SOUTH AUSTRALIA -your travel wish list

Yes saving for my third trip but I do have a growing section of my family living there.My first trip I had not seen my sister for 10 years.Both of us being in our 40s you can imagine the excitement on catching up after such a long time.

ADELAIDE-Capital of South Australia.

History of Adelaide-Colonel William Light landed on the coast at Holdfast Bay in the year of 1836 and claimed the area as a British Colony finding the perfect spot for the Capital some 10 kms inland.The first Govener Captain Hindmarsh named the capital after William IV's wife Adelaide.William IV was the raining British Monarch at the time.

Adelaide is a beautiful city,old stone buildings, statues and parks everywhere.The sun is bright and the people are happy, welcoming and friendly.The traffic moves along wide roads at a leisurely free pace.Trains and buses are great.I recommend you spend a good day or two just walking around and enjoying the city.Have lunch along side the Torrens River.On a hot day head out to the cities coastline with over 60km of metropolitan coast you will find the modern waterfront suburbs of Glenelg with it's cafe culture and seaside promenade.Take an air conditioned bus tour or hire a car and touring through the seaside villages for an enjoyable day of sightseeing.

South Australia is a Travel destination where you will find,Eco- tourism,(bush walks, animals,beaches) great shopping, amazing scenery, great wine and dining, Stone buildings everywhere,statues, rivers, boutique towns,

Temperatures can get very hot over Summer months(into the 40's) I travelled April and September which was good but did notice the temperature could change quite quickly, Transport, houses and shops are air conditioned.

I spent a wonderful day in the centre of Adelaide just admiring the buildings, gardens and statues.Here are some of my photo's.The city has so many wonderful buildings too many for me to display here.

As if the city of Adelaide isn't enough.For the traveller this place is loaded with things to do.But first you need to realise this is a vast area to cover and while checking out the hot spots there is some travel involved.

For the following I shall give you a taste of what you can see and do. Note I still need to visit some of these places myself so I don't have photo footage of all of the Tourist hot spots I have listed.

THE COORANG National park-A two hour drive south-east of Adelaide.Now this is not well known I guess this is why this wild white coast stretches 145kms and remains natural and untouched.One of the most beautiful ocean sites in South Australia.As seabirds glide over the roaring surf.The Coorang has a series of shallow lagoons protected by Peninsula.Well worth the trip .Take an Eco- cruise to the mouth of the Murray River then into the Coorong National Park just another way to visit this vast natural area..The Coorong also has a rich Aboriginal history and this rich ecosystem was a great source of food for them.For the adventurer this is an action packed place to go too.

For more on what you can do there visit the following link. here

KANGAROO ISLAND

Kangaroo Island is on my wish list for the next visit.Separated from the mainland.Kangaroo Island is Australia's third largest Island.Getting there is by ferry or plane.Lots of different tours and packages on offer it is worth shopping around to find the best one on price etc .The Eco-tourist loves it and you can enjoy bush walking,fishing,camping sailing,cycling,caving and more.They say to really make the most from a visit to the Island is to camp to enable enough time to fully explore the 1600km of coastline.You can hire cars on the Island or take your own across on the ferry.There are many conservation parks on the Island and you will find bush walking tracks and camp spots in many of these.The wild life on the Island is diverse the name Kangaroo Island says it all and you will find a visit to Seal Bay is a must to view the Seals and Sea lions.

THE RIVER MURRAY

I have to say I made two trips the the Murray River I love it.I gave me a feel for wild Australia.The outback feel getting there.The orange and browns of the landscape.The Gum trees with their paint brush inspiring bark and the delicate dancing shadows through the leaves.The house boats on the River and the shear cliff edge banks.Take a day and have a picnic and yes I would go back anytime. You can even hire a luxury houseboat and spend leisurely days exploring the River(.For my wish list next visit)

Now who goes to South Australia and doesn't visit the Barossa Valley?.55km north east of Adelaide.The Barossa Valley is famous for its wine producing.With over 40km in length this valley has 50 wineries you could quite easily spend a couple of days. Biking or touring amongst the vineyards, tasting wine and local produce .I would start with a good map of the area to insure you see everything.

The view of Adelaide-Mount Lofty

You can't miss the Adelaide Hills Head for the Hills and 15kms(or 30Min's drive ) away you can reach the summit of Mount Lofty.Here you will have the amazing view looking over the city of Adelaide right out to the coastline from 710metres above sea level.It also has a great restaurant and visitor centre with local Australian souvenirs and gifts.For the active you will find walking trails in the  Cleland Conservation park .

There are lots of walking trails and wild life reserves in this area to explore.

There is plenty to do and see in the Adelaide Hills.Lots of interesting historical little towns to explore.Recommend you spend a few days here.

Hahindorf one of my favourite towns to visit.The oldest surviving German settlement. You could easily spend a day here a major tourist attraction in the area.

Birdwood another small town to visit.Visit the National Motor Museum-Australia's largest collection of vintage and classic cars and motorbikes.

The favourite for me of any place I go to is the animals and plants.Australia has many wildlife parks where you can see those locals that you come to expect to see on a holiday to oz .kangaroos, koala, emu, cockatoos,snakes, dingos,kookaburra and one of my favourites the pelican.It is difficult to spot them in the wild so a park is the best place to go to find them. .You will notice by some off my photos that these Australians are very lay ed back.My photos were taken from parks I went to in the Adelaide Hills a highlight of my trips.Yes I went twice.

I miss stated earlier you do see these animals in the wild on occasion I saw kangaroos going to the River Murray and the cockatoos and pelicans are often seen.I never saw a snake apart from behind glass at the parks I believe there is a spider called the huntsman big and black but I never saw one my family over there see them all the time and their stories of them are enough to scare you.

I was lucky to go on a family fishing trip for blue swimmer crabs and we saw a whole sea of Pelicans it was breath taking.We also went on the boat up to Port Adelaide and saw dolphins swimming with our boat. You can take trips up the channel and there are lots of old rusty ships that were sunk in there which makes for an interesting day trip.