Friday, August 28, 2020

South Australia

Anna's entry:

Besides Antarctica, there was one continent left to explore...  The time has come to set our foot on the unique land of Australia.  I have decided to take my usual approach in selecting that special area of the continent that would create a real sense of adventure and yet would be realistic to explore independently.  My first criteria was obvious - no tourist crowds no matter what (that knocked out the obvious regions of the country).  My second criteria  - nature and landscape diversity.  My third criteria - preferably a more genuine connection with the local people.  After numerous weeks of research, I felt pretty confident I found THE right region - South Australia. 

Just a few days before we were set to depart for Australia, we were confronted with another challenge - the news of the blazing fires could make things a bit more complicated...  After careful consideration and further research, we made a decision to proceed as per our original plan.  So, there we were - our adventure in Australia would start with the first challenge - FIRES, and several months later it would finish with another challenge -  COVID (in Japan) .  But, first things first...
                            
 
 
 
Arrival - Melbourne (Victoria)

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.




 

 

SOUTH AUSTRALIA - Our 30-Day Journey

 
Adelaide and the area - where it all started...

I remember arriving in Adelaide late in the evening hungry.   The place we were staying at for a couple of days turned out to be a complete dump (if I arrived blind-folded, I would think we were dropped off in one of the developing countries of South East Asia), BUT we had a nice surprise waiting for us - the management decided to splurge on a free communal dinner - and this time it was a delicious vegetarian coconut curry (another reason one could think they landed in South East Asia).  Somebody cooked a large bucket of it, so there was more than enough for everyone to enjoy.  The next morning, feeling pretty rested (despite an uncomfortable bed, creaking floors, banging doors and loud neighbours), we ventured to explore the city.  We had a couple of days here before we would pick up a vehicle that I'd arranged for our independent exploration of South Australia.  Adelaide was small enough to walk around, it had a couple of landmarks - like historical lanes and buildings, a few museums, a famous market, and a few quirky things - for example, a National Wine Center (you could actually earn a Science Degree here entirely with a major focus on wine - so far so good, right?).  However, our best association with Adelaide was the city's residents - they were helpful, kind, friendly, especially the younger generation who were eager to help with directions, questions, suggestions etc. Even a bus driver would refuse to accept the bus fare from us when his collection box was not working properly.









Morialta Conservation Park

After a couple of days, we picked up our large backpacks loaded with camping equipment brought from home along with all kinds of tools for our upcoming journey, and headed down to pick up our vehicle.  Similarly to our experience in Namibia, when I presented a rental car company with our proposed route, the eye brows of the agent went up...  Similarly to Namibia, she expressed her doubts for my ambitious plan in such a small vehicle (I've heard it all before).  And yet, again - I had to educate the agents with their own rules, policies, maps, and exceptions.  I had researched in advance with toothpick the smallest details of available routes, roads, and borders, where the vehicle may and may not be taken - basically, I had to waste my own time educating the agents on their own policies; in either case, a couple of hours later, we were off to start our journey.

First stop was a grocery store - we had to pick up our supplies while we were still in a big city for our upcoming adventure.  The second stop en route to our first camping night was Morialta Conservation Park - according to my research, one of the best places to encounter wild koala bears.  Again, the lovely local residents who we met while hiking this gorgeous area, were more than eager to share with us their insights and point out possible locations of the koalas.  For the record, in all of our 30-day journey in South Australia, that truly was the best (if not the only) place to see those cuties.  Unfortunately, due to the horrible fires, a large population of koala bears was dramatically decreased in several parts of Australia.  That day, in  Morialta Conservation Park It makes our encounters feel even more special.  Besides the wildlife, the landscapes surrounding the area were stunning!  It was hard to believe we were in the vicinity of Adelaide, it really felt like a wilderness area! 








Pink Gum Camp - first camping night

While fires were raging in other parts of Australia, Rob and I were freezing our very first night camping.  I remember my fingernails and lips turning blue as the night was approaching.  Besides ourselves, there was another vehicle camping here.  The area was pretty (to get here we had to navigate challenging windy roads surrounding Adelaide), the wind was increasing, and nightly temperature was dropping.  The last time we had set up this very tent was a few months prior - back in South Africa with scalding desert temperatures.  This time, we had to put on all our clothes we had with us to keep warm.  For the record - in a few weeks, when we would be camping in Outback, we would have to take OFF all our clothes we brought with us to barely keep cool.  But, that is the story to come later...
 






 
Rapid Bay - on the way to Fleurieu Peninsula

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. 



























 
 
Victor Harbour and Coorong National Park

It is not just the landscapes that make the travels special and memorable,  It is also the local people.  Fortunately for Rob and me, we had an opportunity to spend some time with several local South Australians,  Our very first host was Mandy who lived in the vicinity of Victor Harbour on a farm perched on a hill - it was a kind of place that no one worried about locking their doors (unless you are a kangaroo - then you have to be careful, because some nutty farmers occasionally shoot them)...  Mandy shared with us lots of personal stories, introduced us to her twin boys who were adventuresome competitive motor-cyclists (not the ones on the race track - the ones in the real terrain), and we had a lot of long chats about life in South Australia, people's relationships, and just that everyday staff that makes travels feel real.  Mandy also accompanied us to Coorong National Park - a very unique area famous for coastal scapes and birdlife.  We really enjoyed our time there - the deeper we were getting into our trip, the more drawn to South Australia we felt.  We kept receiving kudos from numerous local people what a great decision it was to dedicate our entire time to South Australia - and yes, it certainly was proving to be the case.














 
Port Parham
 
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.









 
Yorke Peninsula


Innes National Park - Stenhouse Bay and the area

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...
 



















 
 
Innes National Park - Shell Beach, and the adventure continues...

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...
 























Arthurton to Mt. Remarkable National Park

When one travels a lot and for a long time, it becomes more difficult to come up with something unusual - "been there done that" kind of thing...  And yet, once in a while there comes a point that even a well-travelled person might think "Hmmm...  I don't think I've done that before".  Well, our overnight rest stop in Arthurton (in the middle of Yorke Peninsula) was that moment,  In my research, prior to the start of our adventure in South Australia, I had a list of free rest stop options recommended by locals - a back-up plan, just in case...  Well, the fires have reached South Australia, so we took a detour from the coastal route to break up our l-o-o-o-n-g journey.  Local knowledge suggested that if one needs a rest stop and is looking for a quiet peaceful place to settle for the night - consider Arthurton, and specifically - the premises attached to a church (not unusual), and MORE SPECIFICALLY - a parking lot adjacent to a CEMETERY.  The latter certainly was new, even for us.  There were a few lovely spots indeed to pitch a tent right next to tomb stones, but after careful analysis of the scenery, we pitched a tent with a view on the graves.  Sleeping next to the cemetery most definitely was quiet and peaceful - they say that good fences make best neighbours, I say grave sites make most peaceful campsites...  Anyway, enough about that.  The next morning, refreshed we were ready to head out towards Mt. Remarkable National Park.

Mt. Remarkable National Park was OK.  We didn't spend that much time there, so I can't really commend too much about it, but it just didn't strike me as anything exceptional.  We did some hiking there, and encountered some pretty birds and kangaroos, but there were more people in the park than we'd grown used to, and we love and prefer to have places to ourselves (even though it does take diligent work, research, and time to find those),  In either case, later that afternoon, we were happy to continue our way towards Whyalla - and for a good reason!  The details follow below...
 






 
 
 
Eyre Peninsula

Whyalla

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!  
 









 
 
Lincoln National Park - Surfleet Cove and Stamford Hill

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...








 

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...




 




 


Port Lincoln to Elliston - coastal journey

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.
 








 
Elliston and Clifftop Drive

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...
 
















 
Point Drummond and Ricky Bates

By now, the fires have made their way to South Australia.  Some roads got shut down and so did most of the National Parks.  One of such places - Coffin Bay National Park was off limits when we tried to enter it, so we had to utilize other options.  Luckily, I had been prepared for this contingency, and had my own "bag of tricks".  And, in that bag were a number of free wilderness camping options - the locations were very picturesque, to say the least. 

Point Drummond was stunning!  And, we were the only people on the entire cliff to camp that night, surrounded by pristine dunes and starry skies...  We pitched our tent and proceeded making our supper.  The desert temperatures had its impact both on the food supplies and wine supplies.  The canned food did not have to be re-heated (a big plus), the cheese was melted (can be a plus or minus), delicious red wine was warm (definitely a minus), and crackers and fruits stayed in their usual state.  In the morning, we ventured down along a cliff pass to the ocean, and found a pristine cove - it was so beautiful there!  Not just the cove itself, the surrounding boulders had a bright orange colouration as if nature itself took a paint brush and added her own ornament to make them a theatrical veil to open into a stage of the surrounding ocean...  The cove was protected from the waves and winds, the water was crystal-clear and warm, and the entire place felt like an Adam and Eve's beach - you could swim naked if you desire so and no one would be there to judge you.  The only thing I wish to be there was more marine life under the water - but, this seems to be missing in many parts of the world these days...
 










 
Ricky Bates wilderness camping came in handy.  That day, the fire hazard was on high alert, so no option whatsoever for camping in National parks.  This particular free camping was a local knowledge that I also happened to come across during my research about South Australia.  Let me put it this way - when I spoke with the Australian Department of Forestry officials and asked them about "Ricky Bates" camping, they asked me "What's that?".  So, when we had to find a place to spend the night and Rob asked me what we should do - my answer was "Ricky Bates".  Rob continued, "Anna, we don't have time to talk about Ricky Bates, whoever it might be; we need to find a place to camp!"  My answer was again a firm "Ricky Bates!".  We clearly were not connecting.  "Rob keep driving, I am taking us to Ricky Bates!".  Rob rolled his eyes, and complied to follow my directions.  About 18 kilometers further, it all made sense to Rob when we pulled into a protected cove with several tree clearings and a big sign "Ricky Bates".  And, this was where we enjoyed a peaceful (if not a bit too windy) free camping - away from fires, with the ocean under us and night sky above us.
 





 
Lincoln National Park - September Beach and other adventures
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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!
 

















 

The Outback

If I could spend months exploring this vast magnificent challenging unpredictable giant region, I would!  At the time, it was not quite possible - our vehicle had limitations how far we could take it, and I had to be realistic about what we could and could not do.  But - I was determined to at least get a feel on this exotic part of the world.  I researched and researched our options, and formed a plan.  I am running ahead of myself, but I can't help it - before I do into all the details, I have to tell it upfront - the experience in this part of South Australia was worth every single hour of planning, every single hour of exploring, every single hour if suffering excruciating heat, every single hour of challenging roads.  I LOVED it, and will NEVER forget it.
                           
              

 
Warren Gorge

We had a l-o-o-o-n-g drive and needed an overnighter to rest before we continued towards Flinders Ranges.  Warren Gorge was the place to do it.  My research showed that this region was not only beautiful, it was also a good place to encounter the local wildlife.  I could not agree more!  What made it also very special was the fact that we were the ONLY people in this vast wilderness.  The wild kangaroos almost looked surprised when I was walking around selecting that "perfect spot" to pitch our tent for the night.  As a matter of fact, there were so many kangaroos frolicking around, that I took it for granted (or rather, they took me for granted).  I was really hoping to encounter a rare wallaby, and it is possible I may have.  Rob and I did long hikes in the evening of our arrival, and I did another hike by myself the next morning.  I am always very particular about a location to pitch our tent (Rob has gotten used to it by now), but it is very important for me to be in the middle of wildlife "action".  If it is possible - I want to have the front row seats!  Our experience in Africa taught me well where to find such places.  And, oh boy... I may have found a little bit too much of an active spot in Warren Gorge - we pitched our a tent next to a stream (I figured wildlife needs an access to water at some point), and those kangaroos ''raised hell" ALL NIGHT LONG.  There was never ceasing traffic of kangaroos - at one point I thought they were jumping over our tent - not sure if it was a passive-aggressive gesture, or they were just having a good time...  Later on I understood - they were preparing us to get used to REALLY up-close and personal interaction, which I intend to describe in later chapters...  But, for now - Warren Gorge was an excellent introduction before we get deeper into the desert.  
 












 
On the way to Flinders Ranges

Sometimes they say that the way to your final destination is a destination in itself.  I could not agree more!  Rob and I made so many fascinating stopovers - the desert scenery and abandoned homesteads were picture perfect!  I remember walking around the picturesque ruins of the Kanyaka station (dating back to 1852), and encountering a couple of kangaroos - obviously, they have made this abandoned homestead their residence, and obviously - they are not used to have humans disturbing their peace... 

The sun and desert temperatures were excruciating, and finding a shade was at a premium.  I was having yet another deja vu of our experiences in Namib and Kgalagadi (African) deserts - you were on your own here as well.  You would be lucky if you see one other car or any other human, for that matter.  Personally, I love the desolate nature of such places.  They truly remind you what the adventure is all about.  The dead silence of desert sands and scorched by the sun trees make you feel humble and a sort-of insignificant...  All of us need a sense of that kind of perspective once in a while...  It is the contrast that makes us appreciate who we are and what we do...













 
Wilpena Pound and Flinders Ranges

What an incredible magnificent place to explore!  There were so many unexpected surprises and encounters during our journey in that region.

it was an actual Christmas, AND the hottest time of the year when we arrived at Wilpena Pound.  On a plus side that meant that there were only very few adventurous souls similar to us exploring the area, and on a minus side - my favourite red wine was nearly matching the air temperature averaging at 47°C  (117F).  Similarly to our adventure in deserts of Africa, we knew that we could get some relief from the excruciating heat (and cool down our drinks) in a pool. The latter was attached to a vast campground and was a real treat in the evening after I had "run us ragged" for the entire day exploring canyons, climbing the view points and driving almost impassable roads - our experience came in handy yet again from our adventures in Namibia and South Africa.  By now - Rob has gotten used to putting pretty l-o-o-o-o-o-n-g days under my "navigation and management".  But, as I always say - "we'd better get our feel because we don't know if we ever are coming back".  And, there was a LOT to explore. 

The sweeping 360° view points were incredible, desert colours were striking, hidden canyons were enticing, a raw beauty and a genuine Earth's history was encompassing us from all directions -  we were exploring the dolomite formations that literally were 600+ million years old!  Touching the rocks felt like touching the Earth's history itself - it felt very special.  The closest similar experience we had was back in Namibia - where we walked along and touched the Dinosaurs' imprinted steps in the lava rocks - but those dated back to only 200+ million years ago.  In addition to the striking landscape beauty, there was also a large presence of wildlife - specifically kangaroos.  It was shocking and also very impressive to see those wild animals have survived in such harsh conditions in the Outback.

Speaking of the kangaroos...  Well, I wanted us to get our "feel" of kangaroos, and so we did - and not just those that run wild around the Outback desert, but also the ones that decided to make a campground their residence!  As a matter of fact, we had a little TOO MUCH of kangaroos who became a little TOO comfortable around us.  I remember one night Rob sitting up in our tent and shouting "Get away from here!".  I asked Rob who he was talking to in the middle of the night, and Rob replied "Kangaroos - those a..holes are staring right inside of our tent!".  I also remember how in the morning I walked to use a bathroom only to find a large family of kangaroos laying all over the place - I practically had to step over one of them to enter the facilities.  But, it was just the beginning...  When I opened a door to one of the stalls - a daddy kangaroo jumped out, then a second later a mommy kangaroos jumped out from a stall next to it, and then a baby kangaroo began hopping out of the third stall...   Whaaat?????  Remember that story about "Red Riding Hood and Three Bears''?  Well, that was our version except with Three Kangaroos.  Yes - kangaroos loved munching on toilet paper and paper towels - as a matter of fact, they would consume the whole supply of it by the morning.  And, if that was not enough, they would start munching on anything reminiscent of paper (my advice - never leave any empty (even cleanly washed) cans outside your tent, they make a very loud sound when a kangaroos tries rolling them along the gravel).  So, after all - we had a company for Christmas (or "Chrissy" as Australians call it), and despite the harsh and desolate desert conditions, it sure was one of the fun ones!

Yes, I am so glad to have had an opportunity to at least have a glimpse at the Outback.  Our journey around Flinders Ranges was one of the most memorable highlights, and we were very fortunate that the fires did not make their way to this region when we were there.  We loved the entire experience being there!
 
























 
Chinaman Creek - the only experience I want to forget

Camping at Chinaman Creek area started as a great stop-over.  It was a well looked-after free campground located near the ocean with good access roads.  Rob and I set up our tent relatively early that afternoon, so we had some time to spare and decided to drive around the area, and find a good spot to enjoy the sunset.  We pulled in into one of  those spots and noticed a strange image in the distance...  It seemed like it was a car stuck in the middle of a cove with two people standing outside their vehicle.  The sign clearly stated "NO ENTRY", so WHY those people were in the middle of the marshy cove did not make any sense.  As a normal helpful person would do, Rob walked towards them to inquire if they were OK, and this is where it all started...

I don't want to go through all the details and only provide a synopsis.  Without the extra help those people's car would have been submerged under the ocean tide within 2 hours.  Professional rescue company refused to come due to the hazardous conditions and isolated location.  A good part of the story - we managed to arrange a rescue operation; a group of young Australian guys (from our campground) who spent their entire evening on their knees digging that couple's car out and pulling it by the rope (while their own campsite was jeopardized by incoming tide) restored my belief in humanity.  A bad side of the story - the Indian couple, who out of their own stupidity and laziness, violated warning signs and decided to go for a ride (instead of a walk) across the cove; AND - after all the help you received from complete strangers saving you and your vehicle, and being so unappreciative and arrogant after the fact - SHAME ON YOU!  And, one more thing to that Indian couple - if you ever and completely coincidentally come across this blog entry, and, wherever you are now -  F..K you!

OK, this is the very first time I have expressed my feelings in that raw form, but it was therapeutic to get it out and share how I really felt about that.  I still would like, however, to finish this entry on a positive note.  To that group of helpful and kind Australian guys - Thank You for your good hearts!  And, if anyone tells you that the "younger generation is a bunch of brats" - please feel free to use my "F-statement" above! 
 
                            
 

 
 
 
Alligator Gorge

Back to the adventure!   WOW - yet another stunning place in South Australia to explore!  Hiking through the narrow ancient canyon was incredible!  The size of colourful boulders and tunnels made me feel like Alice in Wonderland.  It was a challenging hike, I must admit.  The elevation changes, sharp rocks, narrow tunnels, and almost 50°C  (120F) heat added their ingredients to make this declaration again - "Anna successfully ran us ragged yet again!".  But, the rewards were worth it!  Another encounter with gorgeous, pristine, almost whimsical nature.  There used to be an Alligator Creek here, it took millions of years for the gorge to develop out of the ancient rocky walls.  The nature's result was stunning!  Some areas on the boulders had ripple marks dating to 600 million years ago - so it wasn't just a pretty canyon hike, it was also "the Earth's formation in action" kind of hike. 

Kangaroos also seemed to enjoy the scenery - some were peacefully resting in any shade they could find under the trees, some were hopping around when startled by unexpected visitors. But, behind all this beauty was a dramatic part as well - the conditions were quite tough.  The heat, sun, lack of water and limited vegetation created most difficult survival conditions.  So, my deepest respect goes to the animals for their tenacity and adaptation.
 










  
 
White Cliff Reserve

It was a perfect place to break our journey.  Another free overnight camping option along a stream in a quiet, but easily accessible location.  Peaceful at night, as a matter of fact we were the only campers there.  We had a huge tree canopy above us, and a relatively comfortable ground to put our brave little tent on (it did go through major challenging conditions and trips by now).  We had picked some new grocery supplies and were looking forward to a peaceful enjoyable meal - whether a picnic style, or inside our vehicle facing the cliffs.   But, the sand flies were voracious!  It seemed like no matter if it was a windy coast, or scalding desert, or quiet river - the flies were always present.  If we had to pinpoint the most annoying thing during our trip in this part of the world - it would definitely be the sand flies! 

We got up early in the morning to pack our camp trying to beat the soaring temperatures.  We had a very exciting day coming up - trying to get close and personal with the local wineries.  To clarify - I had an exciting adventure coming up, Rob was a designated driver. 
 




 
The Wine Region
 
Clare Valley

OMG - I had no idea what I was getting into...  My plan was to have an enjoyable ride around pretty wineries, and maybe make only a couple of stops to try a locally grown wine - after all, our trip was winding down, and what an appropriate region it was to finish up a successful journey.  However, my plan was modified and by a LOT.  I happened to chat with a lovely helpful young lady working at a local information center.  When I probed her local knowledge for any particular recommendation, she supplied me with a detailed map and a long list of recommendations.  "You must try and explore as many wineries as you possibly could.  They are great. And they are FREE".  OK, we decided to give a couple of them a try, and then a couple more, and then a couple more, and more.  Every winery had a selection of wines to sample, and some wineries had an exceptionally wide selection of wines to sample.  Some were just OK, and some were super special and very tasty.  I am not sure how many samples, varieties and the exact amount of wine I had sampled, but at one point I told Rob I was starting to feel pretty bad.  I don't think I ever had gotten myself to this state... As we were concluding our winery route, we could still see more welcoming signs inviting us to try their selections - and the closer to our exit we were, the better varieties were on offer to try...

It took me a number of hours to start feeling more normal again.  Luckily, we had a long drive and hours to recover before we reached our overnight stopover.  On the way, we made a few detours to visit several towns - some were quaint and some were a bit quirky.  And, the closer to Adelaide we were, the more obvious it was becoming - our South Australia's journey is soon coming to its end...
 
  
                            
 
                         
 

 


 


 
 
Palm Cricket Camping - among olive trees and... cricket field

Another unusual camping option - I love researching and finding helpful local advice.  It was not only a peaceful romantic place to camp, it was also totally free.  You almost could think for a moment you are somewhere in Italy or Greece while pitching a tent surrounded by hundreds of olive trees and clear starry sky above you.  The roads to get here were windy and sometimes tricky, and the scenery of picturesque boulders and valleys down bellow was very beautiful;  It was a bitter sweet stop-over - on the one hand, we had just had a month-full of an incredible journey filled with adventures and discoveries, and on the other hand - we had only two days left before we would leave South Australia for a new continent. 
 


 
South Australia Finale

Well, this is it...  We have made the entire circle and returned back to Adelaide, where it all had started about 30 days ago.  When we returned our modest vehicle with added 4,500 kilometers, the rental lady accepted her defeat.  No flat tires, no calls for help, we did it all exactly how it had been planned - coast, desert, dunes, canyons, boulders, hills, wineries, cities, windy roads, elevated roads, rocky roads, wind, sun, kangaroos, emus, dolphins, snakes, lizards, goannas, and most importantly - meeting warm, helpful, and kind local people.

In some ways, it felt almost liberating to drop off our vehicle, and revert back to another mode of moving around.  As always, our last night was spent in a bit of an unusual establishment - by now an "unusual" factor is almost to be expected.  We had a flight to catch early next morning, and I wanted to have a place easily walkable from our rest point.  Forget the airport hotels!  I found us a place only four kilometres walking distance to the airport. YES - ONLY FOUR kilometres.  After all, having completed 4,500 kilometres in the past month's journey, how hard could it be to walk the last FOUR of them?  Not a big deal!  When we arrived to check in at our hotel, we walked right into a casino - remember I pick places creatively.  We had no intention of gambling (and never had), but a part of our stay there included unlimited free lattes (for me) and soft drinks (for Rob) any time during our stay.  And, it may not sound much to some, but believe me - having spent 30 days in the desert conditions, those lattes and (cold) soft drinks taste the best you have ever tried.  And, as another reflection of mindful South Australian hospitality - we got exactly a room location that I had requested months before BEFORE the trip commenced.  Detailed notes were left in the hotel book for our arrival to precisely provide us with what had been requested.  We needed a peaceful location to get a good sleep, and that tiny pub-casino hotel definitely delivered it - and the room was super nice, almost posh!
 
At around 5 a.m. the next morning, we started walking towards the airport.  Even that early in the morning the air temperature was approaching 35°C (95F).  The higher the sun was rising, the hotter it felt.  However, let me put it this way - even after carrying for four kilometres our heavy backpacks (loaded with camping equipment, snorkeling equipment, technical supplies, photography equipment, medical supplies, some emergency food supplies, etc.), we still were in better spirits than the airport officials and other passengers who (I am sure) drove here in comfortable AC vehicles.  How could we not be in a good mood?  Our adventure in South Australia turned out to be a great success, and in a few hours we were due to continue our journey - but. in a completely different part of the world.

Next stop - Indonesia, or rather - Back to Indonesia! 

 
 
 

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