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So you thought we'd got lost didn't you - no such luck - it's just been madness. We arrived in Adelaide on 24th April - can't believe we have been here so long already, the days and kilometers have just drained away.
Australia is currently suffering its longest drought and in many areas it's getting quite desperate. So when we arrived in Adelaide to brillaint sunshine we felt very sorry for the locals, but we had a smile on our faces - all was to change. The following day is rained and the day after and after that - by the end of April we heard that the rainfall had been the heaviest for 10 years in the Adelaide region and it had all fallen during the last 5 days of April!! Of course we were really pleased for the locals, but it was a soggy few days for us.
We had booked ourselves into the seaside resort of Adelaide, Glenelg, assuming it to be a small beach town - perhaps a bit like Bognor! Wrong! Glenelg has city status and buzzed in a delightful way with a brisk cafe society (the cafes are full of
people having breakfast at 8 in the morning - what a life!), a lovely sandy beach and a tram system that ran regulary into the centre of Adelaide - perfect.
Adelaide city centre is quite compact, has all the usual shops. cafes and restaurants, a brilliant museum and art gallery, botanical gardens and wonderful architecture. We found it very busy and crowded and tended to venture out of town rather than into it visiting a couple of the local National Parks.
Once we gained ourselves a set of wheels we said farewell to a wet Adelaide and headed south to the Fleurieu Peninsula and the whaling town of Port Victor where we visited Granite Island. A horse drawn tram trundled over the causeway which joined the island to the mainland. A short walk round the island was really interesting with wonderful views, fascinating rock formations and the obligatory seals (we also saw a fairy penguin - but only as he poked his nose out of his hideaway). Rock formations were to become the talking point over the next few days - something I must learn more about when we return home.
Time to get
moving. Our journey took us along the Great Ocean Road which skirts 125km of spectacular coastline and was built by ex servicemen of WW1 in memory of their fellow comrades who fell at the front. This was to be another lesson in rock formations, limestone errosion and wonder coastal views. The Bay of Islands, London Bridge and the well known 12 apostles - although there are only 7 surviving and no one knows if there were actually 12 to begin with! A very rugged coastline that is well known for shipwrecks and popular today with surfers. Lots of small bays and fishing ports. We stopped at Robe, Port Fairy and Apollo Bay just to name a few of the small fishing towns boosted by the tourists that travel this route every day - fortunately not so many this time of the year.
Next stop Tasmania. An island of 26,250 sq miles sitting just south of Melbourne - bigger than Switzerland, but a wee bit flatter. Was originally used for the worst criminals (usually murderers) and the mention of 'Van Dieman', as it was originally called, would send a shiver down a sinner's spine. A state of wild scenery,
open moors, rolling hills, georgean architecture and lots and lots of rain - as it we hadn't had enough.
Our week long tour of Tas took in three National Parks. We spent a couple of days in the main town, Hobart, another fishing port but very elegant in style and wonder markets, restaurants and cafes.
Our first expedition was to the Freycenet National Park on the east side of the island, where we made our way up 100's of steps and over boulders then down steps and over more boulders to Wine Glass Bay - every step was worth the effort - white sands, crystal blue water what a place to eat our cheese and tomato sandwiches!
We then moved over the west of the island to our next National Park, Cradle Mountain. Here, in five layers, plus hats and gloves we walked round Dove Lake and also the Ronnie Creek walk - however the weather was very cold, misty and wet and Cradle Mountain only appeared to us very briefly between the clouds, it meant we weren't able to do the walks we had planned - but maybe another time! Snow was expected
any day.
Finally Lake St Claire - beautiful weather - beautiful scenery and wonderful short walks all around the area. Platypus Bay was my favourite - unfortunately no platypi!
We drove through Queenstown, a small mining town, during our journey back to Hobart. What a strange place - Saturday - 10.30am - High Street - not a soul! Three coffee shops, all open and no one. We have come across a number of towns just like this - I guess this is a typical Australian rural town and something we will get used to seeing. However on our drive out of the town, which took us up the side of a mountain, looking back the landscape was amazing. Where the ground had been mined it was an array of magnificent colours, oranges, red, golds, it was like the moon with sun shining on it. This had been rainforest at one time, heavily mined for copper mainly over many years it must have thrived and now is almost forgotten.
So back to Melbourne - brilliant flights. Melbourne is wonderful - a delight of a city. We visited the Botanical Gardens, Federation Square, the Olympic Stadium
(an interschools event was taking place, so we stayed for a while), Queen Victoria Market, the MCG and wandered the city - open, fresh and very friendly.
So where next - Phillip Island, Wilsons Promontary and then the Snowy Mountains to Canberra and Sydney - hopefully I'll be able to update sooner next time.
Last two things - Good Luck Lib for the Moon Walk on 19th May and also all the Tone Zone Runner for the Bognor 10k also this weekend.
Take care you all - keep in touch - it's lovely to hear from you all.
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viv.carline
non-member comment
Lots of us are reading!
Cos I noticed that you hadn't rec'd many comments I thought I'd just let you know that many of us here at UoC are reading all your adventures (with envy!). I have passed on your link to many! Possibly, you might like to look up an old friend of mine in Sydney. I haven't heard from him in about 12 years! ? He was a very good sailor and sailed Skiffs from a Sydney Harbour Sailing Club. Let me know and I'll send more details. If not - see you when you get back. KEEP WRITING. Viv