Trip 3 - What was before...

The first few days after my whirlwind trip to the US were a bit of a blur. Jetlag meant I slept more during the day than at night, so it was challenging to focus on work. Paul invited me to accompany him on a day trip to see a client in Ballarat, a small city about an hour and a half drive away. Ballarat is an old gold mining town famous for a worker rebellion that they say birthed democracy in Australia. We arrived in the afternoon and although we chatted with the staff at the museum, decided to skip the entry fee and have a hot chocolate in the quaint town instead. We cuddled up by the fire and sipped the chocolately goodness (it was very cold!) then wandered into the gold shop down the street. The friendly staff taught us about the history of gold mining in the area, about valuation of gold nuggets, and about the craft of making them into jewelry. They had some beautiful pieces which where fun to try on. Afterward we headed up to the nearby Wendouree Lake and were agast when we realized the lake no longer exists. Barren docks stuck out over dusty soil, and towards the center of what used to be a lake were mudflats, the setting sun reflecting in the puddles. Locals explained that the drought completely erradicated the lake but recent rains have created the muddy mess it is now. The site was shocking. We then headed off to meet with Paul's clients then made our way home in the dark, agreeing that we would return again sometime when we had more time to explore.