As I sit and write in the cold of Tanunda, in the Barossa Valley, may ears are being filled with Polka music, while a German dance group practices about 20 meters away from where we are camping. As tacky as the music is, its cheerful, and so is the dance troop. It’s a pretty surreal atmosphere actually.
Just over a week ago we packed up and left Robe, on the south eastern coast of South Australia. We were there for 5 days, and the weather was all around pretty awful. Our last day was actually the best. It was also the best day of fishing that we have had so far as well, although it wasn’t big by other’s standards, we had a good time. The boys, Bart and I, accompanied our camping ‘neighbors’, Paul and 2 of his 4 girls, down to the boat harbor, and fished in amongst them. Between us we actually caught heaps of fish, and 2 of them were even big enough to bring home. I am pretty sure that mine just edged out Bart’s in terms of the ‘biggest of the day’ but we didn’t measure until after I had beheaded them and he accused me taking more off his…
The day we left Robe, it was actually really starting to fine up, and it just got warmer as we headed north west along the coast. Our destination for the day was Victor Harbor, just 80kms or so out of Adelaide. In total we were there for 6 days, and we had great weather and a great time. It was Easter weekend, so the camp ground was packed, and they say there were about 2000 people in it. Every day the sun shone, and it was freezing at night. The nights were so cold Tracy and I got a membership at the local Video Easy store, and made the most of it.
On the first day we headed to nearby Goolwa, at the Murray River mouth, where they had a small market down by the wharf. It wasn’t massive but it had heaps of natural and organic products, even organic pies. The next day we headed to the ferry for Kangaroo Island and checked out the possibility of heading over there for a day… but ferry prices determined that we head around the peninsula further instead, and find a coffee shop for a while. We actually discovered that the northern side of the Fleurieu peninsula is not quite as… how do you put it… ‘feral’ as Victor Harbor. There I said it. Not that VH wasn’t nice, we found it just lacked something… like a good coffee shop for starters.
On the Sunday we went to church. Well, actually, to make up for recent Sunday slackness, we went to 2 churches. The first one we went to decided to start earlier than its internet advertised sign, and so we felt most uncomfortable when we rocked up at the end, and therefore left. (Note to self… don’t change advertised church times… very awkward for people). And so we went to the Uniting Church up the road. We were only there for one service, but it felt like a great little church. We were welcomed, kids activities were well explained, people even spoke to us. Very nice.
For our last 3 days in Victor Harbor we were joined by some friends from a life time ago, Gary and Jenni De Kevit, and their three children, who are similar ages to our own. They camped next door and we had a great time together. The kids really enjoyed having some more kids around to play with, and we spent some late nights catching up. On the Tuesday we took a trip to Granite Island, the over priced piece of rock that sits in the bay off VH. They have this horse drawn carriage (like a small railway car) to get there and back and a place to sit and have a drink on the island. The kids had a good time, and then an even better time at the fair on the river front when we got back. Gary and I had a good time catching up for 45 minutes at the cars while we waited for the rest to meet us… except they didn’t know where we were and had visions of us squashed on the road some where. Sorry girls… we really did think you knew where we were.
And so yesterday our time at VH drew to a close. We left, heading for the Yorke Peninsula, but a last minute change of plans has actually brought us to the Barossa valley. We are actually here during the Barossa Vintage Festival – hence the German polka group playing in the background. It seems to be a celebration of all things German. The festival has been running for nearly a week already and finishes on Sunday. Today we visited a village market, done like a olde (spelling mistake done on purpose Trace, don’t correct this one) German market. There were sheep and lambs, ducklings and chicks, some good German food and even an auction, which included some geese and a piglet. The kids were allowed to pick up some of the animals. Well, one little chick nearly got its head ripped off courtesy of Kezia, and one little duckling will always walk with a limp thanks to Tane. Ky pretty much was the only one of our kids not to maim an animal.
After that we did what you do when you’re in the Barossa, we visited a couple of wineries. This is going to be an expensive stop!
We plan to be here until Monday and then finally head to the Yorke Peninsula. From there its over to Port Lincoln on the Eyre Peninsula, and then we start our long trek north
April 21, 2009 at 7:29 am |
Hi dear guys,
Great stories, chilly nights, aussie flies. Been there, done that.
But Brisbane is beginning to cool down, and we like it heaps.
We decided to bring some variety in our over-70′s existence, and got ourselves 2 little finches. Gouldians, stunning. For the time being we call the boy Christopher and the girl Penelope, but that may change. They don’t keep us awake at night, actually, the new neighbours do that!
Have you already seen/heard Susan Boyle on YouTube. Totally heartwarming! Love to you all, from Keith & Emmy
May 3, 2009 at 12:32 pm |
Great reading. But Clinton, try to be more truthful about the fish!! Cutting my fish’s head off half-way along it’s body!!! I knew we should have weighed and measured them at the Harbour!!!