Rob and Anna's travel adventure

Before we would proceed towards South Australia we needed a place to take care of a simple matter - to overcome a jet lag.  Melbourne was a practical stop-over (and the least interesting part of our adventure).  Melbourne frequently shows up on the list of the "world's most livable cities" and it was a pleasant enough place, but we happen to already live in one of such places on that list, and were not really looking to spend that much time in a "city".  We used a few days to explore the area, and then took a long-distance bus to connect us with Adelaide - the starting point of our REAL adventure in South Australia.  Luckily for us, our connecting route was not going through the area of blazing fires, so our 10-hour journey was an easy pleasant ride.  The route itself went though quite inland areas that reminded us a lot of the Midwest area of the US - except for the eucalyptus forest on the outskirts of Adelaide where we had our first introduction to koala bears.

While researching our route, I came across a place called Rapid Bay.  It was a perfect camping stop-over, and the coastal location was beautiful.  In addition, I was also planning to get in the water in that area in hopes to come across the incredibly beautiful and elusive leafy seadragon.  The camping area was located around a picturesque harbour, the campsites were a bit exposed - meaning the winds would come through our tent like the sail on a boat in the open sea, but it was manageable.  And yet, again - similar to Namibia and South Africa, the grassy spots were almost non-existent (courtesy of the desert conditions), so we had to get reacquainted again sleeping in our tent pitched on top of the gravel.  The morning of our departure, I did get in the water - the   Rapid Bay felt cold!  My wet suit helped a bit, but the marine life was almost non-existent, so after a while, it was difficult to stay motivated, and I abandoned my search for the leafy seadragon.  I spoke with several local fishermen, and they all shared with me an oh-so-familiar story of how much less marine life seems to be present in the area...  I was still hopeful to encounter more marine life later - after all, it was just the beginning of the journey.  For now - we had a beautiful coast and landscape to enjoy, and we were off on our way to Fleurieu Peninsula.  And - I had A LOT planned for that area!

Fleurieu Peninsula

The route from Rapid Bay towards Fleurieu Peninsula also gave us the first glimpse of what was yet to come in our journey throughout South Australia - the place was simply breathtaking!  The changes in elevation, curved turns around rocky slopes, constant change of colour, desert sands and harbours - sometimes it was hard to tell where the sky ended and where the ocean surface began, it was like that painting by Rubens - the Union of Earth and Water...   And, the best part - there were absolutely no tourist crowds, and even the traffic was quite light! 

Back at home, prior to the start of this trip, Rob had shared his concern with me - specifically, about how MUCH time we would end up sitting in a car driving for the entire month.  I told him not to worry about that.  Well - after Fleurieu Peninsula, Rob's concerns reversed - he asked me how much MORE I actually had planned for us hiking - and I truthfully said "a LOT".  And, oh boy - we DID hike...a LOT...  We hiked along river beds, valleys, rocks, hills, dunes, coast, forest, we hiked against the winds, with the winds, being blasted by the desert sun, and being welcomed by the sunset beams; but the best part - we truly were surrounded by pristine nature and stunning landscapes.  The more we explored, the more encounters with wildlife we had.  It was here, in the Fleurieu Peninsula, that we started having our up-close encounters with wild kangaroos.  First on hikes, then, around our camping site.  It was definitely on my list - I wanted to get my fill of those unusual animals, and I could never have enough of them. 

 

 

When researching the route, I have concluded that exploring ALL South Australia's peninsulas located South and West of Adelaide was a MUST - well, at least what was possible (and allowed) to access in our vehicle.  That plan included Fleurieu Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula, and Eyre Peninsula.  That meant a whole lot of spectacular coastal driving, but it also meant - long hours.  In order to actually explore the area, I had researched and selected numerous stop-overs - ranging from free overnight camping along the picturesque coast to numerous nights in stunning national parks to occasional free and wild camping in dunes or atop the cliffs (there were also other unusual locations, but I will write about them later).  In other words, the stop-overs were not just rest stops, they meant to add to a sense of adventure.  Yes - we would have to rely on basic food supplies (i.e. canned food) and have to drink warm wine ( and always carry a LOT of water), but so what?  

Port Parham was one of those coastal stops where you would fall asleep to the sound of the ocean with beautiful stars above your tent, and you also would always have to watch for snakes - no matter if you just walk around, or just on your way at night to a drop toilet (with large spiders hanging on the wall, or wild beas flying from under the toilet seat).  In other words, you do feel you are in Australia every step of your way, literally!  See what I mean - stop-overs must add a bit of an adventure to your daily routine!  And, the route taking us further on the way to Yorke Peninsula never ceased to be any intriguing.  We had several encounters with unusual one headed lizards (that actually looked like they may have had two heads - one on each side of their tale end) who hissed at us and tried to behave like little dragons; and the variety of wild birds, and pink salt lakes, and mesmerizing coastal colours - ALL of it was making our adventure feel even more intriguing.  Loved every second of it.

What a stunning place!  The colour of the ocean and multitude of harbours and coastal scenery were nothing short of whimsical!  And, almost all of the time we had the entire place to ourselves!  We ventured to explore the area in all possible directions we could think of - well...I could think of.  Rob (as always) kept pointing out by the end of each day "Anna - you have run me ragged yet again".  And, the next day there was another exploration and another discovery.  The coastal hikes, numerous encounters with emus (large birds that remind me African ostriches), the scenery, the sounds, and nature were just taking my breath away.  It felt so free and so good to be here!  Even though the hikes were challenging at times, and the daily temperatures were soaring, I still wanted to keep going,  Connection with the wild nature and absorbing the raw beauty at its best made the entire prior intense planning and research all worth it!  And, the best part - there was so much more of it yet to come and be discovered!  I felt so grateful to be alive and so fortunate to have a chance to encounter and be a part of this incredible world...

 

 

Well, time has come to get acquainted up close and personal with the kangaroos!  By now we had had a number of encounters with the 'roos, but they were either at a distance, or did not last too long.  This location we camped at for a number of nights changed all that.  Slowly, the kangaroos began getting used to our presence and kept getting closer and closer and closer...  They even began taking their babies near us and were behaving quite relaxed.  I specifically and distinctly remember one "special" occasion.  It was past the sunset hour, and I desperately needed to go to a toilet - not your usual kind of a toilet - you had to walk a couple of hundred meters to a primitive drop toilet almost in complete darkness.  Rob accompanied me to THE place, but I needed some time so I insisted he could go back to our camp and I would use a flashlight to return back on my own.  It was a bit eerie to be sitting at night on a wooden toilet not knowing what may be crawling around me or under me for that matter...  HOWEVER - seemingly, I was NOT alone.   As I was proceeding with my "business", and pointing a flashlight in different directions, I realized that I was surrounded by at least a dozen kangaroos.  Their totally relaxed behaviour had its soothing effect on me...  Some 'roos were laying around, some were still grazing on a patch of grass, some were staring right at me, some were playing, and some were periodically hopping towards me possibly to get a closer look...   When I returned back to our campsite, and Rob inquired about my well being, I remember telling him - "you know, there is something so comforting to know that you are surrounded by a dozen of kangaroos  when you are sitting on a drop toilet in complete darkness in the middle of nowhere"...   We wondered later on how many people could say that so casually, and what people might think if they happen to overhear me?!

When I was doing my research about the area, I came across a few local people mentioning a "secret" rock pool.  I knew the approximate location, and we were willing to try and find it.  After climbing over multiple rocks and boulders with our backpacks, wetsuits, fins, masks and snorkels, we finally found it!  It was a pretty crystal-clear ocean pool surrounded by rocks.  When the tide and waves were right, it was definitely accessible.  Rob and I spent some time exploring it.  It was different and the scenery was quite pretty.  We had had similar experiences in the Galapagos and Philippines - except those tide pools had a lot more marine life, and they were quite a bit larger.  Cenotes in Mexico were also quite exciting.  So, this one was OK, and it was a pleasant adventure, but to our taste it was not "mind blowing".

However, on our yet another exploration - we did come across something a lot more exciting!  In the shallow waters at the beach accessible from our campground there was something moving back and forth.  It had to be either a small shark or a big ray or something similarly interesting,  I put on my snorkeling gear and jumped into the water.  It looked like half a shark and half a ray.  It was likely a Southern Fiddler Ray.  And, it was very cute and curious.  Not only was the animal NOT afraid to come closer, it seemingly insisted to approach at the closest proximity (as if it was coming for cuddles) and check out what the humans were about.  You could clearly see the animal's pretty eyes staring right at you in the clear waters.  It spent the longest time in the shallow waters, and both Rob and I enjoyed watching it very much.  Up till that point, marine life had been quite disappointing, so coming in contact with this rare animal was quite rewarding. 

When we returned back to our campsite, the sunset hour was approaching, and so were the kangaroos...  We had yet another entertaining performance watching the adult kangaroos interact with the little ones, and when we went inside our tent, the kangaroos were still frolicking around,  And yet again - there was something comforting to know that in the middle of nowhere, in complete darkness, we were not alone - the kangaroos were still keeping us company...

There were several good reasons for our stop-over in Whyalla - dolphins and another home stay with a local.  The latter turned out to be a blast!  We stayed with Terry - a local guy who was eccentric to say the least.  I don't think I could ever forget Terry and his hospitality.  Due to the private nature of numerous conversations, I am only at liberty to share a few memorable moments.  Terry was an excellent cook who threw a lovely BBQ in our honor.  I also remember a large amount of wine consumed between the three of us.  And, I also remember how Terry insisted we would check out his soon-to-be winery - Rob and I climbing down a rickety ladder down to the dark trench dug under the house to see nothing...  But, we did have a lot of really genuine lovely conversations, and Terry's unusual, but kind disposition did make a very interesting visit.

Whyalla is a real person town, and way off the tourist track.  However, the city also has something very special - wild dolphins come frequently inside of the harbour following fishing boats.  One could argue they are "wild" - as, apparently, they have gotten used to being fed by the fishermen after returning back from the sea.  Nevertheless, it was an excellent opportunity to see the dolphins super up-close.  Some dolphins were a lot more social than others, and some absolutely demanded attention!  All kinds of tale flps, and sounds, and dancing in the water.  We spent a number of hours with the dolphins, and had a good time observing them.  The scenery around Whyalla was also interesting - especially the views on the coast from atop of the city.  But, we had more of the peninsula to explore, and a very special event planned - searching and diving with the Great White Sharks!  

 

 

 

A beautiful and pristine area...  The hikes had excellent views of the coastal area, no people, but also not too much of the wildlife that Rob and I had gotten so much to encountering.  We also kept hearing the news of more and more fires encompassing South Australia...  We had to be mindful of that as fires could mean a major change in our route and planning (besides the obvious concerns).  We spent several days here, but we also had a very special activity planned waiting for us in Port Lincoln...

I really enjoyed this town - if I had to pick a place where to live in South Australia, Port Lincoln would have been a contender!  We also had another opportunity to spend some time with a true local.  JC was a super nice guy - respectful, flexible, and very easy going.  We enjoyed our conversations and we also indulged in a local specialty - super delicious fish and chips!  But, the main reason for coming here was taking a boat trip to the Neptune Islands and diving with the Great Whites!  I had done extensive research and chose a company that used an unconventional approach in attracting the sharks - they used recordings of a well-known heavy-metal band AC/DC.  While other companies chummed the waters to attract the sharks (which was horrible), our company only used the music - and it seemed to work!  For whatever reason, the sounds of AC/DC music really picked the interest in sharks, and they would come and go as pleased.  In addition to diving, there was also a submersible glass submarine to observe the Great Whites longer.  Both Rob and I were really looking forward to this experience. HOWEVER....  When we arrived  and spoke with the company, we were told that for whatever-crazy reason, sharks stopped appearing for already a month!  It could have been the currents, or a change in the local marine environment, or whatever the humans' impact may have been - but, in either case, the season that was supposed to be the BEST for the Great White Sharks sightings was turning out to be the worst...  We met with the company's owner who was very knowledgeable and honest - and after describing our prior marine experiences, the owner came up with a new plan...  If we could wait, and spare the time (in hopes that extra time would hopefully allow the sharks to come back to the area), in about a week we could "test" a new product.  Rob and I would be submerged in a cage to the bottom, and spend a lot more time with those great giants.  That sounded pretty good to us!  Of course, that also required a major re-planning of our route - but, it was all worth it.

 

Unfortunately, there was another factor...  By the time we returned back to Port Lincoln for this awesome adventure with the Great Whites, the wild fires got even worse.  And, those fires changed everything...  The trips had to be postponed, people had to be evacuated from their homes, and our long-awaited trip had to be canceled.  For the record - we got a full refund for our trip, but our diving with the Great White Sharks will have to wait until a bit later...

What an incredible coastal beauty!  Harbours, coves, cliffs, lots of possibilities for coastal hiking (including ship wreckage).  The traffic was super light, and again - majority of breath-taking view points we had all to ourselves.  South Australia is truly an incredible region - so glad we decided to dedicate the entire month to exploring it.  The further west we went, the more isolated it began feeling (a good practice before we would head out towards the Outback region).  There were a couple of tiny settlements and a few quirky stops, but that's about it.  Nature was truly the king here.  It almost felt as if the time froze here - no housing developments, no shops, no people.  Even those few residents that chose to reside there seemed different.  I remember we pulled over to one of the tiny food joints (that looked more like a shack in the middle of nowhere).  There were two guys sitting there - they looked like they had just stepped off some pirate vessel - they were huge guys, with overgrown beards and facial hair, bandanas on their heads, big bellies, and very stern questing facial expressions.  But, when I started chatting with them, their personalities did not match their looks in the slightest!  Quite the opposite - they were soft-spoken, helpful, and could not stop smiling.  That must be the SOUTH Australia that mellows its people so much!

We made so many stops along this coast to enjoy the sheer beauty of this incredible place - the colours and ocean views were truly striking.  And yet - we had even more visual treats waiting for us, our route was to bring us to yet another spectacular nature's creation.

 

The natural beauty is just not ceasing around here!  After a short stop and chatting with a few local ladies who ran a small information office in Elliston, we headed towards the cliffs - literally.  There are a few spectacular coastal roads in the world, and luckily for us, this one - Clifftop Drive - is not really that well known (unless of course, you are a big fan of South Australia).  In my opinion, the Clifftop Drive is not only stunning, it is also very unique.  Loved every turn of it, every cliff of it, every view of it!  I wish we could keep going a lot further West, but Elliston was the westernmost boundary for our vehicle lease...  Our rental company apparently saw the Nullarbor region as the end of civilization, but rules are rules...  Besides, we have a whole other incredible isolated region to discover - the Outback, so a lot more adventure was yet to come.  For now, we set up our tent for the night near the coast around Elliston - it was windy there, and the hot sand under our tent reminded us so much about our recent adventure in Namibia and South Africa...  We had our supper inside of our vehicle trying to hide from obnoxious sand flies.  But, all the basic camping and dining was ohhhh-sooooo-worth this incredible experience - being surrounded by incredible scenery, and the sense of freedom and adventure you share with your partner on a daily basis - nothing can top that...

 

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This was our second time on this trip to explore this vast magnificent national park, and this time around I loved it so much better.  The fires were still raging in many parts of Australia, but luckily this park was spared.  When the wind would blow from the North, we could still smell the smoke in the air - a sad reminder what was happening in other parts of South Australia.  It made me feel appreciate even more this special region - things were peaceful and under control.  Our campsite was in a lovely location, coastal hikes were pretty, the sunsets were gorgeous, and we even had a fair amount of encounters with the wildlife in the area - including a brown snake, goannas, emus (love those!), various marine birds, etc.  Rob and I also ventured deeper into a southern part of the national park where we found stunning cliffs, panoramic ocean views, and massive dunes!  The latter brought up another association with our recent trip to Namibia.  Speaking of which - it was a good thing we had had a prior experience exploring the deserts of Namibia and South Africa.  Because our coastal life was going to change - we were getting ready to head out for our next part of the journey - the enticing and unforgiving region of the Outback!