February 12 in Adelaide

Tasting Wine in Barossa Valley

We arrived in Adelaide yesterday aboard the train called The Ghan. A very nice driver met us at the airport. He taught us a new phrase about Australians as we discussed whether Australians were more or less likely to invest in capital ventures. Michael the dirver saud, "Australians had deep pockets and short arms" when it came to that kind of investment risk. He took us to our very nice hotel, The Sebel Playford. We are right downtown in Adelaide.

Last evening we had dinner with Jenny Peirce, a friend from 3 previous Oceania Cruises who lives in Adelaide. She had selected a wonderful Swiss Restaurant, Alphutte, for our gathering. This restaurant is so successful that they are NOT open on week-ends. They make so much money that they are only open Monday-Friday. Never heard of anything like that.

We had a great time "chatting up" as Australians say. She drove us back to the hotel and we crashed quickly. Actually I didn't get to bed before I crashed- or rather accidentally kicked the leg of a chair. My little toe hurts terribly. Nothing like being a klutch and having to live with the pain as we tour.

Today we had a breakfast of cold cereal, juice and coffee for @27 each. Was good but seemed expensive. Th full breakfast was only $6 more so we think we'll do that tomorrow.

Kathryn, Christopher and Ella

Bill and Lucy Kemp

After breakfast we had two iChats with Kathryn, Christopher and Ella in Nashville  and with Bill and Lucy Kemp in Bradenton, Florida. Transmission broke-up several times, but it is amazing where they are and where we are about 10,000 apart as the crow flies.

Jayne, Our Guide

Our tour with Australian Wild Adventures began at 9:00AM when Jayne picked us up at the hotel. We were the only 2 people on this tour so it was great! Adelaide was begun in the 1800 as a free state and not with a convict population. A committee of people led by Colonel Wakefield organized the area using something called "the Wakefield Experiment." It was mbased on the desire for freedom of religion, reform for women, and governmental and geographical structure."The South Australian Colonolization Act was created in 1834. Women who owned property had the vote in 1860 and all women had the vote in 1890.

Colonel William Light designed the city with squares and gridded streets. The town was surrounded by a large green belt of 1000 hectares (2471 acres) large. The city is filled with beautiful stone buildings. Wooden buildings couldn't be built because the trees are all knarly and termites were a problem.

As we drove out of town we saw again the Flinders Mountain Range which is very old and at one point was taller that the Himalayas. Four kinds of stone- blue, iron, sand, and lime, are found in the mountains around Adelaide. The city itself has 1.4 million people who live here and it serves as the capital of South Australia. Twenty-seven percent of the land in this area is in some sort of conservation park.

Jim asked the question why Australian wine was so much more expensive here than it is in the US. Jayne said the government adds a 30% wet tax to wine sold here and it is dropped for exported wine. Explains a lot!

We saw several kangaroos, Western Grays, in the wild but they where in an area where we couldn't stop for a photo. We did learn that the population of kangaroos is so large that about 2 million are culled a year so the others can have enough to eat.

Jim at Langmiel Vineyard's 150 year old vines

The countryside was beautiful and Jayne was a great guide. We stopped for tea at a lovely German bakery in the small town of Lyndock. We discussed what wine we would enjoy tasting and we were off.

First stop was the vineyard Langmiel, which has been in the same family for about 7 generations. They had a section of "Orphan Vines" that had been transplanted from another area. You could "adopt a vine" and have wine made exclusively for you from that vine. Next stop was Thorn-Clarke Vineyard which represents the merger of two long time wine families in Barossa Valley. Jayne said Barossa Valley was meant to be called Barrossa Valley but somewhere along the way one "r" must have gotten lost. It does seem that everywhere the Australians try to shorten every expression.

We had lunch at the Southern Australian Company Store. It was a perfect lunch that featured wine and a platter to share of local meats, cheeses, breads, and olives. Was a popular place in the middle of a vineyard. My very favorite thing was a dip called Dukkha (sesame seeds, herbs, and something else crunchy) with oil and balsamic vinegar. I commented on how good it was and we left with a container as a gift from the chef. Can't wait to get to Bill's and try it again. 

Barossa Valley and Sculpture Garden

Our last vineyard was Two Hands and the wine was delicious and the most expensive of all we tasted. Jim learned that it is available at Total Wines and no doubt will be cheaper.


Stopped for a great view over the valley and saw a sculpture garden using all the stones found in this area. 

All in all it was a great day! We do like touring with a private guide.