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WELCOME TO COOBER PEDY
Quirky but great placeBack on the road again heading to Coober Pedy 195 klms dirt road but were told its really good, which it was a little surprise as we come closer to Coober Pedy we hit the bitumen about 40klms. This country is amazing with its changing landscape as we headed south. Spent the night in Coober Pedy and had a bit more of a look around that we didn't see on our trip there a couple of weeks ago. Booked into the Big 4 Caravan Park there dusty and dry and no water is for free in this town you have to pay at the filling stations, 20 cents for 30 litres so not too bad! We didn't need any as we still had a fair bit left. Dinner at John's pizza in town, not only pizza but the full menu of things....lots of locals eating...reasonable prices! $15 for a yummy steak sandwich with the lot with a side of perfectly cooked chips, the steak melted in your mouth. We had discussed whether to walk into town for dinner about 2klms but opted to take the car, glad we did on coming out of John's lots of swearing and a hullabaloo.... a
WOOMERA ROCKET PARK
Great little museum group of indigenous going for it....calling each other black C's and on it went, jumped in the car and took off! We were told things were not great here and they were playing up. Saturday set off our intention to stay at Pimba, but after going out to Woomera and having a look at their museum park it was still only 2.30pm so decided to hit the road for another couple of hours and spent the night in a free camp spot closer to Port Augusta....it was pretty close to the highway and I said to John on Sunday, well that was like staying on a runway at an international airport, with trains on one side and the semis on the other didn't stop all night but we did manage to get a few hours sleep. Onto Port Augusta to a van car wash to give our vehicles a bit of a spruce up but I think we will have red dust coming out of crevices everywhere for weeks! The inside of our van is pretty good....the Carafan (turn it on when we hit dirt and it pressurises the van) has done its job meticulously! Then onto Port Pirie for
WOOMERA ROCKET PARK
Well maintained displays a couple of nights to do LOADS of washing! Port Pirie been a great spot to take a breath...clean the car, the van, do loads of washing, red dirt just oozing out of everywhere! Wednesday onto the Clare Valley....just a breath of fresh air...a tiny little valley about 2hrs north of Adelaide! Our spot is in Auburn....probably the most southern end of the Clare Valley! Famous for being the birthplace of C.J. Dennis where he was born at the Auburn Hotel were his Dad was the publican. Had booked ahead for a fine dining experience at Terroir.. restaurant in Auburn...just the most amazing place...a true locavore restaurant... whats not grown onsite is sourced locally! Located in a 1870s building...its just so amazing....a taste sensation and lovely Clare Valley Wines....loved the whole experience! I must have told Lara where we were...coz when we finished our meal and asked for the bill, the chef came out for a chat about our experience....and said to us YOUR DAUGHTER has called and paid for your meal, we were so shocked... we could not believe it....she is one special person!!! Our next day Thursday we did a walk along the Riesling Trail which was so
GLENDAMBO
The pub is unique lovely and it goes for klms! Because its Clare Valley Gourmet Week, there is so much happening in the Clare Valley...so lucky to get a spot here in the The Valley, staying at a community park at the Auburn Sports Reserve, a great park with all the facilities for $30 a night. Friday we pre booked tickets to an afternoon at Claymore Wines, an afternoon of food, wine and music....what a magical afternoon! Look them UP! Amazing wines, labels and the General Manager Carissa, we met as a baby in 1977! What an ambassador she is for the winery.....gorgeous girl and her Mum Flip is there to help at the winery as well. Their wines are amazing. Also met and awesome couple from Byron Bay, Johann and Lucy, who joined us at our table and we had a gorgeous afternoon with them.... our age, kids our age and with their motor home they are on their away around Australia! Such a delightful couple. Saturday morning met Flip and Dave for coffee, people we had not seen for years, were at Mt Cavanagh Station Northern Territory when we met Dave and then when he and Flip married met up with them
COOBER PEDY
Johns Pizza is a must... great food! at Saddleworth! Had a lovely morning with them talking about all sorts of stuff and catching up on our families etc. Heading back to Gawler Sunday, we are so excited our beautiful friends Pat and Gordy from Leongatha came over to surprise us for a visit so we are lunching at Lou's Place in the Barossa Sunday and having a couple of days together. Had a wonderful 3 days with Pat and Gordy, the lunch at Lou's place was something else, we just ordered the feed me menu and it was perfect with a beautiful bottle of red which I had never heard of before Sangrantino, a yummy grape variety from Umbria in Italy! We visited a few wineries and had a good look around the countryside of the Barossa, its very pretty had a light lunch at the Tanunda Bakery on the Tuesday and went to a must see Sculpture Park, well it wouldn't be on my bucketlist again.... not that impressive. BUT what was impressive was that we stumbled onto The Barossa Cellar in Vine Vale just the other side of Tanunda, it is part of the Barons of Barossa who had this purposely built for storage of
Barossa Wine and they have functions or dinners to taste some of the amazing wines. We were lucky enough that Gordy was talking to one of the Barons who just happened to be there for a meeting and she showed us through the vault cellar! Wow Wow Wow!!! It was amazing! It is stacked with thousands of bottles of the most highly regarded wines all aged to at least a decade before being opened, it was opened in 2020 and is home to the only cellar like this in Australia with all the wine being donated by Barossa winemakers! Had a lovely tasting at Artisans which was also fantastic as you got to chose a variety of wines to taste from about 10 or so different wineries, smaller wineries.... also went to Kies which was another nice one! We tried to stick to places that were a little known to us! Had another lunch at a beaut pizza place in Angaston and also had a big walk around his picturesque little village! Our last tasting was at Keller Meister which is another nice place with views over the Barossa. Farwelled Pat and Gordy with a casual dinner at the Golden
COOBER PEDY
There are literally junk yards all over town Fleece Pub in Gawler and it was very nice but an early night as we were all tuckered out! Friday saw us fly to Canberra for our Aunty's 90th birthday having a lunch on the Saturday. Aunty is Johns Mums only sibling and has no children so it was fitting that we all came together for her birthday. A great weekend was had by all, we had two of Aunty's nephews attend Paul and John, and a few of her grand niece and nephews and also grand grand nieces and nephew and the biggest effort of all was made by Geoff, Aunty's cousin, who came up for the day from Melbourne, it was a fabulous gathering of 20 family members. The guest of honour, Emma, we arranged for to come a little early like 11.30-11.40 to be there when everyone arrived and thinking she might be had it by 4 but still going well after 6pm, wonderful memories and stories told all day long! We caught up again for dinner on Sunday, being just six of us as everyone else had to get back to work and other commitments, so it was a whole 3 days of party, party, party....
COOBER PEDY
Like a moon landscape the stamina of these girls is totally amazing! Aunty looks tremendous and we all think we will be lucky to get to 90. I can tell you John and I were exhausted! Flew back to Adelaide Monday arvo to stock up, get everything in order to start heading west on Wednesday but a slow relaxing trip! So Wednesday saw us leave our little piece of paradise of Angie and Simon's, sad to leave as they have been absolutely fantastic to us, not only looking after our van but spoiling us so much! Great to catch up with old friends.
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