Week 27 (Bali & South Australia)

12/21

Slept in till 10. Breakfasted with pizza. Updating blog now. Everybody is packing to go his/her own way. Bit sad... Im about to move to a cheaper hotel at Poppies lane I. Still have to pack. Walk with my lugage, however small it is, does not appeal to me in this heat.

The move to the other hotel went smooth (except for some assshole who tried to rip me off, when changing some last euro's, but i found out what he was up to, so he paid the too high rate. Serves him right). Back to the old hotel to say goodbye to everybody. It made me feel strange and sad too., a bit empty and sad too. All in all they have been good company. Back to my new hotel. Beach, nice fu young hai, updating the media now.

Did a long stroll in the evening, saw New Castle - Sunderland in the bar next door, Star Trekked and slept good.


12/22

Woke up at 9, simple, but nice breakfast at the hotel (included), then the 7th day at the beach. At my favourite place, where they serve cheap food and a fantastic Cafe Latte. Walked back through drizzling rain, showered, trying to contact James now. For a first reunion. Lol. They stay close to here. But the wifi lets me down.
I will try the bar next door.
Laterz.

James and Melissa arrived round 8.30 PM. We had (as expected a good chat, did the picture, and (again) we said goodbye.

I went for a last beer to a nice live music bar and went to sleep at 12, over a star trek episode.


12/23

Slept in, breakfasted, packed and stored my luagage at the hotel and beached for the next few hours. Of course i had my last latte´s and indonesian food at Sue´s (my favourite little beach restaurant) and returned to the hotel at 17.00. The arranged taxi took me to DPS airport. Check in went amazingly fast (despite the fact that i bought a price fighter´s ticket). I spend the last hours and rupiah´s in the airport with Made (i met her there). Flight went good and i arrived at Adelaide at ....

12/24

...where Jan Schutter was to pick me up. He drove me to his (very nice) house (where i met his wife Jeannette) and then... breakfasted and slept till 12.30H.
I felt incredibly welcome. What a hospitable people.
In the afternoon we went to Belair Park, where we spotted 30 Kuala´s. They cute, but stupid. Amazing that they haven´t gone extinct.

Back at their house we did some floating drinks...

And a very nice dinner at a local restaurant. A last glass of (very good) South Australian wine finalized the day. Slept very good (In my own part of their house) after having updated all the media.


12/25

Merry Xmas to all of you (never felt so unXmassed as now, but hey... )...

Woke up at 8, breakfasted, packed and off to Rawsley Park, where we are now. Drove for several hours and had a nice little hike at Groce View where we had a late lunch too.

Drove 3 more hours (loads of dead animals along the way (mainly kangaroos, but emoe´s and foxes too... really sad))

Then arrived at our house at Rawslay park. A beer, a good conversation and a feeling of happiness is what filled the last 2 hours. About to BBQ now....

Jan and Jeannette are such great hosts... i don´t know how ever to repay them... Fantastic people.
We´re about to BBQ now (and it smells soooo good). On top of that, i just tasted their home made wine ... guess... indeed ... brilliant!
Laterz...


12/26

Woke up at 9 or so, great breakfast, and then on our way. First a good viewpoint...

Then big time animal spotting (mainly Kangaroos and Emoes). Pictures say more than words, so...

On the way back it happened.... the Kangaroo was just there... one big leap out of nowhere. It was his last. Frontal collision... We all felt horrible, but really... nothing that could have beeen done.

Diner at the local restaurant (Woolshed) with 2 bottles of Seven Hill Cabernet Sauvignon. Believe me you notice it. Both on the same night as the next morning. It was such good fun though. Jan laughed, tears down his cheeks, when reviving the memories of the "Dik voor mekaar show".
Midnight.. finally went to sleep.


12/27

Woke up at 9 with a hangover that disappeared immediately when we ate another great breakfast. Typecal English one: Eggs, Bacon, Sausages. Love that.

Then slowly travelled back to Adelaide, but not without... wine tasting. A very nice (new for me) experience. We did 2 winaries, where we tatsed 5 or 6 wines (you just sip, no worries) and indeed, i could tell the difference between the wines (Jan had given me a quick course in the different grapes and how to distinguish them). I think i found a new (expensive) hobby, coz i did like it a lot more then i ever thought i would.

We arrived home at six. Ate (at home, left overs). I tried to book my flight to Sydney, but... digital misery al over. Watched the news and went to bed ... where i couldn't catch the sleep. Read until 3 AM. And slept really well after that.