Tahiti 2018

Here we are again, beautiful Tahiti. This trip is in several parts as the WiFi is dodgy. 

We booked this trip online and found one week out from departure that Lance had booked accomodation to start on the wrong date (International date line and all that). A phone call to the company we booked through revealed that we had cancelled our accommodation? Very strange considering we had a confirmation number and had paid $3800. A quick plan needed to be hatched and this fell upon Lance's sister who is a travel agent. 

Our Air New Zealand flight left at 6:30pm and after a four and a half hour flight we arrived in Papeete at 2am. We had, had an upgrade to a sky seat on the flight so were well rested but also ready for a bed. The Manava hotel is reasonably central with a 15 minute drive from the airport. The room is large with lounge, kitchen and seperate bedroom and a large balcony with a peep of the sea.

A complication - I googled the plug type before coming and it said 3 different plugs, so I brought the 3 different converters. We always travel with a plug bank so that we can charge many devices at once. But! The converter that I brought only has 2 holes on the female side and our power bank has 3 prongs ahhhhh. Luckily our Apple charger has 2 prongs and we have a battery pack as well. Phew! And best of all my hair straiteners have only 2 prongs. 

Next morning we set off for the ferry to the magnificent island of Moorea. We felt pretty relaxed being amongst the organised chaos when we disembarked. Tourists stand staring frantically around looking for luggage and transport and the local people pick them out and gently steer them in the right direction. 

So far, so good, Sofitel.

We have stayed at many hotels and resorts in the past and have always had to stand at the counter for check in.  Not at the Sofitel, we were guided to comfortable chairs and given a pineapple juice whilst they ran backwards and forwards with the relevant paperwork.  Our room was not ready so we had lunch beside the water. Tuna tatare for me and croquet monsieur for Lance. 

Our room or fare (like whare) is fantastic, spacious with the bed aimed at the beach for morning views. The bathroom is huge with a wide shower that has glass doors leading to the outdoor tub with another rainforest shower. This is where I have to take my showers just because I can. It is 20 short paces to the turquoise blue beach. I am in heaven. 

Quickly sorting ourselves out we slipped into the water, the temperature was perfect not too hot and not too cold and of course crystal clear. Because it is quite salty, it is very easy to just lay on your back and float around. There are plenty of sun loungers so no need to squabble or save with a towel. Dotted around the bay are coral reefs and what are best described as clumps. Standing in the water we have had fish come within centimetres of our feet and legs with one even having a wee taste of Lance! We do have our goggles but hardly need to use them as the water is crystal clear. Further along the beach there are large canvas pillows to lie on and cabana style loungers. And it would be remiss of me to leave out the beach bar for cold beer, cocktails lunch etc. Funny enough though our first beers were from Samoa!

Wandering down to the restaurant we came upon a little place offering a 'Kberet. We booked a table and went for a pre-dinner drink; we had been told to return promptly at 7pm.

Gathered at the entrance were small group of people and we were welcomed into a small circular room with white curtained walls and a sandy floor. Hanging in front of us from long white fabric and sitting in a hoop was a beautiful woman pouring champagne as we shuffled by holding our glasses high. Sitting on a table was a guy in dark glasses playing some soulful jazz on a saxophone. 

Soon it was time to enter the restaurant, also swathed in white curtains and with a sandy floor. The elegantly set tables were scattered around the room creating an exotic and intimate feeling. 

Throughout the evening we were entertained by the acrobatic woman dangling from ribbons and the saxophonist. The food was fabulous and Lance was in his element when the huge scallop was served (especially when I don't like scallops so he got two). 

Toilet escapade

The toilets were located off the first curtained room and those that know me well know that I am terrible at finding my way in new or strange surroundings, especially with a few drinks on board. Needless to say I pulled back the white curtain that I presumed was the restaurant but ended up in the curtained kitchen, oops. 

The setting was great, however after a while both of us were getting a little twitchy, we turned to each other simultaneously and said "my feet are getting eaten alive". Even now a day later my feet a still rubbing against each other trying to satisfy the itch. Lance nipped back to the room and got the mozzie spray and we lathered ourselves. 

It was a great night and something very different to anything that we have experienced before. 

Adelaide 2018 Last Days

Today Chris and I went to Burnside Village for lunch and a spot of shopping. We had beautiful twice baked cheese soufflé and a glass of champagne at a little French Cafe. It was really lovely and the aircon was great as the temperature was 36 degrees. I managed to acquire a couple of purchases before the boys picked us up. 

We had decided that we would find somewhere nice to take Chris and Rob for dinner as a thank you. Our pick was A Hereford BeefStouw, a steak place. It is always a relief when you choose somewhere new to take people and it turns out well. We highly recommend this restaurant, everything was superb. 

We all had a steak and Lance added a crayfish tail to his, this was after Lance and I polished of another dozed oysters (4 dozen in 10 days now). All meals came with fries that were hand cut and just like homemade. Lance and I had bearnaise sauce that was good and plentiful and  Chris and Rob had a pepper sauce that was beefy as well as peppery and the best I have tasted in my short but well fed life.

 We ordered salads and mushrooms which also did not disappoint. After champagne (I know, I am not usually a champagne drinker but have now been cured of that ailment), we chose a carafe of local Shiraz which was poured down a multilevel sort of large marble shoot and into the carafe. The man at the next table told us that last time he was there it had exploded all over the people. Lucky we weren't wearing white! Anyway all was well and we got to drink it. Lance and I shared a desert trio and once again were impressed with the lot. On the whole a very successful evening. 

In the morning we departed for Port Elliot which was about an hour and half drive, well a bit longer with a coffee stop. The temperature had soared to a high if 41 degrees celsius which it very hot for us. We hopped out for a photo at Middleton Beach, it was baking hot and windy like a hot fan heater but a beautiful beach. 

Our next stop was Port Elliot and again it was piping hot and a relief to get into the air cond at the Flying Fish restaurant. The restaurant looked out over the sea and had oysters as a starter so of course, we had another dozen!  That makes five for the holiday! The food was good and we once again walked out stuffed full. Whilst we had been eating the wind temperature had changed and strangely enough it was a slightly, and I mean a slightly cooler breeze. 

We meandered home with a stop to take another kangaroo photo. The scenery was dry but varied and filled with beautiful old buildings. 

It will definitely be a light dinner tonight, in fact we have the yellow fin tuna chilling, all ready to be sliced into sushimi. 

And so ends our Melbourne Adelaide adventure.

We have shopped, sweated, caught crab and eaten crab, and most of all caught up with old friends.  And of course we have had an oyster marathon. 

Back to Auckland tomorrow where they have had a monster storm. We will clean up any damage, do the washing and crack open a wine ready to start planning our next holiday.  Oh and maybe nip down to the seafood market for some oysters, because I hate to end on an odd number. 

Port Augusta 2018 Day 8 & 9

After a long day driving we finally arrived at 'The Shack; Chris had down played the place by telling us that it was just a tin shed by the beach. And actually that is exactly what it was except is had everything that one could wish for including air conditioning, a flat screen T.V and a coal range! We stayed out the back in the retro caravan which also had a T.V and air conditioning. The outside toilet even flushes, luxery!  

And even better the water is only about 20 paces at full tide. It is not really a beach, more of a stoney shore, but beautiful. The weather up here gets very hot and last week got up to 43 degrees celcius, although we have a mild 23 degrees and a light breeze. 

We decided to forgo dinner and had some cheese, salami and things whilst we played card and enjoyed a drink. It was a great evening and we toddled off to bed just before midnight. Lance and I slept well, but did have to nip out to the loo in the middle of the night. I have been very watchful for snakes and lift the toilet seat to check for large or nasty 🕷. 

After a slow start to the day we headed off to Quorn, Chris' home town. The landscape so far has been very dry with not a lot of growth, as soon as we headed into the Flinders Ranges it was still dry but much more interesting with misshapen trees and bushes and even a family of emus! 

The town ship was very old and had some lovely old buildings and homes. We stopped for a bite at Emily's Cafe which apparently used to be a large haberdashery store. Large wooden framed glass cabinets were on all walls and beautiful old wooden counters lined with items from years gone by. Especially intriguing was the cash carrying system that I remember seeing in Auckland department stores when I was a very little girl ( I must be ancient). Wires criss crossed the ceiling all leading to an ornate wooden booth where the owner Mrs Fox used to sit and count the money, returning the change to the counter via the same system. I had a wild peach pie with vanilla ice cream and it was lovely. 

When we got back to 'The Shack' the tide was perfect; donning the correct crabbing attire (particularly on the feet) we grabbed our buckets and rakes and made our way to the low tide line. 

  I have to admit that I felt reasonably confident, after all they are just 🦀. That was until Chris let out a shriek and leapt into the air, she had been nipped, but she paid back when she scooped a huge crab out of the water and popped it into the awaiting bucket. Immediately I started checking the water more carefully, moving away from the stirred up sand so that I had more visibility. Crabs were being caught in a fast and furious fashion, I was a good spotter as the crabs scooted towards the deeper water, but I wasn't game to try my hand at scooping. Then horror struck, the sand under my feet started to wiggle and nippers appeared. Yes there was screaming and hopping. Have you ever tried Irish dancing in water two feet deep with sloppy sand and beach shoes on? And in I went with my new phone in my pocket, I quickly raised my rear end out of the water to save it. The phone was fine, but I only wish that Lance had been holding it videoing my antics, I would have been on one of those funny You Tube clips for sure. 

We hauled our 20 blue crabs in to the shore and began the procedure of preparing them for dinner. And what a feast we had! Along with a couple of bottles of South Australian wine everything went down very well. Thanks Chris and Rob for the adventure. 

I had a slow start, and after bacon and eggs for breakfast we hit the road for home. It was great to finally stay at 'The Shack' and be able to take home our own 'Shack' stories. On the drive out we spotted a couple of emus, so we stopped for a quick pic. 

The temperature over that's couple of days has been lovely, not too hot at all and we didn't even use the air con in the caravan. Tomorrow though it will be 41 and Saturday 46, so we timed our visit perfectly. 

Port Augusta 2018 Day 6 & 7

Our journey from Adelaide City to Port Augusta began without a hitch. Before leaving Chris' magpies arrived for their breaky. She has a little family that visit every day and she can hand feed them. Some days they come right up to her door and call out to her. 

The trip was broken up with a stop in Tanunda to stay with Chris and Rob's friends Di and Wally. After lunch at the club we were invited into Di and Wally's lovely home, with Lance and I accomodated in a luxurious sleepout. 

What a lovely evening we had, playing Finska and having a huge BBQ meal. Finska is a game similar to pétanque however instead of boules you have wooden cylindrical shapes to knock down. Much fun was had over beer and champagne. 

In the morning we departed for Port Augusta and 'The Shack'. During our time in P.N.G Chris had filled our heads with stories of 'The Shack', or what we would call the bach. Port Augusta is a few hours North of Adelaide and was once a Seaport.  

Taking the scenic route we stopped at Seppeltsfield Winery for a taste and a wander. This is a large and beautifully set out winery and was worth the visit, of course we left with a couple of bottles of wine. A Vermentino or two. 

Our next stop was for lunch at a vineyard called Paullettes.  My map took us to the other end of a long road, so we found ourselves travelling a little longer than we needed. However this was not a problem and we arrived right on time after meandering through desolate terrain. A bonus was finding a mob of kangaroo sitting in the sunshine, and a really old village. Lunch was lovely; I had Jamaican jerk chicken with caramelised sweet potato. Then off we went to Port Augusta and the shack stopping for petrol on the way. And I just had to get a shot of the place where you can get air for your tyres.