Wine makers drive

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Sunday Morning at silly o'clock, Grace and I are heading for the bus terminal with Grace having no idea why!
I'm still impressed I managed to keep it all secret for so long! Imagine me doing something this exciting and not telling anyone! (well at least not telling Grace!) it was difficult, but for the look on her face when she realised where we were it was definately worth it!

Even on the coach I was convinced she would figure it out! didnt even see the signs (world of her own!) but it was when we pulled into Winemakers Drive the penny finally dropped!

What an address!! If ever we are to live anywhere in the world, for name sake alone, please let it be 169 Winemakers Drive, Hunter Valley, Australia....Wine Country!

We housed up for a few days in the cutest ranch-style hostel on legs! Right on Winemakers Drive. From the outset the weather was just perfect (Sydney having been a bit cloudy recently was a slight worry!) Autumn here and winter well and truly on the way meant that the vines in the vinyards were all hibernating and not (as we would have liked) "bearing fruit" but ne'r mind eh! It was still warm and sunny! What more could you ask?

Starting as we meant to go on, once settled we both hired some bikes (well, "borrowed" some bikes as no-one was around to pay...what? we didnt steal them!!) and after a lot of convincing, and a few trial runs around the car park Grace decided she'd try and peddle up to the nearest Cellar Door (wine talk for where you go for free booze!)


20 minutes later after a lovely ride (ahem) we arrived at the first of many vinyards, the Earnest Hill Estate. These places are incredible! you rock up, they give you a wine list, make some suggestions and off you go! FREE WINE!! not even a suggestion of spitting! Being a boutique winery means that they only sell at the cellar door so what you are drinking is never going to make it to the shops giving it all a really special feel! and because we came at the end of the weekend and stayed through the early part of the week there was hardly anyone around so we got star service (I like to think!). so as not to get too carried away we left Earnest Hill with a couple of bottles of award winning Chardonnay (I know I sound like a ponce but it was fantastic!), and headed back to the ranch.

Well! after quite a few glasses of vino, we found ourselves at the nearest (and only) pub/brewery in the valley! with a lot of vinyards making up the landscape (like hundreds!) there isn't really room for beer! (stuff that!) well we found some beer allright! home to the recently awarded best lager in NSW! (another score!) After a few Ginger infused beers!!! (WOW!!) we peddled randomly off and found ourselves at the tail-end of the Lovedale Long Lunch festival, basicaly an excuse for the locals to get together and get pissed (AS IF THEY NEED ONE!) ....more wine....bit of a dance.....watch the sunset on a hay bail....attemt to peddle home...in the dark....no idea which way....but we made it!

The rest of our time here was spent in much the same way! AWSOME!!!!......

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Comments

[Siani]

haha
I can't believe how much you guys look like little wine stealing pixies in these photos!! look at Lloyd's face!!! hahaha!!! its like Lloyd and Grace heaven!! can't wait for you guys to get back :) not long now! xxxx's from us lot xxxx