Around the World (Again), Kangaroo Island and return to Port Elliot

Kangaroo Island the last two three days and back to Port Elliot

A wonderful sunrise above the Ironstone Hill, I sat for a while before breakfast, me and the rather vocal bird in the tree,

 

as she rose above the tree line on the hill, a new day was dawning.

I







 then needed to make contact with Germany, that was after I had finished my breakfast. Breakfast finished and dishes done, good backers always clean up after themselves (I do wish there were more good backpackers) I was then free to have my natter with Linda. By the time I had finished the Sun was burning bright and hot, well over 30°, it had been promising this for a couple of days, I decided to slap on some screen, slip on a T-Shirt and top it off with a hat (all be it not my proper one). I went down to the beach and there was the “Crew”, swinging in a hammock as he was trying to hire Kayaks, they had brought them down to the beach as now the Christmas Summer Holidays had started in earnest (Still takes a bit to get my head around this fact but I do like it). We chatted a bit and then I said I am going to have a bit of a wander along the beach in the direction of Frenchies  Rock (the imitation one). I went for a good old fashioned “plodge”, is this word used anywhere other than in the Geordie dialect? The cooling waters of the Great Southern Ocean were not at all unpleasant, in fact the opposite; they soothed my red legs rather nicely. I had my thongs in my hands, Now before you go red in the face, thongs are Aussi flip-flops and not as you lot think a piece of ladies underwear all be it a small piece.

I clambered up onto the rocks that mark the end of the beach and sat on a flat one and looked out to sea and watched a ferry leaving and another arriving, it was hot and even though I had put plenty of sun screen on and covered my shoulders, I could feel the heat getting at my exposed skin. I thought, enough of this Tom Foolery, time to head for a bit of shade, I walked back through the foam, knee deep and arrived back at the beach shelter just as Tony arrived.  We chatted a bit and then some customers came along and before you could say Jack Robinson, all of the kayaks were hired out.

(you will be wondering why no photographs, well no camera, it was back in the room)

Though in the shade, the beach shelter didn’t give any relief from the heat, I thought only place I know where, I can get a bit of relief is the Penneshaw Hotel and as it was midday a bite to eat wouldn’t go amiss either, I popped into the YHA to get my camera.  So it was a pepper steak pie and chips and a couple of Hahn beers (ice cold). I chatted with the barmaid, over the past few days she had come to know the POM that popped in for lunch and in fact just picked up the ice cold glass (pint that isn’t a pint) and poured me an Ice cold Hahn. I can’t remember what the exact conversation was about, but then you never do, do you? I believe it was about the Christmas decorations that had been put up.

She said well you’ve got to make the effort at this time of year, at which we both curled up with laughter.
Lunch over, I decided that it really was too hot to be out and about in this heat and headed back to the YHA via the long way, this is along the top of the rocks through the real Penguin Colony, I was able to see that the conservationists had been busy and had covered the nesting burrows with netting to keep out the heat, they had even put up a sun umbrella over a one.  

The landing beaches, any thing but the Paparazzi   

I walked down to the terminal and then watched the ferry leave, I then took to my bunk for a siesta, it was only about an hour and I heard someone come in, it was Viet leu a happy chappy, who had been out on a tour, we talked a bit about what he was doing here, He had a degree in Law and was just finishing his Master’s Degree in Business studies at Melbourne, in fact he was catching the late ferry, so that the  next day so that he could to catch the bus from Adelaide to Melbourne, which would arrive at 08:00 Saturday morning, in time for the ceremony at 10:00. Now that is what I call timing!

Libby had been out crabbing and had brought me 2 fine blue swimmers (also called sand crabs), these wonderful sweet crabs really are delectable, those I decided to have for evening meal, I do love a nice crab. I had these with just a dash of soy,oil,chilli mixture (dipping sauce), sometimes the simple thingsin life are the best.

I went out later to watch the last ferry docking, it was still, too still, I know this type of feeling, the still before the storm , Bob Dylan wrote about it as well, "that stillness in the wind before the hurricane begins".

Helen who had been working in the morning, had actually said make the best of this as there is bad weather on the way (she and her husband have a farm), at about midnight, the winds started and it blew all through the night, it was a funny one as it came from the West so actually blew right across the Island.

Next morning quite a few were leaving that day most in the afternoon or like myself on the last ferry (I had to do this as the only transport to my next destination was Port Elliot only ran once a day and that was to connect to the ferry). It blew a hooley all day, at midday Sealink stopped sailing at about 15:00 I went to the office and made inquiries, they offered me a ferry at 05:30 (this was the ferry that should have been at Cape Jervis) but then she said oh! you can’t, you will have to get the last one (the bus to Port Elliot), I said actually I am not much bothered as I don’t have to be in Perth until the 12 Jan (when I catch the flight to Bangkok), she laughed and said well the ferries should be sailing by then.

I returned to the YMCA to tell them that I had just rebooked for the next day, after Helen returned and we all got our bunks reissued, there were quite a few people stranded on the Island and were searching for accommodation, but we had no problem as we had our bed for the night. Helen even phoned to Port Elliot and Adelaide to move all of my bookings forward one day, nothing was a bother to those girls.

So now what was it going to be tonight go shopping or eat out, I decided I would go out for something to eat, the local fish and chip shop has a very good name, it does all local produce and has the famous King George Whiting, sounded good to me alas when I arrived it was shuttered and bared, a notice on the door telling ll who would listen that they are closed today as the host had a catering event to take care of so therefore couldn’t open the shop.

Next door was a Pizza place, it also sold Island products and other foods stuffs, a bit like a Schnell Imbiß back home (Germany home that is), the Pizza wasn’t at all bad, a nice thin base and plenty of meat and feta cheese, I had ordered a herb lamb, not very Italian I know, but then we were not in Italy or at my mate Marino’s Pizzeria.

I then went back to the YHA and we all discussed the problems that missing the ferry had caused, but not for me, the only deadline I had to keep was January 14^th at Perth to catch my flight to Bangkok. It was still blowing quite a bit, but seemed to have changed direction, a good sign or a bad sign, well I haven’t a clue I left that sort of wise stuff to the Mates, it was there job to steer the ship mines was to make sure they had the power to be able to do it. I went to bed and slept very well, but was awake to hear the hear the ferry leave as promised at 05:30, during the night the wind had dropped and there was just a little swell running and that was it, nowt.

Nothing exciting happened during the day, so I just hung around and waited for my ferry. By late afternoon the Backdoor Passage was like a mill pond, so after all the hoo-hah, it was no problem and the crossing was smooth.  The Cape Jervis (named after one of the RN Admirals) appeared and the wind turbines on the hills were hardly turning, I bet that they had to shut them off  last night!

At the other side the minibus was waiting, I was joined by a German family who were going to Goolwa, then onto Melbourne.

The Journey from the Cape to Port Elliot went without mishap; hit no Kangaroos, though we saw plenty grazing near to the road. We also had a fantastic sunset, so that brought out plenty of Oos and Ahhs from the passengers. But it didn't matter how many Oos and Ahhs they made the driver was not stopping or even slowing down.

I thought that they may have shut up shop,

but no, Anthea and Richard the owners, were still up and about,

we had a chat and then as it had been a long day it was time for bed.

Next day being Sunday and the day that the historical train runs between Goolwa and Victor Harbor, and seeing as I had arranged to meet Sonya and her Husband John for coffee, that was what I would be doing.

I also wanted to do a bit of shopping and Victor Harbor has a large shopping precinct, I caught an early train and had lunch as well.

The weather was lousy, quite cold considering it was summer; we did sit outside though behind glass screens, we chatted a bit about Kangaroo Island and me next move as I was getting the early bus back to Adelaide as I was spending Christmas there. It was time to head back to the railways station and jump on the train back to Port Elliot. (I will not bother you with a set of Photographs of the train in reverse)

I had bought  Lamb chops to BBQ so these needed a bit of a dry rub, this done wrapped in cling rap and into the fridge for a couple of hours.  I walked into town and had a cup flat white (now my favourite drink), then went back to the YHA and done a bit of nothing.

I stoked up the BBQ, well switched on the gas; I also had some vegetables on the boil so with no further ado I slapped the chops onto the Barbie.

They did taste very nice, especially when washed down with a glass or two of Wolf Blass.

I was sitting in the reception chatting with Richard (and finishing off the bottle) when I looked out of the window, the sky was taking on a very nice colour, we said it could well be a very nice sunset, it was! It looked as if the sky was on fire! Lots of well deserved Oooooos and Aaaaaahs for this one!

So after the excitement of the sunset, I packed my bags, as next day it was back to old Aunt Adelaide.

See you there for Christmas.

Around the World (Again), Port Elliot

Port Elliot. Thursday 06 Dec

Due to the town being in the hands of the Barmy Army it meant I had to up sticks and head out of town the nearest YHA is in Port Elliot, so that was it I booked, and also the bus had been found to take me there.

Caught the midday bus from the central bus station at about 12:30 why put something like stress into a bus journey, nobody else on the bus was worried so why should I? The bus trundled through the Adelaide hills as it took me on the next stage of my journey, this part of South Australia is given over to wine growing, stoned fruits, sheep farming and some dairy.

 

 

It has large expanses of nothingness and then up pops a couple of houses, this is a town. Along the route there are not a lot of larger towns (those with more than a couple of houses and a hotel), but where ever they appear they are always wonderfully kept with the bougainvillea, bottle bush trees and Jacadia in full bloom. At some of the towns, someone would alight or the bus would be waved down, but besides this nothing exciting happened, until we hit Victor Harbor (notice no u in harbour and no I don’t know why!) this is a larger town, with a bit of old seaside town flair (Whitley Bay in the 50s).

From VH (as it is known in the area) to Port Elliot it is a matter of minutes, 10 bus stops to be precise, they number them between VH and I don’t know where, but the Methodist Chapel (and internet school) is number 10 and is the one that I wanted. I collected all of my bags (I by this time had more as I had bought an insulated food storage bag for the refrigerators in the YHA (every good backpacker needs a one so I bought a one in Adelaide). With all arms full and more to boot, I alighted from Harry’s bus (the driver) I asked if he knew where the YHA was, he said when you hit the hotel (every town has a one) turn right and at the bottom of that road is the YHA.
So with back and front suitably loaded and both hands full I set off in the direction of the hostel (here I will also correct you, I bet that you pronounce hostel as I always have, with a very short e in fact I would pronounce it HOST’L not here in Australia it is HOST-TELL, it does take a bit of getting used to does the Strayn!

I was passing a shop and in the window was a real pukka gen Abbot and Costello pith helmet. BOOM CRASH of CYMBALS, I felt on top of my head where my dear 25 year old drovers hat, that I bought up in Cooktown  should have been, naked, not a hat to be felt. I had left it on the bus. I was devastated, cut down like the wheat before the Scythe, I felt physically sick, I had lost my buddy, my traveling companion of so many years, so many rainy seasons, in so many countries.

Never the less no matter what, the trip must go on, I walked in a haze until I reached the doors of the YHA, I knew they would be closed as the Hostel shut for business between 12:00 and 17:00, but I was in luck, a chap that had travelled on the bus from VH was also going there, he had the key pad combination, or at least he thought he had, alas he had it wrong, never mind he phoned his girlfriend and she has it. Once into the reception area there was a comfortable settee, so I made myself comfortable for the next 2 ½ hours. After about ½ hour, the door opened and in came Jacquie, the one from Letterkenny and the vino trip, she said well you may as well come next door to the lounge, which I did, but first I had to tell her about the loss off my dear friend, I was to get used to that look of disbelief over the next couple of days whenever I told people about my loss, people just did not understand the hurt I was going through.

I had a good look around the premises, this was a superb hostel, and it is the best I have stayed in ever. Polished pine floorboards, everything gleaming, clean, the kitchen fully equipped with anything you would ever need. To the rear was a Red Gumtree decking, with matching tables and chairs, a BBQ area, a laundry. What more could a chap want, with the exception of my HAT.

It was 5 and so I went to reception to book in, no problem, all paid and booked. Room number 6, this was shared with 5 others 2 German couples and a Swedish lass. One half of a couple was the lad who let me in. So it was like old buddies meeting again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I now had time to explore the area, the hostel had been in its previous life a up market hotel called the Arcadia, it had then been used as a home for the disabled until a new one had been built in VH, it had then been offered to the YHA on lease.  It had a fantastic view across Horseshoe bay and towards Goolwa and the Murray River estuary, breath taking.

I had booked in for 5 nights, and I was not sorry as these hostels are few and far between and I had picked a pearl, I suppose I should thank the Barmy Army for taking up all the rooms in Adelaide and so forcing me South, though I had aimed at going to Kangaroo Island, but not by this route.

Jacquie and I decided that as we hadn’t had time to do a shop, we would go out for a meal, there was a nice looking Indian restaurant just about 150mtrs away, so we went there. We shared the starter platter, it was enormous, onion bhajji’s , Dehli Aloo Chat, and vegetable Samosa, also poppadum’s and a Riata. Jacquie ordered the chicken Biryani and I had the Kashmiri Elaichi Lamb, very tasty and well worth the $16.50, we had ordered 2 different Naans (one would have sufficed). A nice Indian meal, at very reasonable prices. Then it was back to the beach house and some shut eye, it had been a long trying day and I hadn’t recovered (if I ever will) from losing my mate.

Next day dawned and it was Friday (well it does normally follow Thursday), made breakfast, I had some müsli and a slice of toast my heart just wasn’t into eating, the worry what could have happened to my trusty Titfer or I had eaten too much at Mr India? I decided to go for a walk along the beach and then do a bit of shopping in town (sic). Horseshoe bay is a very nice white sandy beach with safe swimming (unless there are sharks about), it has a very nice Fish restaurant called the Flying fish this is right at the beach.

To get to the beach you can either walk down a ramp or go past the ruins of the Harbour Masters Cottage and then through the Veterans Remembrance Garden, this is a very nice tranquil place with lots of shady nooks with benches to sit and remember or just to watch the comings and goings on the beach below.

 

 

 

It is also a great place to bird watch, lots of screeching, chirping and trilling to break the tranquillity, as you seem never to be far from hordes of Parakeets, Lorikeets and Parrots (no Blue Fjords though or at least none that caused a racket).

I then walked back along the strand towards the main street to do my shopping, I stopped along the road to take photographs and admire the buildings, and many had been built at a time when it was thought that Port Elliot would warrant its name.   It was thought that Horseshoe bay would make an excellent deep water harbour, alas many wrecks later dispelled that belief. It has now reverted to a sleepy (most of the year) seaside town of yesteryear.
But it still has a railway station, though it is only in use 2 times a week on Wednesday and Sundays, when the tourist train travels from Goolwa to Victor Harbor. The train line is kept open by railway enthusiasts and they are doing a grand job what with punching tickets (those oblong ones made of card). Enough of that I shall tell you all about that on Sunday.

You pass the Returning Servicemen’s Club (equivalent to the Servicemen’s Clubs back in the UK) then past the Church, here I looked up at the church clock (I do not possess a watch so it would have been a waste of time to look down at my wrist), I could see two faces, each telling a different time, flummoxed, I then went around to the other side so that I could see the other two faces, would you believe it all different, strange most strange?

 

 

 

But then time is of not a lot of essence in a sleepy place like Port Elliot.  I then crossed the railway line and took some photographs of the very pretty station, next is a hotel, that serves cool beer, I wasn’t in need of a cool beer just yet.  I next passed the smallest council chambers that I have ever seen, either they have a very small council (not a bad thing in a lot of cases), or they meet in the pub if there is anything to discuss (also not a bad thing).

There are various haberdasheries, and that little shop with the pith helmet in the window, the memories came flooding back, I felt a lump in my throat, but being a big boy I pressed on.

I stopped at the cockles café and had a flat white and a lemon muffin (second breakfast and no I didn't eat the cream.

Then across the road was the supermarket, it is for a small town very well stocked. I got my supplies vegetables for the evening, green beans, courgettes and new potatoes, I had noticed when I came along after alighting from the bus a butchers shop, so I popped in to see what they had on offer, I fancied some sausages for breakfast on Saturday, They also had some marinated Kangaroo steaks so I had a one of them and a couple of lamb chops, that was my evening meal sorted out. My next call was into a surfing shop to buy a new head covering, I parted with 25 bucks for a surfers floppy, dark blue in colour, this would have to do from here on in.

I then took the victuals back to the YHA, this time stopping to have a nice cold beer at the Elliot hotel.

I had to be back at the Hostel as I was being picked up by Sonja (Rainbow) and her partner John, she is also member of the Wildfood board  that I belong to. We have never met in reality and it is always nice to put faces to names. They are both retired, they lived in Adelaide, but on retirement they decided they had had enough of big town life and moved down to the coast , living now in Victor Harbor (it was Sonya that corrected my spelling of Harbo(u)r).

The took me to a very nice beach restaurant at Goolwa beach, it is a very nice spot to watch the surfers (none drowned whilst we were watching). It was a very nice afternoon and they are a wonderful couple, we chatted a lot about OUR music (60s & 70s), I think this came about because of the touring bands that are coming to Australia in the next few months, Leonard Cohen, The Stones and The Boss. Sonya also agreed to phone the lost property office in Adelaide to see if they had my hat, this she did but was informed that they were closed for the weekend, does no one care about my hat?

Back at the hostel, I started to prep and cook my meal, I was originally going to BBQ them, but decided at the last minute, that the cleaning of it just wasn’t worth the effort, so it was to be a mixture of stir fry and boiled potatoes. I do believe this is termed as cross over, by those in the trade, what trade I do not know, or incidentally do not care, it tasted great. 

Here I will take this opportunity of thanking Jacquie, she had been out with some girls in VH and had bought me a new hat, it was unfortunately one of those touristy ones, green, bobbly corks and emblazoned with AUSTRALIA. I think my face said it all, she said, “don’t you like it”? I replied, “yes it is great, but I also bought a one today, I will keep this one for best”.

The Roo steaks tender and succulent, the lamb chops very nice indeed, I really enjoyed my meal. After washing up and cleaning down, I decided to walk along to see what the sunset was like, I sat on a seat overlooking Lady Bay, so named from the days when mixed bathing was a no, no and this pretty, small, secluded beach was for the sole use of the fairer sex, now it would seem just for a bit without the fairer (well it was Friday night).

The sunset wasn’t all that great, but I took a few shots and then returned to the YHA, sat in the foyer and done some work on my laptop (this being the only place that you could get a good reception.
I also got to know the new owners of the property, they also have the Mission Beach YHA in Queensland, they certainly are well apart. I then hit the sack as I aimed to do a bike ride to Goolwa beach tomorrow.

Saturday dawned as dawn it must!

I made myself breakfast, sausage and egg, washed up, went and slapped on some sun-screen and went to the reception to hire a bike, low and behold Jacquie was also there hiring a bike, I said do you fancy going to Goolwa beach, I was there yesterday and it is very nice. The weather was nice and fine with just a faint breeze, so off we went in the direction of the Murray River estuary. The ride is a very nice one, with just a few steepish inclines, that is if you take the correct route. John had said the day before it was 15 to 20 minutes, ride, that man should get on the tour de France, after about an hour I was beginning to believe we had passed the Café and were now on the way to Melbourne. Also the breeze had dropped, the sun was out and it was hot, very hot indeed and in most places no cover at all.

The cycle track followed the coast along a surfing beach at Middleton, a small town at about the halfway point of our trip, we saw what we thought was an air rescue of a surfer as we got to the point where the helicopter had landed.

I asked a rescue chappy what had happened, he then explained they were doing training and this was done once a month, this was the once a month.

We stopped and had a chat, I asked how many rescues did they do, he said only about 2 a season, but that their main task was shark spotting and warning the surfers to get out of the water.






We went through an expanse of national park, in the form of shrub and bushland, perfect for snake and lizard sightings, Jacquie didn’t agree, she said she didn’t want any such sightings.

We eventually reached Goolwa Beach and that ever welcoming first quenching cold beer, boy did I need that beer. Note my new blue bonce protection!!!

We sat and watched the surfers for a while and then made our return trip, now knowing the wrong turns, we took the right ones, and thus cutting the time and distance by a quite considerable margin, but it was hot, bloody hot.

I felt a Siesta coming on so got out of the heat of the early afternoon and rested my eyes, I awoke to find a new room buddy had occupied the upper bunk (the Swedish lass having vacated it that morning).
This was Clay who was down from Queensland for a seminar on Monday and had decided to pop down to the coast for a couple of days. We sat in the lounge and he asked if there was a supermarket and bottle shop in town, I said that one of the two hotels had a bottle shop, but the supermarket’s  selection was limited. Jacquie came in and said, VH has a far larger selection, why don’t we go there (she had sussed that Clay had a car). So we went shopping for food and booze, I got a bottle of yellow label Wolfs Blass and a massive rump steak, so that was me ready for the evening. Clay a six pack and Jacquie a bottle of Captain Morgan Rum and a bottle of sprite, these Irish lasses certainly know about boozing.

We cooked our food and retired to the TV lounge to watch a bit of tele, chew the fat and get drunk. At about 21:30 the two youngsters said are we going to the hotels they both have live music on, I declined and said you two go along I am the worse for wear and am hitting the sack. I did hear Clay coming in at 03:00 so I think they had a good night.

Sunday Morning went for a stroll along Horse Shoe Bay, it was a smashing morning and there were a few fishing from the rocks and a couple Rock Lobster snorkelling (with no success I may add). I also took some shots back towards the Beach House, which included a Kayaker out for a Sunday Morning Paddle. The rock formations are quite incredulous and there is a one that reminded me of the statues on Easter Island.  

The cockle train runs twice a week (Wednesday and Sunday) between VH and Goolwa, stopping at Port Elliot and I had decided that I wouldn`t mind doing a trip on it, either to Goolwa or VH, I met Clay late morning, he did look rough, he said he was heading back into Adelaide, but Jacquie said she was game to come on the trip, having been to Goolwa the day before we decided on VH. We headed to the station only to find we had just missed a train, the next one came in about 2 hrs and that it was the last of the day, and then only had a 30min stay before returning. Never the less we decided to do it, it is after all a historic railway run by volunteers and if no one went on it they wouldn’t be able to keep it running. Luckily the station is right beside the Elliot Hotel so we sat in the beer garden and whiled away the time drinking ice cold beer. We went out in sufficient time to take some photographs of the station and the train arriving down the track. I got off in time, pity eh? you are a cruel lot.

It consisted of 2 different coaches, the first was the traction unit, a Diesel coach engine combination and the second was a coach goods van, both in original livery. The trip to VH only takes 15 minutes, but it does take you right along the coast, a very nice scenic route. 

We arrived and hot footed it into the shopping area, I wanted some information about fishing charters and Jacquie wanted fish and chips. As both shops were adjacent both of our needs were satisfied, I got the information and she got sustenance.

We hurried back to the railway station, jumped on board the last train to Port Elliot (do I feel a song coming on?),

getting our tickets punched for the return journey,  and back along the pretty scenic route.  Jumped off the train and watched it disappear towards Goolwa.

A very pleasant afternoon was had by all, even if all I had seen of VH was the Supermarket and liquor shop on Saturday and the fishing shop and chippy today.

We got back and made a spot of supper I finished the rest of the Wolfs Blass,

 

Jacquie said as she was leaving to take up a new job as a cook in Normanville, a small town between Cape Jervis and Adelaide she would have an early night. I watched the start of a film, but lost interest in it so also went to have a bit of shut eye.

Monday

I saw Jacquie and wished her all the best for the rest of the time in Oz, she is working her way back to Sydney for the New Year, funny most of the young backpackers are, I am heading in the opposite direction towards Perth. I then read my messages on line, Sonya had been on to the head office and the lady said she would check, here’s keeping my fingers crossed.

I caught the bus opposite the Methodist church that took me into VH, I went to the tackle shop and got the information, but on arrival discovered it had left. I then decided I may as well walk across to Granit Island, and may be get some bait and do a bit of fishing from the pier.

There is a smashing information office just before the causeway that joins the island to the mainland. I decided to pop in and book my passage on the ferry and the connecting bus to Kangaroo Island, as I had decided to spend 10 days on Kangaroo Island starting tomorrow. I was dealt with by two very helpful ladies, one had actually lived on KI for many years and run a business (hotel, backpackers, restaurant, fishing charters) that had gone bust. We got me all booked up to be picked up at 07:10 the next morning right outside of the YHA.

 

 

 

I then walked across to the causeway, this cause way has a tram that runs across it, what is different about this tram it is Horse Drawn, very different and very quaint. I elected to walk across as it was faster.

 

 

 

 

 

Once on the other side, I went to the pier as I saw a couple of lads with a few rods out, I asked what were they after, shark was the reply, looking over the side, I saw the rubby dubby sack streaming its oily trace into the current, this meant it was useless trying for anything and my hand line was no good for shark. Luckily enough there is a nice hiking trail around the island, I visited the various stops, to view, well, the views.  

 

 

I then re-crossed the causeway and as I had a bit of time to kill walked along the front and went and done a bit of shopping and had a cup of flat white and a piece of carrot cake in the small café adjoining. It was time to get the bus, when It came, I recognised the driver, it was Harry the one that had brought me, I immediately asked if he had found a hat on his bus, he thought, said “an old leather one with a gold heart and a beer mug attached”?  My heart was full of song, praises went out to every god in the world, I said “yes” he said nope never seen it, he winked and said it should be in Adelaide   main office as that was where it all went when  sent back.

Sonya was also able to confirm this later, as she had spoken with the main office and the lady has said she was actually holding it (brave lass)as she described it. All I had to do was get to the main office and pick it up, they could if I wished send it to the central bus station and I could pick it up when I got off the coach (such a nice word coach much more genteel than bus). I said No keep it there, it could go walk about again, I shall come to it.

Off the coach, I walked down to The Beach House, through the red flowered arch, crossing the railway track with the lovely little railways station and past the one sided Norfolk Pine with its Gahla's (cacatua roseicapilla). In the next door garden was a creature well known to me and hated by the Australians, a rabbit, oh for a gun!

 

 

Back in the Beach House at Port Elliot, I got Richard to book me the 10 nights on Kangaroo Island, had a sandwich, wrote up my blog a bit and headed for an early night.

Up at 06:00 as normal, ready, showered and a pot of tea. The mini bus a 6 seater arrived loaded up and we headed in the direction of Cape Jervis  picking a 3 other passengers at  Victor Harbor who were also catching the 08:30 ferry. We chatted about this and that, the others were Islanders returning home for the Christmas holidays, locals, so they gave me a lot of tips what and where to see things on the island. Robert gave me a bit of duff information or I miss heard him, it could well be the later, as we came to the halfway point we climbed a quite steep incline, I thought he said this is the wettest and coldest part of Australia, Sonya has corrected this piece of information, but he may have said South Australia, but anyway we all know the wettest place in Australia is in Queensland at a place called Tully, I have actually been through it at least 3 times, so should have known that. I am sure it was my ears that misheard Robert as no one would be so stupid to quote that piece of wrong information, though there are those that are so stupid and pass on wrong information.

We arrived in plenty of time, reported to the check in and got our boarding passes, I bought a pie, but before I could eat it, it was time to board so I had something to eat as I sat alone up at the fo’c’s’le head (nautical term for the raised part above the bows of a ship, this comes from the old sailing and fighting ships, it was the forward castle and men at arms and cannon would be positioned here)  as the 40 minute crossing was quite choppy and all were below in various shades of green.

Next is Kangaroo Island Folks, see you there