Altona Coastal Park

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Skyhigh Dandenong

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26 Observatory Road, Mount Dandenong VIC 3767

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website: skyhighmtdandenong.com.au‎

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Adelaide - Day 3 [Kanggaroo Island]

Our third day would be the highlight of our trip. I couldn't sleep very well caused by the excitement & expectation for the next day. They were exact when they meant 4.45am as we planned to board the ferry that depart 6.40am from Jervis Bay. It almost two hour to reach Jervis Bay - the port that leaves for Kanggaroo Island. Val is quite impressive for someone his age, 68 to drive behind the wheels & still have such awareness & agility.

There was not so many passenger on board the first ferry as it was the first ferry to depart the jetty for Kanggaroo Island & it still early in the morning. I've already forgotten the feeling of being in the sea; so this leaves me very excited - with the sea breezes & with every rocks that the ferry made as it crushes the waves.

Adelaide - Day 2

Our morning was started by a walk for the CBD (city business district) towards Rundle Mall to be exact for a morning coffee. Rundle Mall area are where all the malls and shopping precinct were & comparable to Bourke St. in Melbourne. We had our morning coffee at the Adelaide Arcade before Christine picked us up for our trip to the mighty Murray River.

We took a detour at the eagle on the hill where it overlooked at the city of the Adelaide before making our way to Hahndorf. We were told that hey were among the first settlers to found out that the climate in South Australia were suitable for planting grapes & making wine - the scenery reminds me to Bright; small town with close knit community in a such beautiful picturesque scenery with a touch of German heritage to the background in the architecture & the signposts.

We arrived at the Murray River about two hours as Christine decided to take the scenic route. The view along the journey was an absolutely breathtaking but the roads were rough, mostly were uncovered road that will turn into small stream if the river overflow. Murray River would the the single most important river in Australia that runs through Victoria & South Australia that provides life to both countryside & water for the most of the population as well as the produces.


Life could be seen along the river as compared to the harsh dried grassland that took our view beforehand. Another interesting fact about the river is that there were cable ferry connecting both side of the river & as it is incorporated as part of the highway system - it's totally free for public access. We were the only car on board as we make it to the other side while there was only a utility truck as well that waiting to cross.

The river was quite deep with heavy current flowing as it was raining for a couple days ago. The trip was not completed until we stop by at Christine's to have our dinner. She prepared a fish and chip & we did enjoyed it very much as I haven't got anything to eat for one whole day. It'll be an early morning for tomorrow & they will come to pick us up at 4.45am for the next adventure...


references;

• Eagle on the hill
• Murray river
• River crossing (Murray river)
  

Adelaide - Day 1

As i crossed the time zone border aboard the Overland heading towards Melbourne; my mind kept racing on the wonderful moments I've been through for the past 4 days i spent in the festival state of Adelaide. It has been such unforgettable experience; the weather has been so welcoming with warm, bright & sunny throughout the trips.

Christine & Val has been such a wonderful host to us. The kind of hospitality that you would only expect coming from the Malays. Every little things were taken care of from warm beds each night, mode of transport until every meal of the day. Lucky i followed Shah to Adelaide as they already regards Shah as their own son.

Our day first started early in the morning; i couldn't really sleep the night before as the excitement kicks in early :). We took the earliest plane that scheduled to be departed on 9.00am which means we have to be at the airport at 8.00am. The skybus took about 25min from Southern Cross Station to the Tullamarine Airport.

Tiger Airways terminal for domestic flight were situated at terminal 4 are the furthest from the main passenger terminal & located separately from other international flight terminals. It pretty chaotic inside as there were queues & planes were actually delayed for the passenger to board as many were already checked-in but withheld at the security check-ups.

Our plane took off 30mins later than the scheduled time & the flight landed at Adelaide airport around 10.00am; noted that we've crossed the time zone & it's actually 30 mins earlier than Melbourne. The wonderful thing about Adelaide airport is that the international & domestic flight were practically within the same huge terminal - smaller but definitely newer & nicer than Melbourne airport.


Val & Christine came to picked up us to dropped all of our luggage at their sons house before heading off towards their residence at Aldgate. They kept quite a collection of dolls and other memorabilia st their home. Then we were taken for a hiking at Mt. George Conservation Park nearby Aldgate & we went for an hour hike along Heysen Trail that brought us to Cox Mill at Bridgewater.

For the first time in my life; i found wild blackberries, wild strawberries & cherries at their natural habitat. They all looked like a wee bit smaller & tasted less sweeter as what we could find at the markets or on the shelves of stores. They were mainly consumed he wild animals that could be found around the forest, especially for the birds.

Interesting story about the Cox Mill that was actually considered as the heart & pulse of Bridgewater many moons ago. Residency & train tracks were built because of the mills that provide wheat flour to the people as well as the neighboring city. Train was the best option and the most efficient way to transport large item from places to places.The mill undergo a passing era of technology from being generated by the flowing river streams to steams & finally using electricity to run. Nowadays, the mill has been converted into a fancy restaurant that serves among the best wines that Australia could offer.

As soon we reached home, Christine treated us with fettucini marinara; Val himself went to the local stores to get us the seafood. They were so kind and well concerned about our dietary requirement that they didn't even mind feeding us. Shah insisted on watching Princess Mononoke by Hayao Miyazaki & i fell asleep on the couch half way through as it has been such a day having to woke up early & trailing a hike.

Val sent us home to Sam house by dusk & i had the chance to meet the owner of the house that i'm about to crashed for the next few days. He actually worked for the Labor government which is the ruling party at the moment in South Australia. His boss is the treasurer & i was informed that was quite a busy period for them as they just undergo re-shuffling in the government - 11 out of the 15 ministers changed portfolio. Definitely a crucial period for an adjustment and a busy week for him indeed. I slept like a log till the next morning...