Australia

We started today visiting the Willunga Farmer's Market.  The fresh vegetables and fruit looked amazing.  There was also a nice offering of meat, both fresh and sausages, cheese and bread.  Since we were going to be out all day we opted for just a pie and one cheese that we thought would weather the car's heat. Next, we met John's daughter and grand kids for breakfast at  The Farm .  This was a great choice for us since the food was delicious and there was a nice open area for the kids to play in.  They also serve lunch. Our first winery stop this morning was a Kendall Jackson property (our son works for them),  Yangarra .  This pretty little winery has both an indoor tasting room and outdoor tables with things for the kids to play with as well.  The wines were really outstanding.  When KJ buys a winery, they allow them autonomy, helping them with marketing and sales. Next was the stop David had been waiting for - a gin distillery....

We dedicated today to exploring  McLaren Vale  wine region and food.  After breakfast, we made the short drive into the hills surrounding Adelaide to visit a few wineries. Our first stop was  Samuels Gorge , a very pretty winery with a nice tasting room. Our next stop was more about the crazy architecture and art than the wine, although they make excellent wine also.   D'Arenberg  stands out on the horizen, both because of its perch on top of a hill but also because of 'The Cube' that is it's distinguishing feature.  Also scattered around the grounds are interesting pieces of art.  We didn't actually taste the wine here because we had already had a bottle with dinner one night.  Still worth a peek.  For lunch, we went to a lovely  cliffside restaurant,  Star of Greece , so named for the ship that wrecked nearby not the type of food served.  Intimate, the windows open up onto the ocean which ...

It was another early morning for us as we wanted to get in one more sunrise shoot.  The early morning shoots mean we are going out predawn which heightens our risk of having unseen wildlife run (or hop) in front of the van.  In this case, it was a kangaroo which had to be put down.  It made for a sad start of our day. We pressed on and found a spot to capture the red glow coming off the mountain.  The colors were really amazing.  We broke for tea and coffee before making one more stop for a short hike along a mostly dry river bank.  It's easy to see the amount of overland flooding that occurs when they do get a large rain, a rarity for the region. We returned for our last breakfast before hitting the road for our long drive back.  Our timing was perfect for a stop at  Skillogalee  Winery for a little lunch.  The setting outside couldn't have been lovelier and the food was excellent.  This region is known for it's dry style...

We were up before dawn this morning for a sunrise shoot.  It's quite cool in the mornings, so the open air Range Rover came equipped with blankets to keep us warm.  Charlie took us to a great place to enjoy the sunrise along with coffee and cakes to tide us over until breakfast. I mentioned that the property used to be a sheep operation.  We stopped by the sheep sheering barn where they sheered not only their sheep but those from surrounding farms.  It's abandoned now but still very interesting to look at. After the morning tour we returned to have a full breakfast.  Because the animals and light are not great during the middle of the day, we hung out at the house until after our light lunch.  A swimming pool and outdoor patio were available to us. Our afternoon drive took us to  Flinders Ranges National Park .  This is almost as much a park about the geological history of Australia as it is about the animals....

We headed out early this morning north of  to the Flinders Ranges to  Arkaba Conservancy   This 5+ hour drive led us through progressively dryer, more desert like landscape.  First we traveled through the rolling hills of wheat country.  Australia is a major exporter of this grain which is apparent when you realize how many acres are dedicated to it.  Goyders Line runs east west and it delineates the area that receives enough rain to be able to sustain crops from the desert like area to the north.  As we crossed over the line it was very obvious that the landscape changed as well as the local economy.  Wineries intermixed with with farms as we approached Clare where we stopped for a quick tasting before heading further north.  The towns became smaller and more deserted looking as we continued through towns such as Laura, Quorn (pronounced 'corn') and Hawker.  In Laura, we stopped for a Golden North ice cream bar which is made h...

We arrive late on Sunday night into Adelaide and were greeted by our friends at the gate.  I guess Australia understands that anyone should be able to go through security even if they're not holding a ticket for a flight.  We drove the short distance to the seaside home and enjoyed a nightcap before turning in. The next morning we headed up into the hills to  Cleland Wildlife Park  to enjoy some of the unusual wildlife from Australia.  It was a beautiful day to walk around this large, open park which allowed up close and personal contact with most of the animals. Our first destination was to the Koala exhibit because at 11:00 a.m. there would be an opportunity to actually touch one.  One couple in line had come all the way from Germany primarily to have a chance to hold a Koala.  They allowed small groups in to have a chance at seeing her up close and touching her.  They are very soft and of course very cute. There were areas set up...