The Train, Kangaroo Island and Adelaide

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Hello All...

Sorry we haven't written lately, we have been living it up. This may end a long one, or I will try to keep it some what short

1st off, Happy Birthday E !!! Can't figure why you wouldn’t answer at 3am your time.

April 15th we took the train to Adelaide. Special thanks to Lizzy for, while extremely pregnant, drove in from Avalon to wish us a good trip, but also give us a ride to the Train Station. As our luggage was a little over weight, imagine that… we had to buy a candy stripe bag, in which we filled it we Heathers shoes, medicine kit, toiletries and her make-up. The trip on the Indian Pacific was really great, although it was difficult to take pictures from the train. It was a 24 hour trip. Special thanks to Murray, the conductor, as he was great, and when he found out it was our honeymoon; he announced it to the whole dining car. Sleeping was horrible, if we could get comfortable, they would somehow know and turn up the AC. They next morning we stopped briefly in Broken Hill. When we got on they informed us that we would probably be late getting into Adelaide because on construction, so we phoned, and shifted all our plans one day. The train got in on time…but thank goodness we still shifted everything, as the candy stripe bag didn’t show up with us leaving Heather in Sandals. We filled out a couple of forms and headed on our way. As there was a bag just like ours, they figured someone picked up the wrong one and they would probably call that day or the next. That night we stayed at the YHA and went for a nice Chinese dinner.

The next morning we met the bus down the block, and took a nice 2 hour trip to Cape Jarvis to catch the Ferry to Kangaroo Island. The bus ride was awesome, the Ozzie country side is so beautiful, in which we saw Kangaroos. The ferry ride was soo rough and rocky, almost a little funny, as it was just like our flight to Oz. When we got there, it was cold and raining. We dropped off our stuff at the Penneshaw YHA and went exploring. 1 hour later we had walked right around Penneshaw, saw the 3 shops, the grocery store/bottle shop and the 2 restaurants. Because there was no shoe store, Heather had to settle for a pair of imitation Uggs (slipper boots). We booked a tour for the next day, talked to the Bottle shop lady long enough that when we came back she was giving us tasters, and headed back to the Hostel, our family room. 3 bunk beds, one being a double on the bottom. They were turning people away, we almost started renting the spare beds…That night we went down to the water and looked for penguins. They were everywhere. By the end of the night they were in the backyard of the hostel. They are so cute up close, but loud cute buggers. It was so funny just watching them run around.

April 18th - Seal Bay Tour. Alan, the Bussy
Met the bus around 8, in which it takes people from the Ferry. We did a tour of the whole Island picking up people in the capital Kings Cove, population 1700, American River and Pardana. The population for the whole island is 7500 and they get over 250,000 tourists a year. The 1st actual stop was a Clifford's Honey Farm. KI is the only place in the world that has a particular pure breed Italian Honey Bee, the Ligurian Bee, and they are starting to sell them back to the Italians. Had some awesome Honey Ice Cream. Next lunch. The 3rd stop was the most memorable. The Wild Wilderness Park. We saw wallabies, an albino one. We got to pet koalas, a large pig, tons of birds, when we were walking through the Bird Sanctuary, there were a couple of baby ducks sitting there, so as I do, I started quacking at them, and kept walking. They stared following me, and when I stopped and turned around, they were, and if anyone tried to go between us, they would try to attack them. I wasn’t allowed to take them home, but I was allowed to take as many peacocks as I wanted…, Heather got to hold a baby possum that started to eat her hair. The most amazing part was, they led us into a large open field, and there were kangaroos everywhere. They gave us each some feed, and let us go at it. Everyone was standing in the same enclosure, so I decided to walk over to another one, where there was just one Roo. It started raining really hard and next thing you know, I am surrounded by at least a dozen. Just sitting out of the rain, not paying any attention to me. Next we went to Seal Bay. We were watching the seals in their natural habitat. A young one came right to the group, sniffed the guide and left. We had to stay together, because we could be mistaken for a predator or worse, another seal in mating season. We also saw 2 huge seals fighting, and 2 little pups playing. There are soo funny. They all like little puppies. They get moving along, and quite quickly and just fall on their face a lay there and watch…The last stop was Pelican Feeding. The guy was really funny, showing us what happens if Seagulls take their food, or a Pelican gets too much…they get attacked. Heather wasn’t feeling well at this point, and thought she was having sympathy labour pains and kept calling Joanne to find out if Lizzy was in labour or had her baby…Its no long burning, its an inferno…

The next day it was still rainy so just hung out most of the day. Did some sampling at the Bottle shop, bought a local wine and Honey Liquor. That night we went out for a nice dinner. The only place in Penneshaw for a nice dinner. Sorrento’s. We barely got in as had no reservation. We started of with Heather, Oyster Kilpatrick and half of my garlic prawns. Mains….Heather had the steak, surprise…I had the Kangaroo…soooooo amazing, melt in your mouth, like steak but zillion times better. Heather had a nice chocolate pudding for desert, we were so full, and felt sooo sick….sooo goood.

Our last day on the Island we did another tour. Remarkably Wild Tour - Les the Bussy, he lived there for 45 years, knew everything about everything… Ist was Emu Ridge Eucalyptus Oil Distillery- The only distillery in Australia still using traditional methods. They also had emus (devil Bastards). Next was Kelly Hill Caves. We saw some awesome calcite formations, in which one looked just like a Ballet shoe and leg up on point. Next Lunch, greasy BBQ. Next was Remarkable Rocks. It was so windy and there are no fences. We didn’t get out far enough to see the go no further signs. Next we went to Flinders Chase National Park One of the largest National Parks in Australia. We could see REMARKABLE ROCKS and ADMIRALS ARCH which was also so windy, but on a path. So picturesque, with more fur seals. Last we went to Island Pure Sheep Dairy South Australia’s first sheep milking dairy and cheese factory. We got to see sheep milking, hear an informative talk and free tastings of the range of cheeses and yoghurt produced at the dairy. They had a fried cheese….there was a party in my mouth. Cack to the ferry and the bus ride back to Adelaide. Dark out and we were so tired we slept the whole way back to the YHA in Adelaide. .
1st day in Adelaide we took it easy. As the train station still hadn’t found our bag, we had to go do more forms. After we headed downtown, Heather bought some boots, and toiletries, 5mins after buying everything, the train station called, they found our stuff. Heather returned all but the boots.

The next day we did a half day tour sitting in a bus seeing the main sites, St Peters Church, Cricket Stadium, Museums, etc. We stopped at Haigh’s Chocolate Factory, and half way through the tour, a girl from our group went running out, didn’t make it and threw up on the floor at the main entrance. Funny. We then went up in to the Adelaide hills and took some photos, stopped from an hour in a German settlement, had some sauerkraut. After the tour we just walked around, had a drink at PJ O’Briens, Oysters at the The Oyster Bar, and saw three weddings. Had to actually stay and watch an outdoor wedding for a bit.

Next Day we went on a wine tasting tour in Barossa Valley“Groovy Grape”. I have never had a full glass of white wine prior to this day. JR, our guide, funny guy, a government conspirist and has a toilet fetish, although we have started to discuss the nicer toilets with each other from our trip. The first stop was at the Largest Rocking Horse in the world. I climbed it for $2 and received a certificate. Next the Whispering Dam. A curved dam that you can hear the people at the other side. The came the wine…lol
1st - Jacob Creek. They showed us how to taste wine properly, it was nice. 8 samples, Heather is now a full Port lover.
2nd - VineCrest - The absolute best. It was soooo good. The owners show us around, they have won tons of medal,
3rd - Richmond Grove - The place looks like a castle. Originally owned by a Hoffman, but went broke because he didn’t know how to spell his name. One of the only places that do Open Fermenting, and presses the grapes. Really nice toilets…

Starting to feel the wine now. Stopped for lunch, had a couple of beers.

Last was Bethany Wines - it was alright, but because it wasn’t structured like the rest, we never really knew what they had, or time to find out before they were pouring for someone else. Heather really liked the White Port.

We met some really great people on the tour, and when we got back, sat and had dinner and some drinks with a couple of locals.

I will stop here as it has taken me forever to write this, I am running out of credit, and I have still to tell you about our Caravan rental from Adelaide to Melbourne along the Great Ocean Road. I will hopefully write it soon,

Miss you all,
Neil and Heather
N

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Comments

[Ron Armstrong]

Booze Cruise!
Good to hear from you guys about the sights and sounds of South Australia. Getting to be summer here in Ottawa so see you soon. Sorry but there are no bottle shops or wineries to amuse the taste buds but lots of politicians to keep you amused- or not! I hope that you two continue to make time to enjoy OZ and each other as the former schedule of long working hours and lots of partying must get hard to maintain! Spoken like an old fart who has only been out 3 times this week!