Around Australia 2012: Naracoorte SA 4/6/12 to 7/6/12

We drove through the Coonawarra wine region on the way to Naracoorte, our next stop. The vineyards went on for about 20ks on either side on the road. Quite impressive. All the names Doug is familiar with and we have in the wine fridge at home. We hope they are there still when we get home, Troy.

We set up in the local show grounds paying only $20 per night. We were the only ones there and had 15 acres of ground around us. It was huge. It was raining on arrival so I guess it's in the van again as no camp kitchen here to spread out in. Very basic facilities but at least this time I had a working shower curtain.

Doug finally bought his "old man's hat" that he has been trying to buy since the Salamanca Markets in Tassie. He needs it as he is getting old, his hair is thinning and his head is feeling the cold. I must be getting used to it as I don't laugh at him every time I see him in it now.

We visited the amazing Naracoorte Caves and Wonambi Centre. The caves are full of stalagmites and stalactites and fossils from over 500,000 years ago, which we could get rather close to. They still have paleontologist's working on the fossils. It blows me away the age of the fossils.

Jacob got to have his horse ride that he has been asking after for quite a while. Both the boys did what was called a "horse experience" lesson. They learnt how to groom the horses, put saddles on and off, how to move in the saddle and then finally trot with the horse. They were actually on ponies but that didn't stop the boys from grinning from ear to ear the whole time. Loved by both.

Then it was Doug and my turn to do the wineries. We visited 3, then decided we needed to eat something before we tackled any more. So we stopped in the town of Penola for lunch. A lovely little town where Saint Mary Mckillop had set up a school. There's a great street (Petticot Lane) that still has some of the original 1850's houses. We could walk through one the houses, which was a bit smaller than our garage at home, where a family raised 15 kids.

After that it was time for more wineries, where we bought a few bottles to add to our cellar (under Jacob's bed). I took what I think are some okay photos of the vineyards. I could have taken heaps more but ran out of battery.