After the beautiful dry weather we experienced in Kangaroo Island we were confronted with our first bit of rain of the trip once we got back into Adelaide. And rain it did – 90mm over a couple of days, which is a lot for this dry state. Areas to north that were affected by bushfires were now in flood – ‘you gotta love this country’. We packed up pretty quickly and recommenced our journey west to the Eyre peninsular. Of course one last stop had to be made to satisfy our love of the vines – the Adelaide hills region. Here we visited some more wineries, microbreweries, cideries….etc., as well as staying a couple of nights in the Germanic village of Hahndorf. Wendy got a chance to take in some of her heritage while Chris attacked the pork knuckle and sour kraut with great gusto!!. Aimee loved the traditional German cuckoo clocks and candle sculptures, while Dylan liked the lollies and apple strudel. This was one last taste of city living before getting out of Adelaide and back on the road.
German food is very heavy, but yummy
On the way up to Port Augusta we checked the weather and noticed the temperatures were going to be in the low to mid 20s for the next five days. This was a perfect excuse to head into the normally scorching Flinders Ranges and spend a couple of days hiking. On the way up we visited a small village called Melrose to ride a few of their mountain bike trails. Next stop was Wilpena Pound, which we had originally thought was the site of a meteorite explosion (so we told the kids anyway to get them up the mountain) only to find out it was due to valley erosion.
The first hike we did was straight up to the top of the pound. The kids surprised us with their stamina and agility to scramble up the rocks – it will be hard to keep up with them in a few years. The views of the pound were spectacular and we were lucky the temperatures were so mild at this time of year. The next day we did an easier walk into the pound to stretch out our weary legs. We camped in the national park, which had great facilities and many walks on offer. The surrounding vistas were stunning and a special place only hours north of Adelaide. We saw more emus, kangaroos, lizards and birds of prey in three days than the two weeks we had just spent on Kangaroo Island.
The first real test for the kids
Top of the pound
In the pound
Afternoons were spent either relaxing by the caravan or going for a drive. In this type of country it is a pleasure to be just behind the wheel. Places visited included the nearby old mining towns of Blinman and Parachilna that were connected by a magnificent gorge. We were so glad we had the opportunity to get back up here again. Some times you need to get away from the coast and experience these beautiful areas.
