The City Family's Australian Adventure

I might have posted this sooner, but I was in Ban City for an extended vacation......

This is our son Preston crashed in LA. Plane broke down 2 hours out of LAX and had to turn around. We spent the night in the LAX Hilton complements of United:





Our plane in for maintenence





Me & CG ready to sight see after 18+ hours of flying




Preston & Hayden ready to see Sydney





One of the first things we saw as we left the hotel and walked across the street to Sydney Harbor




CG & kids with my cousin Preston who lives in Sydney









Me & my son Preston at Sydney Botanical Gardens





A big ficus tree





Me & the lovely CG at the harbor





Breakfast the next morning at a cafe in Sydney





Chinatown in Sydney





We visited a pub or 20





Riding the trains around Sydney with me cousin Preston & son Preston & CG




CG on the ferry




View from the ferry on the way to Manley beach







The harbor cliffs



Manley beach




Sydney from the Harbor Bridge




The James Craig underway from the Harbor Bridge. We were fortunate enough to meet some of her crew the night befor as she was anchored in the harbor. We just happened by and Preston Elder and I walked up the gang plank and crashed a gathering there. It was a private affair, but the crew was quite accomodating to the bold Yanks who bumbled aboard in the middle of the night and invited us to the launch the next day!.










Two nice blokes in character at the launching of the James Craig





Took this pic for Vin at the Sidney Airport getting ready to come to Vin & Mary's home to visit:








We actually flew on the Victoria Vixen though. Virgin Blue had absolutely outstanding customer service!




More pics tomorrow from the South Australia part of our adventure! Stay tuned!

Awww man, now John, I have tears in my eyes!

Your daughter is the IMAGE of Letecia.

Such lovely pics, and thank you!

As for that Aborginal dude playing the pipe.. Steve and I woke to that while we were attending the Big Green Gathering .. Glastonbury..dawn.. happy and hungover from the fairy cakes..

Thanks for the pictures !

I'm looking forward to more.

Awesome pics CB. Thanks for sharing!

pirate_girl said:

As for that Aborginal dude playing the pipe.. .

Click to expand...

PG that pipe is a didgeridoo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Didgeridoo

Thanks for posting those. I was wondering if we'd ever get to see them.

Above: Vin & Mary's back patio, Waikerie SA


CG & Vin in Vin's orchard. Vin picked lots of fresh oranges for our upcoming camping trip

CG & Preston in front of Vin & Mary's home


Hayden and Preston checking out the Murray River


The river locke keepers dog in Wakerie


Heading out in to the sticks. We saw hunderds of these guys


Preston, Hayden and Vin & Mary's lovely daughter Kate at the Overland Hotel




Captain Vin took us for an excursion up the River Murray


Vin built this boat himself!



Campers on the river




Cool looking pelicans in SA


Stay tuned for more pics later.

THANKS again CB. I love the pics. They are great. What a good time you guys had down under. A vacation of a life time!!!!!!

We hope to be going back, soon.

CityGirl said:

We hope to be going back, soon.

Click to expand...

I think going back you would understand the cost of taking your children. I am not sure if they want to go back. I think it would be more prudent to take me instead; yes? One ticket has to be cheaper than two; right?

More pics:




A ferry across the Murray River for more sight seeing








Tour guide Vin. Vin and Mary were absolutely wonderful hosts!!!




Heading out for a camping trip








Opening the gate to the state park. Now, this is NOT like any U.S. state park!!! It is a looooong way out down dirt roads with nobody around...




Vin hauling the camping gear behind his 4wd




First night's camp




Vin & Mary cooked up some awesome chow!!




Seeing the sites






We traveled roads like this for miles.....



And miles........




Old farm house ruins. Australian settlers faced some rough going.












Wild Emus. It was unusual to catch them walking. They usually scattered when we approached, and they are fast!




We drove through lots of small towns along the way...



Vins hometown of Peterborough, SA




An Australian Railroad monument. Vin and his Father are honored here, along with many other railroad workers.




Vin's Dad










Stay tuned for the trip to Flinders Ranges and Wilpena Pound.........

Keep 'em comin' CB. Good stuff!

The farm house ruins are haunting. In them, I sensed the abject despair of the settlers who saw all their hardwork and effort come to naught but ruin as the rains would not come.

This area is north of Goyder's Line. Goyder's Line is a boundary line across South Australia corresponding to a rainfall boundary believed to indicate the edge of the area suitable for agriculture. North of Goyder's Line, the rainfall is not reliable enough, and the land is only suitable for grazing and not cropping. The line traces a distinct change in vegetation. To the south, it is composed mainly of mallee scrub whilst to the north salt-bush. In general Goyder's line represents the demarcation of a long-term rainfall average of 10 inches (254mm).

With barely 30 year's knowledge of this new country to go on, farmers needed reliable information. In 1865 George Goyder provided it. He discouraged farmers from planting crops north of his line, declaring this land suitable only for light grazing. However farmers were optimistic. 1865 was a year of bumper rains, so many ignored Goyder and headed north, starting farms and planting crops. Just a few years later many had to abandon their farms. Goyder was proved correct and the land was indeed unsuitable for crops. Many farmhouse ruins can still be seen near Goyder's line.

There have been periods of development north of the line, but invariably nature has won out. Entire towns and farms were abandoned when there was a return to longer-term average rainfall. The line has proven remarkably accurate, an amazing feat since it was surveyed in just two months in 1865 by Goyder, then the surveyor-general of South Australia. http://www.onesteelwaratah.com.au/about-waratah/125th-anniversary-timeline/george-goyder.aspx

I was amazed at the sudden change in landscape. Almost in a blink we would go from green to dust. I loved the rock studded hills. Oh, and the night sky.....I've never seen so many stars! It was really neat seeing the Southern Cross and even though we were inland, the lyrics to this song played through my mind as I gazed upward.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZDXCWY8VLI&feature=related"]YouTube- Crosby, Stills and Nash- Southern Cross[/ame]

daedong said:

PG that pipe is a didgeridoo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Didgeridoo

Click to expand...

Yeah Vin, I know..

Just catching up with the added pics.
WOW is all I can say!

Thanks for taking us along with the photos.
Please keep them comming.
Nor

I think it's so cool that you all went camping and am curious to know what Vin and Mary cooked for you.
The old farm house ruins are fascinating!

... and Vin, you and your Daddy being honoured at the monument.. that is very touching, dear.

CB/CG its a pity we can't share the dust storm we experienced heading out towards Parachilna. It was one of the best I have seen. The dust was so thick we could not see the road at one point and we had to stop. We had dinner that day at the Prairie Hotel, I think John had a snake burger that day.

http://www.prairiehotel.com.au/homepage.htm

GREAT pics!!!!!!! They really give us all a feel for your trip. What were those houses made of?

A Snake burger???? I don't think I could handle one of those. :nono:

Super pictures! Absolutely awesome thread! Stunning photography!!

daedong said:

CB/CG its a pity we can't share the dust storm we experienced heading out towards Parachilna. It was one of the best I have seen. The dust was so thick we could not see the road at one point and we had to stop. We had dinner that day at the Prairie Hotel, I think John had a snake burger that day.

http://www.prairiehotel.com.au/homepage.htm

Click to expand...

Maybe not a snake burger, but I probably would have tried one if it was on the menue....I did eat kangaroo, emu and camel though.

Here's some Flinders Ranges pics:




At the entrance to Flinders Ranges National Park




Hayden found a set of rams horns








Hayden caught this great shot of mom & joey



The roos in the park were less skittish than some, but still wild




Ozzie bacon, first morning at Flinders. I cannot overstate how great Vin & Mary were as hosts. We had a magnificent time!!!












Seeing the sites in Wilpena Pound




This pic was taken at the Prairie Hotel just as a sand storm had cleared. You can see everybody's hair blowing...well, everybody with hair...The Prairie Hotel is pretty close to the last civilized area before you get into the true outback. I thought we were pretty much in the outback some of the time, but it was just the sticks; big difference between the sticks and the outback Vin told us.












Some of the oldest soil on the planet can be found in South Australia. Interesting geology and Aboriginal history to be found here.




A young roo came into camp and gave Preston a sniff.




He was a curious little fellow. Vin chased him off when he stuck his nose in the pantry. Wish I'd had a video camera for that!



We bought plane tickets to fly over Wilpena Pound, but it turned out to be too windy to go. Bummer! We really wanted to have that experience, but it was not to be. Reckon we'll have to do it next time.......




We saw lots of emus, but most scattered before we could get pics. These were a little calmer outside Flinders.

That's all for tonight. Stay tuned for Maitland and the Yorke Peninsula pics.

Again, awesome pics!
That little roo coming up to the campsite is so cool.

Great pics CB , Thanks for sharing . Looks like a once in a lifetime trip , sharing memorable times with family & friends , it just dont get no better then that

Thanks Cowboy.

After leaving the Flinders Ranges, we headed to Vin & Mary's vacation home in Maitland, located on the Yorke Peninsula in South Australia, and spent a couple days exploring nearby towns and ports and then headed to Adelaide to browse, and then to Christies Beach to spend the night before heading to Kangaroo Island.




After leaving the Flinders Ranges, the first stop on the way to Maitland was a winery with a brewery




Australia probably has the most well though out welfare program in the world, unlike what we have in the states




They even have geezer crossings, LOL!




Me Vin & Mary at Port Victoria....I imagine Mary's gonna "hide" Vin after this shot, LOL.




This Australian sea lion was a long way from home....we think he was seeking shelter from the wind behind these bushes












Back to Maitland for evening tea. The rain forced us into Vin's shed for the barbie...The women infiltrated the man cave!! They even elbowed into our dart game and beer swilling! Can you believe it?




More sight seeing the next day...






















Back to the shed for more grilling...








The market in Adelaide....











Yes, that's exactly what you think it is....



Pig heads!



Yup....OZ is different















Chinatown in Adelaide




M R ducks, LOL! We enjoyed some real Chinese quisine in Adelaide. Much different than the sweetened, over-salted, breaded versions in many of the stateside establishments.




The Australian and Aboriginal flags in Adelaide...



The Ozzies and the Okies in Adelaide



Main post office in Adelaide



Browsing downtown Adelaide

That's tonights pics. Up next, Australian rules football game in Adelaide with Vins favorite team, the Port Adelaide Power. Then off to Kangaroo Island.

The bloody shed still stinks of booze and BBQ!

Nice added pics.

I'm flabbergasted by the great pics. Thanks so much. I feel like I was there. GREAT job!!!!!

The comments help make it all complete. The one about all having sand blown hair, well those with hair was too funny.