Time has gotten away from me, but there’s still plenty to tell about my adventures in Australia. If you missed the beginning, it starts with the Sydney post. Here’s the next installment:

After Kangaroo Island we were headed north to the Outback.

After one night on the road, we arrived in Coober Pedy, the “Opal Capital of the World.”

It’s a bit more than halfway to Alice Springs so was a good place to stop, and it was surprisingly cool for a place extensively covered in heaps of dirt. I shot this sign from the back so instead of the trucks in the parking lot, you could see the dirt hills in the background, remnants of previous searches for opals.

A lot of the most beautiful places here are underground.

Before we checked in, we had a tour booked at an opal mine. Even Bega was included and had a special doggie hard hat, in pink as the princess prefers. Very interesting and, of course, there was a gift shop selling gorgeous opal jewelry.

Then we were offered sieves and trowels to “noodle” in the dirt pile outside. We did find a few bits of color and had to pry Brittany away from the place, she was having so much fun.

But it was time to shower off the dirt and find drinks and dinner. Our host recommended this place, Big Winch 360…

There was live music, delicious food, and a massive terrace for watching the sunset.

The next day we were on the road again, for a long day up to Alice Springs. Sights like this kept it interesting…

Here’s wishing you interesting adventures and moments to be treasured, even if it sometimes feels like all you’re doing is sifting through a massive pile of dirt!

Grace and peace to you, as always.

We didn’t have much time at Seal Bay (see previous post). It was absolutely worth the speedy jaunt out and back, but we couldn’t dawdle. Brittany had booked us an appointment at the Raptor Domain for a private encounter with some of their most impressive residents.

First our guide took us out to a field to watch a wedge-tailed eagle in flight.

Then she took us over to the arena and handed us heavy leather falconry gloves to put on, so we could get up close and personal with these magnificent creatures.

I couldn’t tell you whether this (above) is a Lesser Sooty or a Greater Sooty Owl, but I can tell you it was gorgeous and serene. And the birds just kept coming, not even counting all the other small birds that swooped by to visit while we were there.

I’m so glad Brittany booked this. It was amazing to hold these birds, especially the massive wedge-tailed eagle, and I LOVED seeing Brittany non-stop smiling.

After rushing to fit in all we could in our one full day on Kangaroo Island, it was an hour of peace and joy and admiration–even awe– that we were able to observe these living beauties so closely. There’s a reason the words rapt, rapture and raptor share the same root.

Wishing you experiences and encounters that leave you rapt!

I’ve been a bit paralyzed by all the photos I want to share with you, but I guess there’s no rule that says Kangaroo Island can have only one post. There was a lot to see, and not just kangaroos. The first evening we discovered this just a few minutes from our rental.

Here’s how we got there. Lots of roads like this on the island.

The next morning we headed out to Admirals Arch at the far southwest tip of Kangaroo Island. The lookout point itself was closed for repairs, but the views were still pretty spectacular.

Plus, we saw lots of seals, I think fur seals, to be specific, but I’m not an expert.

Then we stopped at Remarkable Rocks, an enormous granite outcropping dramatically shaped by erosion.

After lunch, we raced out to Seal Bay before our appointment at the Raptor Domain, which I’ll have to save for the next post.

If I’ve understood correctly, fur seals are often found on rocks (see above) and sea lions on the sand. Also fur seals have more of a bear face and sea lions a pointier dog face. Anyway, here are a few cute critters we saw at Seal Bay, whatever they are.

So Kangaroo Island did not disappoint, and we did also see actual kangaroos, in the wild and this rescued orphan joey.

One of the things I loved about all the wildlife and even the glorious views, was the way I had to slow down so as not to frighten a nearby animal or to get the best photo possible. We were packing so much into each day, it would have been easy to be on non-stop hyper-drive, but I would have missed so much.

In the midst of All The Things going on, I’m praying that you and I both find moments of quiet contemplation, moments to breathe and offer a word of gratitude, as we soak in the wonders around us.

Grace and peace to you!

It turns out Australia was way too interesting and my schedule too busy to allow me to do these posts (and you, the reader) justice. I’m home now and settling back into my routine, so I’ll pick up where I left off. Still more to tell about Adelaide. In fact Adelaide Part Two was a bit of a rush job and has been revised and more photos added, so you may want to take another look at that one before continuing.

On Tuesday, April 9th, we headed first to the Gorge Wildlife Park (about 40 minutes northeast of Adelaide) for my first real encounter with wild Australia.

Brittany and Andy got up close and personal with a few of the locals, like this quokka. Look closely for the celebrated little smile.

The ring-tailed lemurs loved all the attention (and the treats).

Then on to the Barossa Valley for a bit more wine tasting.

We didn’t have a reservation anywhere and there were a LOT of vineyards and wineries, so first we had a light lunch at Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop and bought all manner of delectable treats. Then we headed to Jacob’s Creek, the one label I’d at least heard of.

At first we were disappointed to hear they were expecting a tour group any minute and couldn’t accommodate us, but just down the road we found the delightful and very welcoming Kies Family Wines. Brittany and I tasted lovely wines and we ordered a bit more lunch, mostly for Andy, but fortunately, he shared.

So even after a busy week of travel and non-stop activity, Australia continued to surprise me and surpass my expectations. Of course, how could I not be enchanted by those furry and feathery faces? And the wine tasting was all the nicer by finding an unpretentious, super-friendly staff, who managed to produce the gorgeous charcuterie board even after the kitchen was technically closed for the day.

Wishing you friendly encounters, delicious flavors and unexpected cuteness to brighten your day in these challenging times.

Next up: Kangaroo Island