Pt 2 - Day 59 - Coober Pedy

This morning we set the alarm for 6am.  Pitch black outside at this time of the day.  We make sure everything is locked and secured and just hope to goodness the van will be okay while we were away.  Unfortunately we didn't have many van storage options.  When we pull out of the park at 7am the sun is still not up.   I just can't get used to daylight savings and while it doesn't worry us on our travels, I thank my lucky stars we don't have it at home!!

We have 540km to drive today, but it is so nice not to have the van on and to be out in the wide open spaces.  We are on a decent road where everyone waves hello and the only thing you have to worry about is a cow or an emu wondering across the road in front of you.  The landscape is very bare, not many trees and the Pimbi roadhouse is like an oasis after the first 200km.  I drive most of the way today to give Glen a break.  I encounter a mob of kamikazee cockies and reduce the group by about 5, and when we stop for the toilet, one is still wedged in our roo bar, much to the horror of Shannae!!!

We arrive at Coober Pedy to a beautiful 36C.  A bit of a shock to our system, we have forgotten what heat is like.  The place is dry, dusty and there are mounds of sand and rock everywhere from the mining.  The town itself has a few shops down the main street, every second one selling opals, and we are struck by the security rails on all the windows and doors, reminds us a bit of Carnarvon.  Every hill has a house built into it.  We find our hotel "the Underground Motel", where our rooms are built in to the side of a large hill.  Thankfully it is quite cool in here.

Our car parked outside our hotel room.

We are not feeling too much like sightseeing in this heat, as we are a bit weary adjusting to this temperature, but we head out anyway.  Firstly to the Opal Cave where we find our first underground shop.  What a bizarre sight.  What looks like a run down little house from the outside, opens up to a beautiful showroom underneath, a cave of jewels.  The kids can't believe it.  Opals everywhere, they can't get their money out of their wallets quick enough.

The first place we visit is "Faye's house".  A residence that was dug out by hand by three ladies in the 1960's.  We just can't imagine how hard it must have been and are amazed by the number of rooms including a decent sized cellar for the bar.
After this we head out to the Serbian Church which is not only underground but has had carvings carved into the walls and ceiling.  Quite an amazing place.
This afternoon we head to the Big Winch" lookout where we encounter some very bizarre "art" work and it is about now that we start to realise that the people living in Coober Pedy are quite unique.

"Art"

One view of Coober Pedy from the lookout.  Yes, these are all car wrecks that have just been left!!!

Coober Pedy is certainly like no other place we have seen so far.  Cody is beside himself with all the rocks to choose from and by the end of the day his pants are weighed down with all the treasures he has collected.  He can't wait for "noodling" tomorrow when he can search for opals.  The girls are also in awe of this beautiful stone and start to count their pennies for the jewellery purchases that plan to make before we leave!!!!!

Pt 2 - Day 58 - Port Augusta

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TRACE AND MICK!!!!!

Today we decide to move on.  We had planned to go into Adelaide for a day, however, after driving through the city we couldn't bring ourselves to drive back in to do more sightseeing.  We are nearly "sightseeinged - out ".  Unfortunately, on a trip like this, after about the 5th museum and 3rd zoo and 15th tour, you get a bit over it, which is how we are feeling at the moment.  Which is a shame as there is still so much to see.  And as Dad says, once your vehicle is pointed in the direction of home, you just want to hit turbo boost and head for home. But, had we read your email yesterday Michael, we most likely would have stayed another day....oh well!! thems the breaks!!!!

So today was just a day of travel.  Although we did manage to meet up with Glen's Aunty Anne and Uncle Jamie who are heading across to Queensland to pick up their new Bushtracker.  It was great seeing some familiar faces and having a chat, even though it was brief, it was perfect timing.

We pull into our caravan park in Port Augusta......what a dive.  I'm afraid Port Augusta has lived up to it's reputation, we hadn't heard many good reports.  However, this is just somewhere to leave the van for a couple of days while we scoot up to Coober Pedy.  Unfortunately the park is about a "minus 5!!!" star, so we have everything crossed that the van will still be here when we get back and in one piece.  The kids immediately made friends with some kids that actually live in the park.  Needless to say, they received quite an education in the space of just one afternoon!!!

Pt 2 - Day 57 - Barossa Valley

Well, this morning we woke to another beautiful day. Another couple of loads of washing on and Cody and I head down the street.  He has blown out yet another pair of thongs, so we have to get another pair, and while he has clean hair, I jump at the opportunity to get it cut, as it has been a while!!!! 

So today we decide to have a look at the Barossa Valley.  It is a bit dry but otherwise what a beautiful spot.  We stop at Tanunda for a more detailed map and to ask for further info on the best spots to visit, then head to Angaston.  First stop the Angus Park fruit shop, full of dried fruit, nuts and chocolate, next stop the Barossa cheese factory, then, what I think was the highlight of the day, Maggie Beere's Farm.  Wow, what a fantastic place if you like food!!!.  Every product she produces was available for tasting,  pates, jams, marinades, biscuits, relishes, sauces, you name, it was there,  then afterwards you could order a picnic basket with the products you like for lunch.  Absolutely divine!!!!  She was giving a cooking demonstration at 2pm but we didn't stay for that. A very popular spot so it was very busy.

Afterwards we hit the wineries.  First Penfolds, I think they had about a dozen reds to sample here, which Glen tried each and  every one of!!!!!!  He was talking a bit funny by the time we left!!  Then we went to this lovely little family owned winery called Whistler.  A bus load of people on a wine tour having a great time out the front.  Made us think we should have done the same!!  We really liked this place, and their wine.  We then did a couple more, couldn't go past Jacobs Creek which had its own visitors centre and restaurant.  They were very well set up here, had a beautiful grassed area and toys for the kids and lovely people behind the counter.  Needless to say we made a few purchases here as well. 
It was a great day, nice weather and beautiful surroundings, not to mention food and wine, what more could you want!!!  No wonder our clothes aren't fitting us anymore!!!!

Pt 2 - Day 56 - Back to the Mainland

This morning when we get up at 7am and it is just freezing.  Glen and I do everything we need to do as quickly as we can and I make some breakfast for the kids to have in the car so they just hop out of their beds and straight into the car.  We know that by the time we get to Adelaide it is going to be about 28C today, but it certainly doesn't feel like it at the moment.  We wave farewell to our friendly neighbours and head off on our 120km journey back to Penneshaw and the Sealink Ferry.  We stop at the visitors centre for the kids to get changed and sort some things before boarding the boat.

We arrive at the wharf by about 9:45, the boat departs at 10:30.  To our surprise we run into our Belgian friends who we met on the Great Ocean Road.  It is like a reunion, the kids are happy to see each other and we exchange stories of what we have done and seen on Kangaroo Island.  I am surprised we didn't run into them somewhere.  We have a very enjoyable trip back on the boat with them. Much calmer than the trip over and we are lucky enough to witness some dolphins playing in front of the boat.  What stamina those animals have.  When we arrive on the mainland we exchange email addresses and contact details with our new friends and head off on our merry way.

We are headed for a place just north east of Adelaide called Gawler, between Adelaide and the Barossa Valley.  The plan is to use this as our base and spend one day sightseeing in Adelaide and another in the Barossa.  We arrive by about 3pm.  I am so desperate to wash, I cannot wait until the morning, so I fill all the machines in the laundry, then fly down to the local woolies to do the usual shop, giving the family strict instructions to hang out the washing as soon as it is finished!!!  They all recieve major brownie points from the old dears in the park who think they are the best husband and children in the world for hanging out the washing!!!

This evening we just love the nice clean ablutions here with no timers.  Cody washes his hair for the first time in about 3 weeks I reckon!!!!  It is amazing how much you appreciate the little things when you have to go without them for a while!!  The weather is warm now, most of the washing dries by 8pm and tonight everyone is in their summer pj's!!  Surprising we don't get sick more often on this trip!!

Pt 2 - Day 55 - Vivonne Bay

This morning Glen cooked his Millsteed famous pancakes for the family.  Everyone was very excited as he did a great job given the less than perfect cooking conditions.  All the ingredients but no scales, no measuring cups, lack of utensils!!! 

The weather today was divine.  Not windy and just warm, one of the nicest summer days we have had for a long time.  We head straight down to the beach/river, me with the fishing rod, kids with their boogie boards, Tori with her blow up boat that she got for christmas and smuggled into her suitcase for the flight back!!! and Glen is headed for the waves.  Everyone has a great morning.  Cody, Shannae and I catch some more fish, but we throw them back as they are a bit small.

Not much is required for lunch today.  In the afternoon we go for a drive to the jetty where we go fishing and Glen jumps off the jetty and went for a quick swim.  Not too keen to stay in the water for long, as we had spotted a couple of seals and sharks love them for lunch so it was a quick dip.  The water is such a beautiful colour here.

Later on we start to think about packing up and heading off in the morning.  Shannae spends the remainder of the afternoon on her board in the river and Cody and Tori fight it out in another marathon game of monopoly.  Another pleasant barbi in the camp kitchen and a relatively early night.  However, by early I mean about 10pm.  The kids pretty much go to bed the same time as we do these days, with daylight savings, and we all sleep in until about 8am as the sun doesn't come up until about 7am.  It is bizarre, but as we don't have to be anywhere on any day it doesn't matter to us.  It is really cold at night here, so the kids sleep in their trackies and have all the rugs pulled up!!!!  No summer for us this year!!!

Pt 2 - Day 54 - Seal Bay

This morning we pack up and head for Vivonne Bay.  There, waiting for us, is a perfect site just next to the walkway to the beach.  We set up and decide to drive around to Seal Bay.  Here, our hand is in our pocket again.  $41 for the privelidge of walking along the board walk to view the seals on the beach.  For more than double this, we could have joined a tour which actually took you down to the beach a bit closer, but hey, this is getting beyond a joke.

I must admit, I was pleasantly surprised by the boardwalk.  A very impressive path purpose built for viewing the seals.  We could have watched them for ages.  There were a lot lazing around doing nothing, but quite a few out swimming and others fighting or chasing each other up and down the beach.

After this we headed back to camp.  I went and got some bait.  The sun is shining and we can feel some real warmth in the air.  It is pretty windy but we all head down to the river/beach for a swim and a spot of fishing.  Cody is keen for a fish and pulls one in after his first cast.  A very excited young man!!!!

This afternoon the kids play monopoly and Glen and I sit outside the van and soak up some sun.  We are all most appreciative of our 3 minutes showers tonight!!!!  After tea we decide to head down to the jetty where we are told the penguins come in at night.  We get there on dusk and wait until about 9pm, however they must have heard us coming as none of them show up.  We do however, see the smallesst lighthouse we have seen so far!!!!

Pt 2 - Day 53 - Stokes Bay

It is supposed to be warmer today, well it certainly doesn't start off that way.  After discovering the beautiful bay yesterday, we decide to stay another day and enjoy it.  So we all head down the beach after breaky.  It is a bit cold for swimming but the kids busy themselves anyway, they just love exploring.

At 12 pm we head to "Paul's Place", a local farmer who opens his place up to the public every second day and does a tour of all his animals.  Apart from the usual sheep, roos, ducks, geese, emus, he also has a deer, echidna, carpet snake, koalas, possums etc.   Well, we didn't know what is was going to be like, but when it reached 2:30 and the children still hadn't had lunch and no one had asked for food, I decided it was well worth it.  What a character Paul was.  He had us all in fits of laughter.  Made the children sit down and plonked this huge roo on their lap so they could feed it like a baby.  He noticed I cowered a bit when the emu headed for me so thought it would be a great joke to give me the bucket with their food in it.  Poor Glen got told to stand against the fence and squat down then Paul proceeded to put food on his head so the emus could eat it from the top of his head......ouch!!!  It was so "hands on", it was just great, and I got to hold a koala which I just loved.

We headed back for a late lunch and then back to the Bay.  I decide to get the fishing rods out.  I had better use them as every time Glen gets something out of the boot of the van and he has to shift them he says "Gee, I'm glad we bought these rods"  The only problem is I have no bait and no shop insight!!!!  I try a rig with louas (sp??) to start and lose the lot on the rocks after the second cast.  So much for my plan to catch a fish to use for bait.  Oh well, I will pick up some bait tomorrow.  We all have a swim as this is our shower for the day.  Luckily the temperature has risen to about 24C, but the water is still pretty fresh on this southern coast.

Tonight we have a barbi over looking the rocky part of the bay and eat lamb and feta sausages from the dairy.  The kids beg and plead to go back to the beach for one last look and Glen and I sit and watch the sun go down.  Now we are ready to move on in the morning!!