Day 5 - All Aboard!

Finally it is time to Join our Tour properly and are Welcomed Aboard the Latest Member of the Journey Beyond Trains - 

The Great Southern.

Our 3 Day trip will take us from Adelaide to Brisbane.

Adventures await.

Of Train Excursion for today is to the Victorian Town of Stawell and a Guided Walk along the 2 .3 km Venus Baths Loop Track.

An easy walk for those who were a little more mobile than others as it involved clambering over smooth Rocks and up some steep steps.

It was a Still warm day as our Local Guide took us back to 'The Dreamtime' and through the various ages explaining about the History of this Hauntingly Beautiful Place.

We continued on across aptly named Stoney Creek following the more difficult path back toward the Camping Ground where we had left our Bus

We passed some of the Local Lads who were learning to Free Climb on one of the Rock Faces.  

I couldn't resist and quipped "Does Your Mum know you are doing this?" 

The response was a slight guilty expression and a very quiet "Ahhh - No....."

Our last stop was to reflect on the Harshness of the Australian Bush.  

The resting place of a Little Girl, a Timber Miller's daughter, who passed from Diphtheria the age of 3 months in 1870.  

The Local Children still tend her grave.

As the Sun sets I reflect on an interesting day with an excursion to a place "In my own backyard" that I had never been before.

Tomorrow we wake to a 

New Destination!

Day 4: Adelaide Zoo

Being Zoo's Victoria Members not only gives us access to Victoria's 4 Zoos but also gives us reciprocal rights to 5 Interstate Zoos as well.

So with a Free Day and Membership Cards in hand we headed off to Adelaide Zoo.

They have Pandas!

And fortunately for us The Panda was out enjoying a Snooze in the Sunshine when we arrived.

And the Otter Cubs were all out for a Play

Honestly There is 'One' in Every Family!!

We were impressed by the Aerial runs they had installed to the more energetic inhabitants could go from their enclosures to other parts of the Zoo.

These are for the Tamarins but the Red Pandas also have these runs as well.

I was excited to get some Photos of the Lions, but their enclosure is in need of upgrading. 

A sad fact of having to rely on fundraising to upgrade facilities.

Some enclosures are left as a reminder of what Zoos used to be like

and others are being upgraded as funds allow

We wandered down paths and through Averies and I took Photos until my Feet got sore and Battery went flat!

I know there were parts we missed .. as we were still there at closing time!

But that it the beauty of Zoos Membership - Your Subscription helps the Zoo and you get to go as many times as you like during the year.  So it doesn't matter if you miss a bit - 

You can always go back!

Day 3 - The Barossa Continues

Continuing our Day Tour of the Barossa.

Next Our Group enjoyed more Wine Tasting at the small Family owned Rusden Winery.

DH, and I wandered around the grounds admiring the many Rustic Sculptures 

and having a Long Chat with 

'The Guardian of the Gate'

We learned all about Why Roses are planted beside Grape Vines 

Originally it was to stop the Horses cutting corners. Later it was found that Roses show signs of the Phylloxera pest that devastated the Vine industry in the late 19th Century well before infestation can occur in the vines. 

So it is a 'Canary in the Mine' scenario.

We continued our Trip Via 

The Barossa Chocolate Factory

To Cheese Tasting

And a Pub Lunch in Angaston. 

Moving On - Our next stop was Chateau Dorrien. 

This time I was interested in joining some of the Group trying not their Wines but their Mead

.. and actually brought home a couple of very nice samples!

Last stop for the day was a BIG Fan (Bucket List) moment!

I don't think there would be anyone in Australia that doesn't know and adore Maggie Beer. 

And an indulgence Stop (for our driver who wanted Coffee) at her Pheasant Farm property was an unexpected extra delight.

There were Photo Ops in her Kitchen where she filmed 

"The Cook and the Chef" series

And lots of goodies to tempt us - Some even made their way home via Aust. Post!

And of course how could we not have Coffee and beautiful Passionfruit Curd Tarts at this awesome venue.

Before heading back to Adelaide via the Date Palm lined roadways out of the Barossa.

Today I learned a Lot of Things.  I learned

Why they plant Roses with Grape Vines

Why there are Date Palms planted everywhere

Why I can't drink Wine - but can drink Mead

That some Cheese is nice

and Some Desserts are not

That People are Generous and Don't Judge

And most Importantly I learned to 

Not be afraid of Going on a Tour "Just because I Don't Drink"

Day 3 - The Barossa (Part 1)

Today was a Scheduled, Part of our Holiday Package, Outing.  The Barossa Valley is said to be one of the World's Great Wine Regions, famous for it's Bold Red Wines and Rich Wine making Heritage.

First Stop was Chateau Tanunda.

  

Built in 1890, abandoned in the 1980s and beautifully restored in 1998 she stands magnificently amongst green lawns and Vines, some of which were planted, before the Chateau was built in 1850.

I was fascinated by the beauty of the Architecture and started taking Photos of anything and everything that caught my Artistic Eye.

This led to a conversation about Photography and on learning that DH and I actually don't drink and wouldn't be participating in the Wine Tasting

Our Hostess promptly gave us a short Private Tour of the Private (Locked) Wine Cellars - 

So I could get some Awesome Photos!

I was Honoured to be given such a wonderful opportunity and took full advantage of the time.

We were even allowed 

"Beyond the Velvet Rope" to enjoy 

'The Best View' of the Cellar Floor.

I have no doubt that the Wines were beautiful - Their Hospitality was certainly phenomenal and the others in the Group were adequately Impressed.

Next Stop....

Day 2 - Glenelg Beach

Today we had a Free Day and decided to do something different.  Today we 'cashed in' our Mystery Picnic Voucher that DD gave us for Christmas 2019!

A little explanation may be necessary.

You choose the Location - 

For us it was Glenelg SA

Because we could get there by Public Transport and do the Picnic on Foot.

There are more 'exotic' locations but that involves driving.

The night before we received our first clue.

A puzzle that needed solving to take us to our First stop where we picked up our first Picnic Ingredient and unlocked our next clue.

You get the Idea.

We followed clues and continued to pick up Picnic Ingredients for the next couple of hours

all the while exploring a part of Adelaide that we hadn't previously visited.

Once the final clue was solved - We wandered over to a Picnic Table and enjoyed as much of our 'loot' as possible.  

There was SO much food!

A wonderful Gift and an awesome way to fill in a Day.

Taking a Break - Day 1

Walking out on newly polished boards so that they could 'harden up' before moving furniture made sense - Just as well we had a Holiday Booked!

So we packed our bags and headed off to the Local Bus, which took us to the Local Train Station which (eventually via a Rail Removal Bus) took us to Melbourne's Southern Cross Station.

Where we boarded 'The Overland'.

  

This is a 10 ½ hour Train journey which took us from Melbourne to Adelaide, with a few stops to pick up and drop passengers along the way.

What better way to fill in a whole day?  

Watching the Australian Countryside roll by ...

with THIS much Leg Room!

The carriage was full - Not that you'd know it!

We 'splurged' on Red Premium Tickets 

which gave us slightly better seating, 

2 Hot meals, Snacks and Drinks (Alcohol not included)  for the duration of the Ride.

Arriving at Adelaide's Keswick Station (Home of the Ghan) we checked out various ways to get to the Hotel.

I was intrigued by the suggestion of taking an Electric Scooter - whilst carting 2 suitcases each - along the streets of Adelaide.

But chose the Bus instead.

We COULD have taken Taxis to and from each of the Major Train Stations - 

But where is the adventure in that?

December - Part 1

By now we have finished all the painting that we could possibly do - for the time being.  

I had got it down to a fine art with a couple of indispensable DIY ladder holsters - which meant I could multi-task!

Every stick of furniture we owned was stacked 

somewhat precariously in places

into the back of the house.

Let the Polishing begin!  

This is also not a DIY job and we were more than happy to Outsource to "Done by Dulux".  

Out goes the old now "Orange" 2 pack sealer

And in comes the Cabots Low Odour Natural Sealer in a Matt finish.

These Guys worked so efficiently we didn't know they were done until they said "We'll close the door on the way out!"

WOW - we could walk on it (in socks) in 2 hours.

And now have our beautiful Tasmanian Oak Floorboards to show off again!  

What a difference it has made!

And at this point we

Walk out on it all.....