We seem to be doing nothing but eating and drinking our way around South Australia, locally known as SA (pronounced "essay"). We have tried and bought many bottles of wine from the Clare Valley. But as much as we wanted to stay, the weather took a turn for the worse so we headed down to Adelaide for the weekend.
Like the rest of SA, Adelaide is a gem. It is a very well laid out city, surrounded by parkland. It is a very intimate feeling city that didn’t start out as a penal colony. There are gardens and roses everywhere, a huge international food scene and beautiful architecture with an interesting juxtaposition of very old and very modern, but it works. None of the buildings are very high, maybe 20 floors. The city doesn’t feel as though it need to compete with Sydney or Melbourne so it follows its own tune. We met friends of friends and they kindly put us up for a night and showed us their city. The best way to see anything is to get an insiders view I reckon.
After leaving Adelaide we traveled south through the McLaren Vale wine region. Excellent wines, stunning views, much more open with bigger wineries while the Clare had more boutique style wineries. It’s hard work trying all these wines! Then we drove on down the Fleurieu Peninsula to catch the ferry to Kangaroo Island (or KI-"kay-eye") for a few days. KI wasn’t on the list of to do’s, but enough people convinced Steve that we had to see it, so, here we are.
KI is much bigger that either of us expected. From where the ferry puts in at Penneshaw, it is 58K to Kingscote, the largest of the towns with 1400 people. To get to Flinders Chase NP visitors center, it is 99K. As you can see, the distances are vast for an island. The three main roads are paved, all the rest are like pave pack, fine for driving if a bit washboardy. We have climbed all 512 steps to the top of Prospect Hill for an incredible view of Pennington Bay, the Southern Ocean and Pelican Lagoon; driven out to Flinders Chase National Park to the Incredible Rocks and Admiralty cove. We have explored Kelly Hill Caves and climbed the sand dunes at Little Sahara. I’m sorry to say that we haven’t visited any wineries, but, we have gone into art galleries, KI Spirits that makes the most delicious liquor, they distill their own vodka and gin as well as other distilled goodies. They also had the most incredible honey walnut whiskey ice cream that was to die for. Then to top of the food day, we visited Island Pure Sheep Dairy for a tour and samplings. They make a divine sheep yogurt with local honey. I tell you, it is hard to not eat well or drink well here in SA.
Next? Honestly, we only have ideas, but we are working our way east that much I do know.
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