South Australia

This is what I miss the most.

This is what I am going to miss the most, lying in bed and watching TV all day, not worrying about alarm or not knowing which day of the week. I am not sure if I will be planning again for a very calm and civilized South Australia but sure I will miss the time spent and my cousins.

Some here and there photos:

Soft as feathers

Museum

Art Gallery

Museum

Inside museum, another museum ( I was scared at this point, going around mummies inside the boxes)

Art Gallery South Australia

Port Adelaide

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Watch me dive

Dolphin Watch

Museum

You wait so long for holidays and with a blink of an eye it's over. Good things come to an end.

Victor Harbour

Port Elliot

Another tour to the township of Victor Harbor & McLaren Vale. 9.15 am we started our journey and stopped for our Morning tea stop at the Scottish town of Strathalbyn on the banks of the Angas River. Continued along Old river port of Goolwa where we saw Murray meets Lake Alexandrina.

Morning tea in the park.       

Port Elliot was another stop by with a beautiful view and finally a harbor with a southern ocean frontage, Victor Harbor. 

Horse Ride Victor Harbour

Victor Harbour

As soon we were dropped, we took Horse tram to Granite Island. Powerful Clydesdale horse(looked bigger in size) pulled the tram over the bay across the spectacular Causeway that joins the mainland to Granite Island. The tram was carrying about 50 passengers running on roller bearings; just so it is easy work for the horse (yes, one horse). After, was the fun ride, Camel ride.

Camel ride

Tour continued along southern coastline to rolling vineyards, iron stone cottages, olive and almond groves of the McLaren Vale region and with the stop by for wine sample at cellar doors in the main street of McLaren Vale, the tour ended. Not really, we were driven back to our starting point. Awesome adventurous day!

Church by the park-morning tea break.

Bell for the pedestrians 

Port Elliot

Victor Harbour & McLaren Vale, South Australia

Mt Lofty, Hahndorf

For couple of days, Mt Lofty was declared a catastrophic fire danger ranges. It was this stranger, an old guy who tour-ed us to the peak; very thankful to him. Mount Lofty Summit's panoramic views across Adelaide's city skyline to the coast was spectacular. We spent some time drooling and continued our tour to Australia's oldest surviving German settlement, Hahndorf. 

Handorf Village

Just as it says in the slogan, Walk the past, taste the future, old and new combine a brilliant blend of activities. Small good outlets, bakeries, several boutique cellars, souvenir shops, craft outlets and galleries line the bustling main street. 

Handorf Village

With trendy eateries, fresh and local products there still was a strong German flavor. The flavor we tried was home made ice-creams and bought some organic products. I could spend a whole day and see more of what this historic village has to offer.

Mt Lofty

German village

Deeps under the shade

As old as the village

             

Mt Lofty & Hahndorf, South Australia

Hallett Cove

Hallett Cove

Hallett Cove is a southern beach-side suburb of Adelaide and The Sugarloaf is the predominant feature of the Hallett Cove Conservation Park. So named because of its similarity to a harden pile of sugar. This eroded structures looked quite striking. It looked like a volcano. 

Sugarless

The sign said - the amphitheater - uplift of the land one to 2 million years ago, resulted in erosion which produced the present amphitheater landscape. The layers of sediments were from three distinct periods of deposition which started about 280 million years ago. Erosion by water has exposed these layers.

The highlights of the walk were dried golden plants/grass(they were beautiful), stairs and thousands of smooth rocks on the beach. We finished off in a near by only standing cafe with ice-creams.

This picture somehow reminds me of Colbie Callat-Bubbly.

Way to sugarloaf

             

The Sugarloaf Hallett Cove- South Australia

Glenelg's Sunset

Glenelg is Adelaide's most popular and beautiful coastal region. The place is popular for a spectacular pristine ocean environment, sandy white beaches and magnificent sunset.

Walk by the sun

 Last year it was swimming in Glenelg beach in 40 degrees heat, this year I was after the Sun. The important thing was being out there at the right time; 8:30 pm was our target.

Orangy-blue

We missed it, missed the sun go down by just a couple of minutes. However, the view was still beautiful and the color pallet of clear blue sky and orange-y Sun was gorgeous.

People above and below

We walked along the beach for about an hour or so. Temperature was above 44 degrees, probably the reason there were more people at the beach, a classic way to cool off in extreme heat.

People by the beach

The beach environment was vibrant with live music, and kids playing around.
The colors and people were nice nonetheless.

           

New Year's Eve

Elders Park

New Year's Eve at Elders Park, Adelaide, South Australia
When summer is in full-swing Adelaide's Elder park comes live with fireworks off Victoria Bridge. Thousands flocked to Elder Park for the New Year Eve's fireworks and music including us (with my cousins).

The crowd

This is my second consecutive year in Adelaide to celebrate New Year. The view over the river was spectacular as the fireworks whizzed through the air. I loved the crowd of children and families. Elders Park Celebration was excellent with the sounds of soul, funk, blues and folk rock, food and the fireworks, of-course.

Firework

Cheers to a bright start to a New Year!

Hanging Rock

Photo Courtery: Phil ( I had to archive this)

Hanging Rock, an outstanding feature near Baltzer Lookout is at the end of Ridgewell Road, Blackheath. A huge, overhanging block of sandstone over 100m high, sticking out to the Grose Valley. 

Hanging Rock

It is detached from the main cliff and has been featured in the movie "The Edge" we were told, I havent watched the movie though.

Daisy Field

This was an easy walk along fire trails of around 10km in total. Total ascent of 300 m over several minor undulations; none of which were challenging. Glad, it was not the hard one for I had first timers, my cousins walking along. The view of daisies covering was breathtaking, also wildflowers. 

Morning mist

We jumped across onto the Hanging Rock. A slip could prove fatal. Fortunately I had my cousins on either side of the cliffs to support. Being a phobic, I was proud I could jump (with a little help from my cousins ;)). They were the first to jump across and the group gave us the name "Three Mountain Goats", the reason being we are from mountains.

Blocking your way

Trashed double decor

We finished our walk with the famous pie of Blackheath. The gourment pies were larger than average pie,could be meal in themselves. We shared. :)

The group

Blackheath Blue Mountains, NSW Australia

Coastal walk

Coastal break

A beautiful section of Sydney's coast, the walk from Collaroy to Manly on a glorious day. A scenic coastal walk, little bit hilly with lots of stairs and cliff tops from Dee Why beach to Curl Curl beach.

Liana's natural fruit pops.

Half an hour break in the beach side city of Manly, a sweet escape for the jazz events (long weekend event) and amazing taste of Liana's natural fruit pops, I picked Blueberry Apple mint.

Cardinal's Palace 

Cardinal's Palace

Fresh water swamp up the hill

Continued the walk with only 10 survivals out of 40 (approx. ) around Shelly Beach and up the big hill to the hole in the wall, and then further up the hill to the fresh water swamp and old military gun pits and back to Manly Wharf via the Quarantine Station entrance and the Cardinal's Palace. Lots of native bushes and flowers on the way to the hole in the wall and up the hill to the fresh water lagoon and military gun pits .

This could brighten my day, love whites, love daisy.

Springy flavour

Purple delight

Pink bells

A lovely scenic coastal walk of total 15km along the beachside city of Manly with daisies in boom, the best part of the walk, Cardinals Palace comes second and Liana's pop the third.

Collaroy Beach to Manly- NSW, Australia, Distance 15km Grade easy