South Australia rocks!

Hi.

We are about to jump on the Nullarbor across to WA so thought we should give a little update.
South Australia has been a lot of fun. Unspoilt Kangaroo Island, the outback of the Flinders and the clear blue water of the Eyre Peninsula.

Driving the sand dunes of Little Dip conservation park, just south of Robe.

Across the Backstairs Passage to Kangaroo Island. Min didn't budge from this position the whole 45 minutes even though it was dead calm.

We just can't understand why Clifford's honey farm didn't make the latest KI advertising campaign (you know the add where Eddie Veder sings that song Rise. James sure does... Min played it about 6 times a day while we were on the Island).

Seal Cove at Kangaroo Island. A ranger takes you down to the beach and there are hundreds of Seals baking in the Sun.

Min either being 'fully sick' before going sandboarding or having some sort of seizure.

Surprising Min. She had to take back I was totally unco and admit I am only partially unco.

Where Mick Jagger and the like stay for $2000/night. We settled for our $8 national park campsite.

Poo is very educational.

Camping at Emu bay, Kangaroo Island.

The remarkable rocks

"This is where the penguins were...last night". This phrase was uttered 200 times by our guide. Boy... when they said penguin tour, we didn't think it would be so literal. We saw one freaking penguin!

Constantly camping, there are some comforts we do miss at times. Our own bed, flushing toilets, no flies and wine flights in the Barossa with matched cheeses

Inaurgural James vs Min see how many flies you can get on your face and get a photo. 6 here.

This one is controversial. You can count 8, but 5 aren't technically on her face. Disqualified?

No secret really. Just technique, testosterone and timber (+ jiffy firelighters).

First use of our camp oven. Beautiful Damper at Rawnsley park station, Flinders ranges.

Chinese bush chicken. Goes great with damper.

Brachina Gorge, Flinders ranges NP.

Ridgetop tour, Arkaroola, Northern Flinders ranges. A 4hr 4wd tour through the amazing wildness sanctuary of Arkaroola.

Echo camp backtrack, Arkaroola, self drive 4wd tour. Min walking the hill and mapping her route. Good skills (must be genetic Andrew). It was much steeper than it looks!

Gammon ranges, Northern Flinders.

The western edge of the Flinders ranges.

Memory cove, Lincoln NP, Eyre Peninsula. Accessed via a 4wd track and through a locked gate 19km from the cove. Not a place where you would want your car battery, which was on its last legs, to go completely dead. Whoops.

 

A 3 hr wait for people to turn up, a jump start, a new battery from Repco, Port Lincoln and we were away!

Camping in Coffin bay NP. Top spot.

The only drawback of South Australia is washing in 'hard' water. It really shortens the life of clothes.

The waters of Streaky Bay, on the North West of the Eyre peninsula.

Walking 'n stuff

Greetings!
We finished our Tasmanian adventure with the Overland track. A 6 day hike through the Cradle mountain - Lake St Clair national park.  It is the only way to see some of the most spectacular scenery in Tasmania. Dad joined us for the walk.

Food prep: which involved determining the right ratio of water to powdered milk.

Food prep part 2: snack bags for the walk. James insisted on labelling them.

Beginning of the walk!

Having not walked with a pack for a while and with rocky climbs on the first day, concern did creep in at times.

Cradle mountain with Dove lake below.

Dad did well on the first day... until he started screaming "cramp, cramp" about 30 minutes out from the campsite and had to lie down on the track. No amount of medical training prepares you for that moment when you think you have killed your father (good to see I kept on smiling though).

Dad learning I like to drink herbal tea... another challenge he bravely faced.

Cooking vegetable curry as our meal on the first night. It wasn't quite as good as the cherry pie and daily fresh baked bread that the boutique, organised tour group got. Dad forgave us over that (but the situation wasn't helped by Dad meeting one of his colleagues on said tour, which meant he got daily updates of their amazing daily feasts).

New Pellion Hut. Night 3 of the walk.

Camping definitley brings out the trendy folk.

See previous caption (Dad looking on thinking "my son is an idiot... and he drinks herbal tea").

Each night you had the option to stay in the hut, if there was still room, as more people do the walk than spots in the hut. We preferred to use our tents and enjoy the elements (it wasn't that cold in this photo, probably 25 degrees, Min is just a big wuss).

The view from Frog flat.

As soon as Dad's cramping issue solved itself, we decided he could carry all the packs (no slackers allowed)

The end of the walk at Lake St Clair.

 After such a good walk, James decided that doing hikes was his new 'thing' (and Min's apparently). Some walkers we met on the Overland mentioned that there is a walk called the Great Ocean Walk that covers 100km from Apollo bay along the coastline to the start of the 12 apostles, with spectacular coastal views. We were driving that way towards SA and everything!
The day after finishing the Overland, James in his excitable state booked to do 5 of the days of the Great Ocean Walk (about 60km) in 10 days time. Min was very pleased.

We joined the walk at Cape Otway. Ja!

Seeing our first Koala in the wild.

Backsweat.

Walking along Johanna beach at 12.30pm. At first novel and beautiful... then incredibly hot... then like doing sand hills on the Biggest loser (James reached his goal weight that week).

The view from our campsite on night 2, overlooking Johanna beach

James returned from the beach to find Min like this. Another moment when James had thought "I've killed a member of the walking party". She was just sleeping.

Min navigating.

The Inagural Ainsley Harriot impersonation contest

I don't think we were drinking enough and the dehydration was affecting us (but the more important issue is who won? We can't agree).

The toilets on the walk were outstanding... a mix of garden and ocean views.

Snake breeding season is March. Thanks for telling Min that Park Rangers. Her defence was yelling in a strong voice "Go away snakes" every 3-4 minutes.

The view on the last day as we approached the 12 apostles.

Our last 4 jubes which we rewarded ourselves with near the end of the walk. Good colours.

Couldn't help it... sorry.