Adelaide and Kangaroo Island

Next step in the journey was a 8 hour scrubby drive pushing further west into South Australia, then due south passing through Clare Valley (riesling country!) and finally to the lovely coastal city of Adelaide. What a sudden, subtle change in scenery as red desert dust slowly gave way to shrubbery, and trees, and then WHAM! great golden fields of wild flowers. And you are truly reminded that this is really spring and you slow down just a tad, breathing in the smells of growth and life. The air is abuzz, alive, yearning to break out of the crusty earth.

"For you will go out with joy And be led forth with peace; 

The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, 

And all the trees of the field will clap their hands." Isaiah 55:12

Golden fields

Canola flower power

Century old vines at Clare Valley

Spent a few days back in civilization - beautiful staid Adelaide - and in great fellowship, catching up with old friends and staying with my Aunt and Uncle, who keep peaches, apricots and plums in the garden. (At the same time, out of the blue, I get a call from my prof - something's afoot, and will be detailed next year).

Plum Blossoms (1 of 3 winter friends, 岁寒三友)

Apricot Blossoms

More paths cross when I rendezvous with travel veteran (cf. mongolia) and longtime friend Terence on conference travel from ol-sunnypore, and intrepid fellow foodie and some-time co-conspirator Grace from Sydney. We meet on a crisp friday morning at East Terrace Continental, and proceed swiftly to our adventure down south via a scenic 2 hr drive + a ferry ride to lovely Kangaroo Island set amidst the frosty windy Southern Ocean.

Antigravity friends

An ancient, sacred tradition is observed

Kangaroo Island (population 4259) is some 112 km southwest of Adelaide, and at a total land area of over 4400 km² and 150 km long, it is Australia's third largest island (after Tasmania and Melville Island), with over 540 km of coast line. Partly rich agricultural land, partly rugged pristine wilderness, and add to that it's relative isolation, the island is a welcome relief from the main land. I would say it's the one part of Australia that feels least Australian - none of that hot dusty desert scrub, instead, there is almost a nordic feeling about it - bright,  fresh, and stark - with icy winds blowing up from the Southern Ocean.

plenty of space here

The agricultural side of the island features fruit farms, lavender farms (out of season), apiaries (honey farms), eucalyptus distillery and strangely enough, a sheep dairy, where sheep's milk is collected for cheese (especially haloumi!)

Meh! - obligatory shot for Werns

Before: sheep being milked for Haloumi

After: haloumi on the frying pan!

The south and western end of the island is untouched wilderness, a rugged contrast to the mild and domestic north and eastern parts. Here, wildlife abound (penguins, sealions, seals, wallabies, geese), amidst some rather unusual geography: Remarkable Rocks - naturally sculptured formations precariously balanced atop a granite outcrop (sharing the same geologic history as Uluru) and the Admiral's Arch, a natural limestone over-hang demonstrating the ocean's power to alter the coastline.

Salvador Dalí would be so proud

Windswept friends amidst rocks

the Admiral's Arch at sunset

Fairy Penguins

Grazing Wallabies

Cape Barren Geese

New Zealand Fur Seals basking above a blustering sea.

Sunbaking Sea-Lion... zzz.

A curious Sea-Lion pup

Family portrait

To round off the island visit, a rainbow appears! How faithful is He?

A poorly stitched shot, but showing primary (40°-42°) and secondary (50°-53°) arcs

Good friends are a pot of gold?