Blues....

Last week had to be the worst week since moving here. I hit an all time low:( I am putting this mainly down to the worst weather (so I am told) on record in August. Gray horrible thunder, lightening, rain, hale and more hideous RAIN! Every day seemed and was never ending, bleakness (is that a word, who cares?). 
I don't think I actually felt homesick, more like missing my friends, family, missing my life. I was, I am a social animal and being confined to the house without the car and freezing did not help at all. Poor Wolfie, try as he might (and he did try) could not get me out of it - no friends (blub), no job, (sigh) and no me (aghhh).
I know I do NOT take my friends for granted but when you can't simply pick up the phone on a whim, or pop round for coffee, you realise just how much you rely on the network that has taken years to build. Rowena your emails where a blessing. I miss you girls:)


Positive, positive, positive!!!

Mount Lofty

Aug 21st


This afternoon we went for a short drive to Mount Lofty. Set as the highest peak in the Lofty ranges, at 710 metres above sea level and only 15 minutes from the city centre of Adelaide, the Mt Lofty Summit also sporting a restaurant and café has spectacular panoramic views over Adelaide to the sea.

This really is a fantastic view over Adelaide and across to Eden Hills (where we live). Adelaide is built on a grid, being this high we could see the whole city set out in roads and blocks.

In all a nice afternoon out, walk through the woods, coffee at the top and a fab view.


In the car on the way home I spotted a Koala Bear kipping in a tree - of course we had to stop.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Time............

Aug 20th.....


Be it interesting or not, this is todays blog.


Today I thought I would try my hand at ...... wait for it......Baking.


Some of you, those who know me best, will be laughing at the mere concept of this. Yes I hear you:)


Well, before we arrived I was asked by our landlords (Tash & Matt), while they were packing their things away - our interests, if there was anything we needed etc... DVD's, kitchen gadgets, baking equipment, sewing machine and so on. OK, so I drew the line at sewing machine! No matter how much I debated, I was never going to convince myself or Wolfie that I was going to become the sewing master.. However, cooking on the other hand I get by with.... I have too - Mr Wagner dose NOT cook;)


So yes Matt & Tash of course I bake! I love to bake! The fact that I have only ever 'baked' once in my life (I was probably about 8yrs old) did not come in to it...hmmmmm.


Anyway, after being here a while now I soon realised that I have a rather large amount of unexpected time on my hands. Especially when Wolfie has taken the car.. there is, after all, only so much ironing and cleaning one can do.


So Friday I got it into my head I was the baker I had claimed to be and I was going to be the model wife!


Here is the result......

Very moist 'Lemon Drizzle' sponge cake!

No I can safely say it was not flat  - plus I added extra lemon - just like Nana used to make for me:)

Fruit & Nut cookies.

 These, rather anemic looking, creations were supposed to be cookies. More like "Rock cakes" and if I am going to be honest...not very good even after my 3rd attempt. 

Wolfie, of course, being the best husband ever say's they are fantastic and the best cookies ever! Funny that - I read in a tourist guide of Germany, particularly Dresden/Leipzig,  that it was "the land of cake eaters" with the best cakes ever! Obviously they have never eaten mine....errr...

miike snow "black & blue"

Today I am mostly listening to this....................:) 

The Last couple of weeks.

So the last couple of weeks - in no particular order.

Wolfie is getting on really well at work and for once having more time to do research. He took me to the Wakefield clinic   to meet the orthopaedic theatre manager, inquiring about work. My qualification is relatively new in Aus and almost unheard of in south Australia. However, they do have work for me and have taken a copy of my diploma. All being well I will hear, asap, if they can employ me. I can work 20hrs per week on Wolfie's visa which will be ample as we want to be flexible enough to travel - that and the fact  I will still have enough time for his ironing:) Haha... 


As some of you know we both share a love for films (not always agreeing, but you can't have everything). There is this great place not too far away called the "Capri Theatre"



This beautiful building was built in art deco style in the early 1940's. Everything about the place is nostalgic, even the staff dress in the original style uniforms. We just love the retro feel of the place...no we haven't traveled to the other side of the world just to watch films - but it is a good evening out...




On a rainy sunday we went into the city to explore a little. 
Both having a huge love of sweets we ended up in 'ye old sweet shop'

This place is amazing - we ended up spoilt for choice! All the old favorites - a complete retro sweet heaven....Not so good for the diet;)






We visited the south Australian Museum. 
   With a huge array of gallery's and artifacts - the biodiversity gallery, Australian aboriginal cultures gallery and many more.

How many boomerangs do you want to look at?

10000 yr old boomerang!

                                    

Wolfie could not resist this picture opportunity - even though we nearly got told off for using the flash....

We have had our first speeding ticket! Fortunately it was not me  -  we were on the way to watch the Whales off the coast at Victor Harbor & Port Elliot - I was definitely NOT driving....

Nice day for Whales.....

Believe it or not - there are x2 Whales in the middle of the pic!

We did see the Whales and were fortunate enough to see them jump right out of the water - unfortunately we didn't have the bigger zoom lens...

The Swallow cast a rainbow right over Wolfie - really hope that is lucky?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I'm still behind with this!

Hey peeps.


Please read blog titled "Here we go" first. Not quite up to scratch with this blog business - back to front etc,etc....
Anyway I am still a couple of weeks behind, I will of course, be updating asap.


We hope you are all well and send you all our love and best wishes.


xxxx

June - July.

24th June

Singapore!!

As soon as we stepped foot off the plane we could almost, in Wolfie’s words, bite the air it was so thick - the heat virtually knocked us over!

We arrived at The Raffles Hotel at 9am. As we got out of the car it dawned on me that I was not properly dressed for the occasion. This beautiful white colonial building set in lush green surroundings with a magnificent entrance of polished marble steps leading you through huge white pillars into the most beautiful glistening lobby I have ever seen - not the place for ripped jeans.... I wish I had listened to you Nana – “Eve I hope you’re not going to wear those ripped jeans”!

As our feet hit the gravel we were immediately surrounded by, quite possibly, the most helpful staff ever. Our bags were whisked off and we floated inside with our entourage. When I said beautiful, the lobby practically blew me away with its beauty. 

The crystal chandeliers, marble floors, walls, pillars and the seemingly endless staircase winding its way up and around hovering on the edge of each floor. All doused in gold’s, creams and dripping with shimmer was truly breathtaking.

We booked in but our room would not be ready until 13:00hrs but of course we would have full use of the spa facilities to shower etc, which was a mini palace in its self! A shower and a change of clothes and we were ready. After a lavish breakfast of all the sweet and savoury dishes I have ever seen (even salad – not sure about that for breakfast?), we decided to mill around the gardens – more like drag our feet! Through courtyards and endless marble paths enriched with beautiful plants, trees and glittering fountains right through to shops, bars and even a Raffles museum. This makes it all seem very big but in essence everything is tucked away allowing you to feel tiny in the overpowering stature of Singapore.                                                                                             

Everywhere we walked was so tranquil and every member of staff we met greeted us with a warm welcome........ Reality though, we were so tired we could hardly walk straight and were constantly checking the time in the hope that we had somehow fast forwarded to 1pm. It really is so hard to enjoy the feeling of something, no matter how beautiful it is, when all you want to do is crawl under the next rock. We eventually sat by the pool sipping a famous Singapore Sling, which at first was perfect. However, the mixture of heat, humidity, exhaustion and alcohol is not a good choice, especially when you are trying your best to keep your eyes open....

After finding a quiet, air-conditioned, corner inside the main building Wolfie went off to find out if we could get the room any quicker. By this point I could not hold off sleep any more, the fact that I had lost all vision (eyes rolling), with the added bonus of having the head of a nodding dog was not a good look! As if by magic the manager appeared and after finding out why I was sleeping like a homeless person in her hotel, went off to sort our room(no hobo’s allowed!). I then realised I was sleeping under a cctv cam – nice! Well it got us into our room early and an upgrade!

And what a room it was, huge with x2 king size beds, massive bathroom and a fabulous 

balcony.

 

Wow what an amazing evening we had tonight! From our room we could hear a piano playing which seemed to come from the walls, but in fact after following, found it in the “Writers Bar” restaurant. Feeling spoilt for choice where to eat, we decided on the “Writers Bar”, later realising it was the most expensive – like 1 million dollars...dam that piano! Ok so we sat down and a mini chair was brought to my side, the sort of chair that would be perfect for a small child or hobbit – how cute. 

Ever feel like you’re having a Julia Roberts “Pretty Woman” moment? Hmmm.....luckily the busboy (obviously met my kind before) hinted it was for my handbag. How worthy my handbag was.....nice.

So, scallops and lobster to start followed by seabass and salmon for main. The waited described all accompaniments to each dish – which, I have to be honest, looked like works of art - all at the mere cost of 1 million dollars! Oh I haven’t mentioned the wine! Yes it cost 1million dollars too.
                                                                                                                            

So a beautiful meal, a stroll around the gardens and into the “Long Bar” for a well needed Singapore sling. Our drinks arrived with a large, which I can only describe as, a flower pot full of roasted Pea-nuts...but where to put the shells? Looking around, next to each table, was a large pile of shells - on the floor! So in keeping with the Raffles tradition we did the same. The feeling of throwing our rubbish on the floor, in an otherwise immaculate establishment, was a little bizarre!

June 25^th

After breakfast we went into Singapore, first taking a tour ride on the river, which as beautiful as they tried to make it, there was no making up for how dirty it really was. The tiny coloured houses, restaurants and shops along the river where swallowed by a towering high-rise of shining gray, concrete and glass. This being the business district on which Singapore is made – captivated me with its ‘giant like’ architecture...

We walked around the city for a while then decided to take the hop-on-hop-off city tour bus (an excellent way to get around) through all the craziness on Singapore, China town and little Asia being my favorite. This place is like metropolis! Seriously the amount of people in this place was (for me) suffocating- poverty and the ridiculously rich all mixed together like marble. 

 

 

Later we had dinner at a local roadside restaurant - not knowing what we ordered but thankfully turning out fab. By the smiles on their faces it was probably dog?

In all Singapore is great for a couple of days trip – sites etc, not to mention the shopping is fantastic! But the heat and the industry seem to immerse you, leaving a dirty film. The Raffels is like walking into an oasis in the middle of a war...

Flight at midnight!!

OMG another (nationality omitted) talking, nonstop for 4 hrs! Thankfully not sat by us – sat by a Chinese man across the aisle. I swear he was asleep and she didn’t even notice – its the middle of the night darn it!

June 26^th

Australia!!

08.30am chilly but refreshing and so far away.....

Arrived at our new home by taxi and where greeted by Jack who lives across the road with his wife Bev (who was away) at the time. Jack had the keys and a welcome conversation from the government to magpies (reminds me of Gog). Really though, Jack is great and having now met Bev she is great too. While Jack was giving us our introduction to our new home Heather arrived with a card, magazines and homemade biscuits - Heather lives 4 doors down and has (thankfully) taken it upon herself to take us under her wing:)

Anyway after they left us to it we checked out our house – freezing is not a strong enough statement...                                                                                                                                            

For me it was a strange feeling looking around someone else’s house and trying to imagine it as our home for the next year...

Well first off, within 20 min’s of being left on our own we locked ourselves out!! Wolfie went in search of Jack for help....meanwhile I found a screwdriver...finding the kitchen window loose, unscrewed the bars like a common burglar and slid inJ  Not a good start but thank god I am small! 

Over the next couple of weeks we found our feet, so to speak, familiarising ourselves with the area, setting up home, importantly bank account and telephones  – however our sleep pattern was much to be desired...being awake at 3am and wanting to sleep all day was not part of the plan. 

The fact that the world cup was live at 4am did not help – of course as the perfect wife I felt I must be up with my husband supporting....hmmm...thats the last time! 

Back of our House

 

We also visited Wolfie’s new place of work the Wakefield orthopaedic clinic and met some of his new colleagues, of whom, all were very nice.

During Wolfie’s first week at work he arrived home to tell me that no, he had not crashed the car but found it with the huge dent in the door on his return....of course I did not think otherwise....

July 16th

Going to Kangaroo Island!!

Kangaroo Island is just off the south Australian coast, accessed by ferry from Cape Jervis. The island is VERY low key - no tourist traps here... wilderness and a varying array of wildlife was all we needed. Please feel free to look it up www.tourkangarooisland.com.au

This place was beautiful, even if it did rain on the first day! Of course we were looking out for roos...but it became apparent that we were going to see more dead roos on the road than live running about, much like pheasants in Shropshire. 

I wont show the pic of the dead roo - however if you really want to see it check out my facebook page;D

A quick stop at our seaside home overlooking Baudin beach.

The roads on K’roo island are hardly perfect (only a few tarmac), gravel and mud making travelling around very slow.

First we navigated across the Dudley Peninsula, travelled through Pigs Head corner – literally!

 And visited the first ever lighthouse in Australia at Cape Willoughby then battled the rain at Kingscote to watch the pelicans.

As it went dark we picked up food from the local fish and chip shop, Kingscote, to take home. Compared to the UK’s fish and chips this has got to be the best I have ever had. No ordinary cod or haddock here...along with their regular fish whiting, snapper and flake, scallops, squid, mussels, oysters and much more were on the menu.                                                       

Did I say local? Yeah, 40km drive back was hardly local..but that is Kangaroo island for you!

July 17th

Wolfie cooked breakfast!!!! Why was I so amazed??? This was the first (perhaps last) time I had ever seen him cook. So that is probably why it tasted even more fantastic than it was supposed to;)

First stop (my choiceJ) off to “Pauls Place” on the north coast near Stokes Bay after a bumpy 1.5hrs we arrived in the middle of nowhere. 

Pauls place was a small holding, home to an eclectic combination of animals – echidnas, roos, emu’s, cockatoo’s, deer, sheep, ducks, camal, snake, blue dragon lizard, yabby,  mouse and Koala bear. Like a big child; I went, purposefully, to hold the Koala bear.  Although at first Wolfie was refusing to hold it, Paul did not give him any choice when he practically threw it under his arm – I am sure he secretly loved it. 

See how happy he is!

Echidna.

 Paul also had a 'Headbutting' sheep...the lovely animal decided to take a running butt right into my thigh, all I could do was brace for impact  - (then ..... it right between the eyes) discreetly of course;0

We also saw an Emu sitting on its eggs and (if you are interested?) it's the male sitting on them for the entire duration (56days) without food, only surviving on rain water - once hatched he then continues to care for the chicks - basically the female decides to go on a jolly  - how rude!

Paul had this fab idea to bottle feed the (not so baby) kangaroo's - without warning I was thrown a K'roo - and it wasn't light either!!

At this point it was time to leave.................................................

Next stop was Stokes bay, on arrival it was not much to look at but after a quick look around we found an opening in the cliff leading us through a tunnel.....

Monk Wolfgang!

.....and out onto the most beautiful little beach ....

There's no-one there!!

So, the rest of the afternoon we continued to travel to the various beaches and coastline,

Snelling bay, Emu bay 

....back to Kingscote for dinner where (after petting at Paul's Place) Wolfie ate Kangaroo for the first time!! Which I have to say was beaut!!

July 18th

OK. right now I am getting a little tired (and way behind with this blog - it's the 15thAug) so the rest will be in 'picture form' with a brief description - defeating the object of a blog I know......perhaps a little "cutting and pasting will suffice"?.

Today we traveled to the west and south of the island - Flinders Chase National  Park, Admiral's Arch, Remarkable Rocks (truly remarkable) and Seal Bay (to watch seals, of course:)).

This is Ned Kelly...

Edward "Ned" Kelly (June 1854/June 1855 – 11 November 1880) was an Irish-Australian bushranger, and was seen by some as merely a cold-blooded killer, while to others he was seen as a folk hero, for his defiance of the colonial authorities.

Kelly was born in Victoria to an Irish convict father, and as a young man he clashed with the Victoria Police. Following an incident at his home in 1878, police parties searched for him in the bush. After he killed three policemen, the colony proclaimed Kelly and his gang wanted outlaws.

A final violent confrontation with police took place at Glenrowan on 28 June 1880. Kelly, dressed in home-made plate metal armour and helmet, was captured and sent to jail. He was hanged for murder at Old Melbourne Gaol in November 1880. His daring and notoriety made him an iconic figure in Australian history, folk lore, literature, art and film.....

Thank you Wikipedia:)

Today was our first warm day and in true British fashion - I was the only person on the island without a coat - or half naked as Wolfie liked to put it:)

Admirals arch.

 As stated in the tour guide the Admirals Arch is a place to witness  "the amazing wild forces of nature". A viewing platform and boardwalk around the cliff face lead us to the spectacular natural arch sculptured by the sea, where we could see the New Zealand frolicking in the surf and resting on the rocks.-  Although fasinating....it was also really smelly:D

 

Perched above the sea in Flinders Chase National Park, the impressive Remarkable Rocks form what appear to be a cluster of precariously balanced granite boulders. This stunning work of nature has been shaped by the erosive forces of wind, sea spray and rain over some 500 million years.      

The real 'Remarkable Rocks'

This place really was beautiful

Where there is one....

 .....there's another.

  

 Next stop Seal Bay - We both enjoyed this very much...being able to stand within a few meters was amazing, if a little dangerous during the mating season.

 

Next stop the ferry and our tired journey home to Adelaide....