Adventure Experience

Feb 5   Adelaide to Quorn:    Very early start at 5am!! we were picked up at Backpackers Oz close to our hotel. The coach was a 24 seater Mitsubishi Rosa bus.  by 7:30 all pickups were done and we met our traveling friends for the first time.  It was an eclectic group from all over Europe - Germany, Holland,Denmark,Switzerland,Italy,Solvenia, France plus 3 Canadians and ourselves.  We were the oldest the ages ranged from 18 - 42 with the majority under 27.  It became apparent that this was one energetic bubbly and good humoured group characteristics that were to get us throught the six day adventure with flying clours.
We had been told to expect very hot and humid weather high 45-50c  however, mother nature had other plans as the remains of the cyclone came into play with rain and cooling winds so our first four days were quite cool and comfortable.  We were in Ulura before we had 30c  Enough of the weaher.
Our first day took us North through the Clare Valley which is the centre of the wine region of South Australia. We stopped for a rest break in the town of Clare were we learned that the region is famous for its Shiraz the vineyards were intoduced by the Jesuit monks  in 1879 and they still tend one of the largest wineries in the area.  Brad Pitt travels there specially to buy his wine!!   Unfortunately it was too early to sample any of the wines.
Back on the coach we were begining to get more comfortable in each others company.  Ben a 3rd generation Dutch/Australian was our guide, driver and cook he was 26yrs and n perfect tune with the group.  Our next stop was at Melrose where were to enjoy a short hike across a swing bridge and enjoy a view of Mt Remarkable this proved to be impossible due to the trail being flooded but we did get to cross the swing bridge that was all of 4ft above a small stream!! the younger ones had a ball trying to knock each other of the bridge.  Our next scheduled hike to the top of Devils Peak to view Spencer Gulf and the Flinders Range was also cancelled because of the rains washing out the trails so we settled for a quick trip to Port Agusta a town that was appeared to be deserted due to all the stores closing at noon on a Saturday!!!!    We continued on to Quorn our stop for the night total km travelled 450km 
To be continued..........     MR&K