7th-11th Transition

I never really planned  to continue the blog once work started and the travel chapter closed for a while. However I realised there was still a lot going on. The transition from backpacking tourist back to professional Vet, albeit on the opposite side of the world- was a surprisingly enormous one. Plus, I was now going to see real life Australia. And corny as it may sound I guess the journey was continuing, just with less travelling!

So after a couple of quietish days in Adelaide I took a night bus to Melbourne. Under the mistaken assumption that I'd sleep it was only really good for my carbon footprint and after 10 1/2 hours I arrived horribly tired. I manage a swim and use the free internet at the library then hang out with my roommates.
The next day I do some shopping ready for starting work and then head down to St Kilda beach for a few hours knowing it's going to be a few weeks before I find a beach again!

Sunday is an odd day, I have most of the day to kill before my boss Ian and his wife Geraldine pick me up in Melbourne and take me out to Tatura where my job starts. I change into my smartest clothes and try to look less like a backpacker ready for the car journey which is also an interview!
They're lovely and as their daughter is in England, Geraldine is ready to mother somebody in her absence.

It's a 2 hour drive through changing countryside but still startling to me how long and straight the roads are with so little traffic. I guess in England it's only the motorways where you can drive straight for so long and then you can't usually see so much. I'm told that the landscape is unusually green at the moment due to recent heavy rain. (it's not all that green!)

We arrive in Tatura, north Victoria. I'm to stay with Ian and Geraldine for the first week as the lady who boards locums and students is full currently. I enter their house and it's the first house I've been into in 10 weeks, I'm shown my room, double bed, fluffy towels and it's rather like Christmas as a child. After weeks of sleeping in cramped dorm rooms it is sheer luxury!

6th March KI part 2

We start the day at Hanson Bay walking through eucalptus forest where koalas like to hang out. We see loads including a youngster, low down, awake too (!) who is perfect for photographing. Koalas do so well on this island that they put the trees at risk and periodically have to be moved to the mainland.

From here we head to Flinder's Chase National Park and visit Remarkable Rocks (I do like their names!) granite formed by a combination of volcanic activity then erosion to expose them. Admiral's arch is another must-see and here are more seals too, this time Australian and New Zealand Fur seals.
Another great lunch then a few more places to visit. The weather's too cold to swim really, it's been a little bit overcast the last couple of days but still beautiful. We've bumped along miles of unsealed roads through spectacular eucalptus forests and bushland. As well as the koalas, seals, penguins, possum, echnidas and kangaroos we see a Goana (a lizard that lay its eggs in termite mounds) , kestrels and Wedge-tailed eagles. This island is crawling with wildlife. The evening's the best part of the day and the sunset on the ferry back is lovely.

5th Kangaroo Island part 1

It's an early start to go across to Kangaroo Island, the 3rd largest island off the coast of Australia (after Tasmania and Melville island in the NT) it's around 150km x 50 km with a population of only 4000.



The often notorious ferry ride is thankfully calm and we meet our Australian guide, Kate, who is about the most enthusiastic person I've ever met. We see a sheep-shearing demo featuring Merino sheep which is quite interesting, briefly visit a place which makes eucalptus oil (bit like tea tree) and after yummy lunch go to the south of the island to visit Seal Rocks. This is where the Australian Sealions hang out (usually after 3 days at sea so they're pretty tired) and it's possible to walk on the beach and get quite close to them although the guy who shows us around had just had his last group chased by an angry bull seal - apparently it's mating season! It's a beautiful setting and amazing to see these Seals so close.

I try my hand at sandboarding and sandtoboganning at "Little Sahara" a huge sand dune. It's pretty fun but hard work getting back up the dune and I leave with a few bruises and clothes full of sand!
We stay in Vivonne Bay and a few of us take Kayaks in the river. Kate cooks us an amazing bbq and eating on the terrace we watch Kangaroos and Wallabies wandering around and spot an Echnida and  a Possum (the first of these I've seen). After dark we take a walk and spot some penguins on the rocky cliffs.

3rd and 4th- Barossa Valley and Victor Harbour

 

Barossa Valley is the main wine-producing region in Australia. I decide it's important to visit.
On the way we visit the world's biggest Rocking Horse (a google search later reveals that there are around one hundred of these "big things" all over Australia resulting from anything that anyone had a particular passion about- prawns, pineapples, crocodiles, merino sheep and beer cans to name just a few. I had thought this was my first until realising I'd already seen a big wine bottle in Hunter Valley)
A quick visit to the "Whispering Wall" - this is actually the dam of Barossa Valley reservoir a 140m long curved section of wall. If you whisper into it at one side it's heard incredibly clearly at the other.
Onto the Wineries now and we visit Jacob's Creek and then several smaller ones with a bbq lunch in between. I chat to the guide, a true South Australian and the group is amused by 2 chinese girls who get drunk half way through the first tasting and take no more wine for the rest of the wine tour!

The next day I take another trip in order to see more of the surrounding area. A stop at Mt Lofty (700m) to see the view over Adelaide. This was named by Captain Flinders who did most of the exploring and naming of South Australia. And then after his death many things were named after him. He also effectively gave Australia her name after using the term Terra Australis. We have coffee in Hahndorf- a quaint, German-style, tourist town where real German beer is actually imported. It's autumn here and the decidous trees are turning which excites a lot of Australians (because so few trees are deciduous). Incidentally someone told me about Adelaide's Dutch Elms which of course weren't affected by disease as in Europe. They were much loved in the parks of Adelaide. Unfortunately one summer with severe water restrictions in place the council decided not to water them and most of them died! People were not happy!

We stop at Goolwa on the Fleurieu Penninsula where the Murray river reaches the sea and then through Port Elliot and Middleton to a look out over Horseshoe bay and Encounter bay. Encounter Bay where Matthew Flinders bumped into Nicholas Baudin in 1802. England and France were at war at this time but either Baudin didn't know it or chose to ignore it. This was the point where SA wasmore or less saved from becoming French but there are some French place names around.
After lunch at Victor Harbour, another beautiful spot on the coastline, and a stop at Hardy's Winery in the Mclaren Vale we head back and I catch another comedy show with someone from the hostel.

29th Feb- 2nd March

A day of rain put paid to any outdoor-based plans and I visit a chocolate factory with another girl, Kim, I'd met on the trip, then catch another show in the evening.
Better weather the next day and it's the first day of Clipsal, an annual car race in the city centre. I go for few hours for the experience. I can confirm that the cars are fast and noisy. Beyond that I'm not really sure what's going on! It's interesting to see but I also confirm that it's not really my thing and wander off to the Botanical gardens and National Winery there- a subject closer to my heart. Another show in the evening (there are cheap tickets available if you turn up just before they start) and it's the strangest so far.
The job hunting takes a hopeful turn with a phonecall from a practice in Victoria and I cook Kangaroo for dinner to the fascination of the other hostellers but it's pretty good!

Because there's 4 days of car racing on at the same time as the Adelaide Festival there's an unfortunate occurence (I hear on the news) when an outdoor classical concert is staged at the same time as an evening race and the music is drowned out! Outrage!


With a job possibility, it's time to stop stagnating in Adelaide, relaxing though it is. I book some trips and make some plans. I visit Port Adelaide and there's really not much there, the enthusiastic pouncing of the lady in the tourist information rang alarm bells! Port Adelaide was founded after the first immigrants arrived at Port Misery (there are some great place names round here: Mt Lofty, Mt Remarkable, Mt Hopeless!).
After a rather stretched-out wander down the streets of Heritage buildings (of the sort you'd be positively tripping over in England but which of course are old for Australia) I take the bus then tram to Glenelg, the nearest beach to Adelaide, 12km south of the city. Here I'm in time for a beautiful sunset.

27th-28th- Adelaide

After such a tiring and packed few days I felt rather as though I’d washed up in Adelaide. My accommodation was in the CBD but distinctly low- rise with quiet streets and little traffic. The hostel was particularly quiet, clean and comfortable and I was ready and able to kick back and relax (well, a bit more given it’s all been holiday so far!). 

Adelaide: City of Churches.  Something of an inaccurate reputation for murders; a town city with a population of just over 1 million. It's always been pretty liberal- letting women straight into University when they founded it. Capital of South Australia, a state founded as a business rather than a convict colony. The first settlers were British and Germans- many Lutherans. The 2 rules were no convicts and freedom of religion. Hence the churches. (Odd to see gothic style churches surrounded by palm trees!) South Australians seem often to be the butt of jokes (a bit like the Welsh) and I got the impression that people often were born and bred in Adelaide.

The first couple of days I have a wander around the city after looking for jobs in the morning. The weather cools down a bit after then intense heat we'd had getting there. It's another city on a grid and I get lost less.
 I meet up with Elsa, a Taiwanese girl I met on the Great Ocean Road trip and we go to see one of the Fringe Festival shows. It's pretty funny but I suspect Elsa's laughing at different bits and she admits despite concentrating hard it's difficult to understand! From talking to Elsa I've learnt quite a bit about Taiwan and she's fascinated by the cultural differences of Australia.

 

Great Ocean Road continued

Day 2 of the trip starts with visiting various Apostles. These are small islands just of the mainland which are being worn away- many were joined by bridges to start with but these have all fallen down now. They used to be called the Sow and 18 Piglets but The 12 Apostles was thought to be a name that would encourage more tourists. At the time the name was changed 10 remained. Go figure. Now there are 8!
Before the area was a national park people crossed "london bridge" onto one of the Apostles. A couple were stranded on it when the bridge collapsed and the first helicopter to reach them was from a News Channel, unfortunately they were having an extramarital affair and were publicly exposed!
There's a chance for a helicopter flight- the only way to see all the Apostles at once- and I can't resist. It's a 7 minute whizz- beautiful and unstable feeling!
The day starts to heat up, later it will reach 38 degrees away from the coast, and a swim on the way is welcome. We stopped to see more Koalas and some Emus too then onto Hall's gap in the Grampians, yep it's a National Park too, to stay for the night. Citronella candles just about control the mosquitoes which more or less swarm at dusk, there's a BBQ,  more stars and a valiant attempt on the part of the other English girl to teach Swiss and French backpackers drinking games!
Up early again on day 3 to take the walk which it was too hot to do the day before. The Grampians only reach about 600m and we don't climb that high to reach The Pinnacle- an overhanging view point. However, they stretch roughly 50x150miles so that's impressive! After a stop at a waterfall it's a 5 hour drive onto Adelaide where I wash up hot, stiff and dishevelled!

23rd to 27th Great Ocean Road and The Grampians

The 23rd is a quiet day in Melbourne trying to sort out various things although now I couldn't tell you what. Probably ongoing job hunting, trip planning and hostel booking. A bit of a wander through the city seeing some of Melbourne's famous "laneways" (unlikely- looking back alleys that mostly seem to keep the city supplied with caffeine!) and a swim.
Next day is an early start joining a 3 day Groovy Grape tour that will finish in Adelaide after travelling The Great Ocean Road and The Grampian "mountains" (or some of them). First stop is Torquay  where 2 of the big surf companies - Rip Curl and Quicksilver- were founded and a beach where surf championships are held. We're lucky with the weather and as we head along the coast stunning view follows stunning view. At Lorne we have lunch and some of the group surf. I do! Sort of...!
The Great Ocean road was a post WWI employment project for ex-servicemen and although it provided much needed employment and good working conditions it was one of the first engineering projects in Australia built using explosives - probably not a good thing for people likely suffering from post-traumatic stress. In more recent years the original stretch of ocean road was extended to give the 100kms that exist today.

Every bend is beautiful, I'm glad I'm not driving as it's windy and the view's too good to miss. We stop at River Kennett to see wild Koalas (one's even awake) and feed King Parrots and Crimson Roselas who happily perch on anyone!
Inland now and to the Otoway National Park (I'm beginning to think that most of Australia is actually a national park) where we take a short walk through a sub-temperate rainforest (thankfully after the Thailand experience leech-free!) This is a stunning place, unlike anything I've seen before. Our guide tells us about the Mountain Ash trees growing here. The tallest tree ever to have been recorded (and cut down) was Moutain Ash of 150m tall. The largest today in Australia are 90m but they grow fast so it's conceivable that in my lifetime that record could be broken. Beautiful tree ferns grow here (I then see them again afterwards in Adelaide city centre- more cultivated and it's another "dimension-shifted" moment of strangeness). The smell is amazing and the afternoon light cuts through the vegetation beautifully.
At Princetown there's time to grab pizza and beer and head down to the beach to see the sunset over one of the Apostles. As night falls a few of us spend hours lying under the stars. They're the best I've ever seen, I've never seen the milky way before, Mars or my own star sign, Scorpio. Our guide shows us the southern cross and I puzzle over Orion who moves more upside down as the night drifts on!