Hugh Hefner's glorious wine tour and other vineyards...

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Happy Australia Day to you all! Today's a public holiday here in Oz, and a controversial one at that, seeing as it celebrates the landing of Captain Cook onto Australian land and taking it from the Aboriginal people. The indiginous people have had a few things to say on the matter (not least a few protests to be had, which led to the Welsh Wizardess, PM Julia Gillard being unceremoniously dumped into a waiting car, minus one very expensive shoe, to escape the backlash of said protesters). All other Australians can think of nothing better than to thrown an inflatable thong (no, not what you're thinking - thong is Aussie for flip flop. Takes some getting used to when people say 'my thongs have given me blisters' etc...) into the ocean to claim a world record, and listen to the Triple J top 100.

The Triple J Top 100. Remember a time in the UK when Mark Goodier or Simon Mayo would present a little programme called the Chart Show on a Sunday night? Remember when the Christmas number 1 was important? Teenagers up and down the land would grab a cassette, and tape their favourite tunes, listening avidly to see if Bryan Adams 'Everything I do' could be Number 1 for yet another week. Well, the Australian equivalent - the Triple J top 100 - is the talk of the town here. People have parties to listen to the top 100 songs of the last 12 months. Where they can even vote for their favourites. BBQs are held, invitations sent out - it's a huge thing here. The local tennis club in Glenelg is putting on a special do, just to celebrate the top 100 countdown.

I could save everyone a job. There's only one winner. Gotye's Somebody that I used to know. The song that I have heard at least 3 times daily since I got here but that still sounds as brilliant as the first time I heard it. However, the parties are going ahead as planned and everyone is expectantly waiting to hear who will be crowned number 1.

Anyway, Paul, Jules, Katherine and I decided that the only way to escape the madness was to hit the vineyards (not that we really needed an excuse). With Mr Sparkes doing the designated driver honours, the girls hit the vineyards to sample the finest of South Australia's wine offerings in McLaren Vale. After a quick breakfast stop, where we managed to make as many friends as we did in The Strand last night (talk turned to flasher macs and egregious behaviour before midday...), we set off to the first of our vineyards, Hugh Hamilton's (which, despite my best efforts to remember, I still had to look up on the internet just now, as I can't help but call it Hugh Hefner's...).

The vineyard was stunning - a circular building, surrounded by an expanse of grapevines that put my paltry little one on the side of my house to shame. The theme here is Black Sheep, because according to history, Hugh Hamilton was the black sheep of the family. All the wines are named after thesaurus definitions of a black sheep - rascal, scallwag etc. And each and every wine, from white to red to sparkling red was unbelievably good. I even managed to stomach the chardonnay which is unheard of. There's a UK distributor for said wines that I have the details for - Melissa, I will be shopping before I come down to Poole...

We then went off to Wirra Wirra and tried a whole selection here including their port which was incredible (again - have UK distributor details...) where we had a lot more banter with the two guys on the counter, who, as a result, kept topping our glasses up. Oh and if you ever wondered what happened to all the cork in the world, let me reassure you that it's safe and well and adorned to a 20ft high replica Wirra Wirra winebottle outside the vineyard.

Lunch at the next vineyard followed where the muscato was delicious (and where we polished a bottle off over sandwiches and nibbles). Then a few more vineyards, and a few more, finishing up in one that was a converted church and where the port literally nearly finished me off. God only knows how much wine I drank today - but I can honestly say it was the best wine tour I've been on in terms of all round quality. The reds in particular, and even sparkling reds which I thought were limited to 50p shops on Bulgarian ski slopes, were fabulous.

But the day was not over there...no sooner had we returned than it was time to get into the city to sit in Elder Park in camping chairs and listen to music and watch fireworks. The hangover started to kick in around 9pm, fairly unpleasant, but still, nachos and great company in Paul and Jules sorted me out. A gorgeous evening, where the park was packed to the rafters of picnic-ers enjoying the late sunshine. We had a good old sing song to the tracks that were being played (no triple J here, I'll have you know), and decided to surprise Paul and Jules with my rapping 'skills' to Michael Jackson's Black or White... cue much hilarity!

The fireworks put Neville's display in Burnham to shame once again, by going on for at least 15 minutes (once we'd allowed the delayed Qantas flight from Sydney to land) set to a medley of Australian musicians. Think Kylie (but no Jason), Men at Work, and John Farmer...

What a fantastic Australia day - wandering around drinking wine, sitting back and chilling in a park and watching fireworks. No inflatable flip flops in sight - bliss!

PS - My prediction re: Gotye being number 1 was correct


PPS - And even better news, there's love in the air. I know you'll all be desperate to hear this after last night's drama, but Pete accepted Paul's friend request. The two are happily reunited. Just Sherri to find now...

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