Next was Loch Ard Gorge, the site of a terrible shipwreck and also part of the park. The ship ripped open on the seaward tip of Mutton Bird Island, and most of the crew and passengers died as a result of being bashed by the cold sea or swept up against the razor-sharp protrusions of the rocks. Only two people made it, but found themselves on a beach walled-in by 30-foot limestone cliffs. We walked out on the beach (there are stairs there now), along the cliffs, and followed the story on little signs. There is even a cemetary for the 4 bodies (out of 180) that were recovered. Conditions were so bad it was dangerous to retrieve most of the corpses that reached the shore. Back in the car, and we are off to Port Campbell for lunch.... when Norm swerves off the road into the parking lot of a local helitour company. We'd been watching the helicopters over the last day or so, and he'd been talking about trips he'd flown in choppers as part of his career as marauding journalist. I was being treated (thanks again, man).

We opted for the cheaper 8 minute flight, despite the persistent attempts of the guy to upsell us on the longer flight. We were then left to wait, until another car pulled in, and were successfully sold on the longer flight. The pilot approached us, and gave us the longer flight for free as long as we kept our mouths shut. Score! Zipped. I have to mention that Norm was narrating the outcome of this transaction the whole time ("Okay, now we have to wait... I bet they're holding out to fill out the passengers before we go up....", etc), which made the whole situation funnier. Nice call! This was my first time in a helicopter, pretty cool, got to wear the little earphones with the microphone, went up really high and was generally blown away. Our trip took us out past Port Campbell to London Bridge (hadn't been there yet), and back around the 12 Apostles, then back to the helipad all too quickly.

Afterwards, we hit Port Campbell for lunch, and watched a little kid in a Superman costume chase seagulls around the beachfront. It was my turn to fill the tank, and I totally got gouged at the pump. Gas was 20 cents a litre cheaper just fifteen minutes out the other side of town. This trip sucks.