmost point of mainland Australia, which involves an overnight stay.

Tidal River marks the furthest point from Adelaide on my journey. From here on in, it's all heading home. Gradually.

Departing Tidal River along the same road along which I entered it, I set off in the direction of the alluringly-named Fish Creek, deviating shortly before arriving to head for Warratah Bay, and then on to Venus Bay and Inverloch, where I planned to spend the night.

Stopping briefly at the stretch of beach just outside Warratah Bay to take a break, I immediately felt sad to be spending so little time on such a beautiful stretch of beach. The tide was out, and the choppy surf came crashing into the shore some 40m from the high tide level. Untouched dunes flanked the other side of the beach.

Setting off nonetheless, I entered the settlement of Warratah Bay... to discover that the road that I had chosen to take to Inverloch is actually a giant cul de sac, so was faced with the choice of turning around to retrace my path back to the main road or to seek a camping site for the night.

I chose the latter option. As has become commonplace for the trip, I secured the last camping site for the night - this time being a 'bush' plot, set amongst the trees, but with a gravel-strewn piece of solid earth beteen them upon which to pitch the tent. Hardly an ideal setting, but no matter - even if some tent pegs could not be driven in fully, so hard is the ground.

After eating, I walked for ninety minutes along the beach, reflecting on the day, the trip so far and life in general.

Whilst I may not have planned to finish the day in this manner, it was exactly what I needed. Whilst I may not have a high top speed, it does mean that I have, on occasion, found myself not stopping for long enough in a given location to appreciate it fully. By mireading the map, I found the time that I needed to take the appreciate some of the space that the trip is granting me.