Untethered

I'm just now getting caught up on my blogging due to a serious lack of internet availability on the South Coast of Australia.  But what Oz lacks in technology, it makes up for in grand vistas, untouched wilderness and abundant wildlife. We left the coast to check out the Victoria mountain range known as The Grampians.  They are a sandstone mountain range that offer endless hiking trails showcasing impressive views across the range/valley plus waterfalls, unique fauna and of course birds!  We had blustery, damp weather during our visit so didn't have great light for pictures, but we were grateful for the moisture to assist with keeping the fires at bay.  This area has not had any fires impact it directly and the local cabins seemed to be doing well with No Vacancy signs posted nearly everywhere.  These famous rocky outcroppings of this range. It was good to see reservoirs that had water in them!  It is interesting to hear how the fires have imp...

We are back on the mainland and on the move........ bouncing a few hundred kilometers every few days.  Since our last post, we have stayed in a variety of towns each with their own bit of magic.  Our first stop after Kangaroo Island was Wirrina Cove, a golf resort nestled in some hills along the coast.  It had been months since we played and we couldn't resist having Kangaroos be our gallery. (Note - there wasn't anyone else playing on the course!) Check out the roo hanging in the shade. Our next stop was Victor Harbor, a beautiful coastal town that had numerous shops/cafes as well as some terrific walking paths along the bay.  Tourists filled the streets but the crowds were not overwhelming. Sunset on the bay Long rolling waves From Victor Harbor, we continued east with a short stay in Menninge, a little farming community with a giant lake as it's focal point.  Hundreds of pelicans and other shorebirds call this area home so we were very ...

We know that the US has published significant news about the Australian fires.  Since we have navigated the continent counter clockwise, we've not been where the worst fires have been burning.  We have experienced some smokey days from bush fires along the way, but nothing has been dangerous so far.  But our good fortune came to an end as we left Adelaide to explore Kangaroo Island.  As our travel dates neared, fires on the western half of the island flared and quickly consumed more than half of it.  As we debated whether we should visit, our heart strings were tugged by the locales who depend on tourism for their livelihoods.  So, off we went to Kangaroo Island (KI).  Ferry is the only way on or off this island.  As we prepared to board the ferry, we were met by hundreds of volunteer fire fighters returning from the island.  The vast majority of "fireries" (Aussie for firefighter) are volunteers and are spending large amounts of time away ...

We are nearing 4 months in this great country lovely referred to as Oz.  So far,  our routine has been to visit a city where we spend about 2 weeks hiking all over the metro area enjoying the vibe and sights. Adelaide's Botanical Garden is beautiful. These old hotels are originals and are still in use today Honoring the original aboriginal people of Australia Mansions from a different time This week we stopped by the University of Adelaide to check out the National Wine Centre.  We learned more about the area's wine industry and were impressed with the science involved in creating today's fabulous varieties. Tasting Room of course! While in the city, we walk or use public transportation.  However, after 2 weeks without a car, we are ready to get out and explore the surrounding areas.   Adelaide has a small mountain range to it's east which offers some lovely views and quaint towns to explore.  We visited Hahndorf, a small villag...

Cheers to the New Year!  We're celebrating the new year in Adelaide, South Australia for the next couple of weeks.  For New Year's eve we opted to go to a cricket game featuring the Adelaide Strikers against the Sydney Thunder.  Cricket is to Aussie what baseball is to US.  It's a summer love affair with statistics, cold beer and fish n chips (Aussie's fav. food ever).  There are a few similarities between the 2 games in that they both use a ball and a bat of some sort, but past that they are totally different.  We still can't proclaim to understand all of the game's rules but it seems that most Aussies aren't able to explain them to us either!  We had a super fun night and laughed ourselves silly as the crowds danced to snippets of oldies (think the Adam's Family & Macarena). Adelaide prides itself on being a "free" city.  Which means it was built without the use of convict labor.  It was also a planned city from its i...