They say that travel (especially road trips) can make or break relationships. I had this in mind when Francesco and I headed out into Victoria in our trusty van.

We had lots of time together on the road, and I hoped it wouldn’t end with us driving each other crazy! We started in Torquay, an adorable coastal town that is the starting point for the Great Ocean Road. Aside from being a breath-taking drive along the coast and a great way to see Victoria, the road is also the world’s longest war memorial—it was built in memory of those who served in World War I. The road, which is within an easy distance of Melbourne, gave us one stunning view after another. We were especially struck by the Twelve Apostles, craggy limestone formations emerging from the Southern Sea. We stopped at isolated beaches along the road and I got to see Francesco’s playful side as he ran like an excited child into the surf! The Great Ocean Road eventually took us to Great Otway National Park, a spectacular landscape of mossy trees and roaring waterfalls. Back in Melbourne, we wandered among the city’s narrow, picturesque laneways, got a bird’s eye view of the city from the Melbourne Star Observation Wheel, explored its many museums, and got some sun at Brighton Beach, famous for its brightly painted bathing boxes. And the best part? We still liked each other when we made it back to Melbourne after days in the van together!