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

Monday morning, the 8th, we were on the road early to get to Mollydooker, where Brittany and I had a winetasting booked. Bega came along, but couldn’t come inside, so Andy stayed outside with her and was our designated driver. Best wine was The Velvet Glove, which was a joy to taste, but too expensive to buy a bottle. Oh well. We bought a couple more affordable bottles, anticipating toasting the Uluru sunset.

Next we were off to get a better look at this place.

It’s also a winery and apparently also an interesting arty experience (Google it or click here),  but we had already tasted enough wine, so didn’t go in. We did see this and were intrigued with what else we might find there, but we had run out of time.

We had lunch plans in  Hahndorf, an über-photogenic German village in the Adelaide Hills. It was a bit disconcerting to see fall color in April, but that’s the way they do it here down under.

We had lunch at Haus, LOTS of sausages, many I’d never tried, so again, more new.

So far I’ve eaten French, Moroccan, Chinese and German cuisine while visiting here. Perhaps more locally inspired, I did love the Blatman from Piccolo Me! on the edge of the Sydney Botanic Garden. It’s a BLT with avocado on a delicious soft bun, with their special sauce (think McDonald’s pink fry sauce). Yum.

There have been a few other tasty local specialties, mostly highly caloric, so I am absolutely not going hungry. Fortunately, I’m walking a LOT and Brittany took me to her CrossFit class here in Alice Springs on Monday and Wednesday evenings (the 15th and 17th) and I didn’t die. 😉

One more post about Adelaide to come, then on to Kangaroo Island. We’re long gone from there, but I’m just getting caught up. Brittany and Andy keep me BUSY.

Photos of cute critters, both feathered and furry, coming soon!

 

There’s a lot going on in Adelaide and environs, and Brittany and Andy made sure we took advantage of as much as humanly possible. Definitely more than one post. Saturday evening, we had drinks at this quirky pub.

Then dinner in a Moroccan restaurant, Marrakech, a favorite of theirs. Delicious!

Sunday morning we took a quick jaunt to the beach to give Bega some exercise, since dogs were not allowed at our next adventure. The Adelaide beaches are on the Indian Ocean, which I’ve never seen before. I mean, it looks like an ocean, not really different, but still, a bit mind-blowing.

Then we were headed to an AFL game, which is Australian rules football, a completely different sport from American football,. very little resemblance to rugby and zero to soccer, except that the players seem to be running back and forth the ENTIRE TIME. GWS Giants vs Gold Coast Suns

Needless to say the players are all young and extremely fit.

To keep things confusing, Australian rules football and rugby are both called “footy.” Gather Round Adelaide, a four-day “Festival of Footy” was happening the weekend I arrived and Brittany and Andy had tickets to a  Giants game. GWS Giants are their favorite team, so they had the gear and loaned me a scarf to help me look adequately supportive, but it wasn’t quite the weather for a winter scarf. It would have been great if I hadn’t shed it early on , since we were right at the fence and ended up on camera a few times. “Our” team won and are currently in first place, so yay. Not gonna lie. Winning is more fun.

Sunday night we headed to China Town

for dinner at Concubine,

which was also delicious. Brittany and Andy may be converting me to more adventurous eating. It is certainly one of the reasons to travel: to see, do, taste, experience new things, and a lot in Australia is different from Colorado. I love having my horizons broadened!

Here’s wishing you interesting, delicious, even victorious, new experiences!

Finally a new international adventure! I was in Sydney about a week ago and absolutely loved it. There was something gorgeous to admire everywhere I looked. And it’s a super walkable city, so I saw a lot in just a few days. Here are a few highlights.

I was oddly apprehensive about exploring a new city on my own, more so than traveling to France, in fact, since this was going to be a completely new place. But it turned out to be rather liberating. It may have helped that everyone I encountered was SUPER friendly. I even got an excellent restaurant recommendation from a fellow traveler at baggage claim.

I never would have found this place on my own, and once I did, I nearly walked away after failing to get the door open.  Doors in Australia tend to open IN, not OUT like in the states, so no amount of pulling will get you in the door. Fortunately someone came out just as I was about to give up.  Once in the door, it was still an adventure. First a winding staircase.

Then this landing, still no one in sight.

Then finally, the maître d’ at the bottom of all the stairs. The place had barely opened for dinner service when I got there, and there were already at least fifty people inside. I managed to get a seat at the bar in the dining room after promising to vacate by 7, when all spots were reserved. Of course I obeyed, but I had plenty of time for a leisurely dinner.

I don’t go to restaurants much these days, certainly not alone, and I thought it would be a big deal and I’d feel awkward. But the waitstaff was wonderful, the food was delicious, and the whole experience felt like a door opening  (without my confused tugging). It felt like an invitation to keep trying new things, to refuse to let my horizons shrink. So far, so good.

Here’s wishing you open doors and beautiful bridges to whatever adventures await.

Grace and peace to you wherever you are!