Liketytrip

I have been in Australia for almost 2 months now and I haven’t yet visited one single vineyard so I’m keen to get a visit in. I was denied the opportunity up on the east coast as we were apparently ‘in a little hurry to get to Sydney’ but now that we had officially slowed down our schedule, I wasn’t going to let Adelaide and it’s nearby wineries pass me by.

I have to admit, I’m really not a wine connoisseur (I even had to let the Spellcheck correct that for me). I used to drink the cheapest wine when I lived in France plus a few of those cardboard boxes with the silver pouch snuck in to the fridge in England on several occasions. So here we are and I need to learn about it.

Before I go on, I must just mention the Naracoorte Caves, which were on my World Heritage Sites List and were situated on the way in to Adelaide. We joined a very good underground tour to see more stalactites and mites in a narrow but expansive cave system. We’re now miles away from the sea and standing in the open looking across to the horizon. Our tour guide points out to us that where we were standing was once underwater. Pretty cool stuff.

I must also mention the Willalooka Rest Area. It was in the book as one of the free camping sites by the side of the road so it was all bona-fide and everything, it was even across the road from the local roadhouse. So I’ve no idea why I got the scaries on that night, it felt like we were about to be murdered a la Wolf’s Creek. Still, we woke up the next morning so that was a bonus! To be honest, Australia is proving to be the friendliest and safest place around.

So. On to Adelaide! Rain didn’t stop play and we managed to scoot around town. Our first stop was the Wine Museum where you could smell the different spices that went in to making a wine. And you got to make your own wine – unfortunately not literally, just on a touch-screen, but maybe that was just as well. You could then have it rated. I was most put out when Guy kept being “Congratulated” by the screen whilst mine were all poured down the sink. He doesn’t even like wine!

My Perfect Day. Friday 16th May. First stop the Haigh’s Chocolate Museum where you get to see chocolate being made and then get to taste it, lots of it. Followed by an hour’s massage to get some knots out of my neck and shoulders (it seems sitting in a van for weeks on end doesn’t really keep your body fluid). Finally topped off by Penfold’s Magill vineyard for a tour and tasting in the cellar door. Bought a nice Reisling with an unpronounceable German name. We’re making progress here.
Check out the pics