First Things First

I bought a car...and yes it's a Camry!

Notice my license plate is one letter short of VINO...it came that way, I swear!

I have my own car and I'm in Australia so what is the first thing I do? Find a kangaroo of course! Someone at the hostel told me about the Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary. Warrawong is home to 100 species of birds and native animals from wallabies and kangaroos to platypus and other aquatic life. It's only 25 minutes from Adelaide which makes it easy to learn about Australia's wildlife. The sanctuary is open 7 days a week from 9am to 9pm and offers free admission from 9am to 4pm. So obviously, I went before 4pm and it was awesome! Warrawong also offers guided tours and animal shows for an additional fee. I went friends from the hostel, Biljana, Susanne and Tamir, and had an amazing time. Check out our photos!

These wild parrots are everywhere in Australia, not just the sanctuary

Tamir petting a kangaroo

Biljana with a kangaroo

And me with a kangaroo. What can I say, we were excited to see kangaroos!

Eucalyptus forrest

If spotting koalas was a job, Biljana would be a professional!

I think it's sleeping?!

Turtles but no platypus :(

This is the only one we got to see!

On the way back to the city, we stopped at Mount Lofty.  It is a lookout point only 15 minutes from Adelaide which offers a spectacular panoramic view over Adelaide to the sea.

Adelaide in the distance

The crew

When we got back to the city, we went to the Botanical Gardens.  It was a great end to the day. We ate a late picnic lunch in the park while listening to a concert of Oldies but goodies :) and then continued walking through the gardens. We could still hear the music in the distance. It was soft and didn't cover up the sounds of the water and birds of the gardens.  

Magpie...also everywhere in Australia!

Cactus Garden

Flowers of the Cactus Garden

The National Wine Centre of Australia located in the Botanical Gardens

Pretty extensive selection of only Australian wines

Thanks Biljana, Susanne and Tamir for a great day!!!

Oz Music Month

I was listening to the radio today and found out November is Oz Music Month. Music Festivals start this month and go until the end of summer in February. My roommate introduced me to The Butterfly Effect and to their newest release, Worlds on Fire, from their new album, Final Conversation of Kings. They' re an alternative metal band from Brisbane, Australia with a nice range of styles, from smooth, mellow instrumentals to heavy metal. I am already a fan and hope to catch their show in Sydney!

Hahndorf

Hahndorf is the oldest surviving German Village in Australia and is a popular tourist destination.  Many of the original buildings and traditions have been retained and is only 20 minutes from Adelaide. 

There are hotels, restaurants, artisans at work and gourmet food outlets. Several wineries showcase the best of Adelaide Hills' wines a short drive from Hahndorf. 

Authentic German food is served in Hahndorf, as well as modern Australian and European cuisine. German sausage and smallgoods are also available.

Hahndorf Village

German Hofbrauhaus

Trio of Bratwurst and Pretzel

Pig Knuckle and Assorted Meats

Here are some of the quirky, unusual foods and gifts in the surrounding shops.

Aussie Pate

Self Explanatory

It's Our Problem-Free Philosophy...Hakuna Matata

Now That's Just Funny!

And My Aussie Tour Guides...aka Mates!

How To Order An Aussie Coffee 101

If you go to a coffee shop and order just a coffee they will reply...

Would you like [with an "are you serious" look on their face]...
1. Short Black...aka espresso
2. Long Black...aka black coffee
3. Latte...aka coffee with milk and little foam
4. Cappuccino...aka coffee with milk and lots of foam
5. Macchiato...aka espresso with foam
6. Flat White...aka coffee with milk and no foam

Flat White and Latte

Can you guess what these are? The first person who guesses correctly gets a free postcard from Australia!

James Squire Beer

I went to the pub with a local the other night and he introduced me to James Squire beer, one of Australia's finest! I had their Golden Ale brew and thoroughly enjoyed it! It was a rich, golden color with a light, floral taste. It would be good to drink mellowing out with your mates watching the Rugby! And that's my Australian for the day :)

Hostel 109

My first night in Adelaide, I decided to stay in and cook so I could meet other people at the hostel. I'm staying at Hostel 109 in the city center and everything is within walking distance. I walked to Coles, their grocery store here, to grab some supplies and I stumbled upon a wine store. It was a nice change of pace because it was filled with Australian wines with a super small selection of California wines.

Wine shop

Australian Riesling

Small Selection of California Wines

I love all Rieslings and they had a good selection so I bought a bottle of Henschke Peggy's Hill Riesling to drink with dinner. They didn't have any wine glasses so please don't judge. I was young but nice and I enjoyed with some people at the hostel. It was definitely a good way to meet people!

 My first dinner in Australia!

2011 Henschke Eden Valley Riesling 

And the hostel and people are fantastic. Check out my sweet accommodations...

My new kitchen

And my new living room

I know it's not impressive but it's my pantry!

31 Hours...

31 hours of travel and I finally arrived in Adelaide, Australia!!! I traveled over the International Date Line and lost a day. Apparently, October 25, 2011 just never existed for me!

I flew Cathay Pacific. It was long but the flight was not bad at all. I had plenty of movies to watch, books to read and the food was actually good!

Lunch: Fresh seasonal fruit 

Ziti pasta with Asiago cheese, asparagus, eggplant, and red bell pepper

Apple strudle on vanilla for dessert with tea or coffee

Dinner: Caesar salad and dinner roll
Pan-fried basa with parsley lemon myrtle sauce, new potatoes, green beans and carrots
Tim Tam for dessert with tea or coffee

Breakfast: Seasonal fresh fruit and fruit yogurt 
Omelette with ricotta and marinated red pepers, bacon, hash brown and creamed mushrooms
Croissant with tea or coffee

And of course, all the "white" or "red" wine you can drink. Seriously, that's how they advertised it!