>Had an excellent time on KI with Fabi and Sabina. Three days just wasn’t enough to take it all in given its road. Only 3 major roads are sealed (tarmac’d) with the others being best suited to 4×4. We didn’t have one so mostly ambled along at 20kph making the most of the free massage effect of our ’86 ford falcon (photo courtesy of Sabina, whos car this is).

The scenary was spectacular, and the wildlife just adorable and quite unphased by the intrusion we tourists make to the Island. Roos and Wallabys would allow you within 4-5 feet of them, and one evening we even had possoms join us for dinner. No matter how hard we tried to scare them off they were intrigued enough (and hungry, I guess) to be persistent and keep coming.

As I said in an earlier post it is expensive to get there, but it is well worth it! Especially to visit the Andermel Marron Cafe. They serve delicious marron (crayfish) and also have a small winery with some super wines. I couldn’t resist but purchase 6 bottles for the princly sum of $55 – bargin! (photo courtesy of Fabienne)

I won’t ramble too much. I want a tale or two to tell when I return to the UK. Here are some additional photos of from the adventure:

>It is 6 days until 3 of us begin our road trip to Perth, with the first stop being Kangaroo Island, also known as KI. We will be calling back at Adelaide to pick up a 4th person who sadly cannot afford to join us, as it can get a little expensive thanks to the ferry company which has a monopoly on the route and charges as it sees fit. Apparently it is second most expensive ferry route in the world, when cost and distance are considered. How true this is I have no idea – something for you to google, or for me another time :p

Anyway, we return briefly to pick up our 4th fellow Perth-goer and continue via Port Augusta, Port Lincoln (where a dozen oysters should cost no more than $10 ! :D), and may other ports no doubt. We don’t yet have a defined route other than, of course, to follow the highway, of which there are only two to perth, and one via port lincoln. Who said planning was difficult? :p

The next few days will be spent finalising the essentials for making our journey one of comfort and fun. I acquired a free body board from the hostel so look forward to sand surfing and wake-riding, and to safeguard against complete cos of communication I am currently looking to buy a CB radio and an adapter for the cigarette lighter so we can charge our iPods, mobiles and, of course, laptops.

The weather hasn’t been too good of late. Rain in fact. Refreshing when its a shower or two, but irritating when it is 3 days. Nonetheless, it’s welcome is these parts (as i’ve no doubt said before). Thus the last week has been pretty quiet. Clubbing Sunday. Grace Emily’s on Monday, PJ O’Brians for some awful comedy on Tuesday. Last night was pizza night and we watched Perfume which I copied off someone and burned to DVD. It is quite a familiar routine, but the people change and from one week to the next it is never the same. We have quite a good group in the hostel. I’ve already made plans for a shopping trip in Zuirch when I return :-p

>not so easy come. even easier go. Last week I worked at the Legal Services Commission of South Australia, in the records department, filing and archiving files related to legal aid. It was supposed to be an initial 2 week contract but after 4 days apparently there was no further work to require the use of temps. The nature of being a temp unfortunately. I was supposed to start work again on monday working for an ISP here in Adelaide, but the job has apparently been withdrawn, so I am again waiting to see what can be offered in the way of temp work here in Adelaide. I’d very much like to stay and secure a 3 month contract. We’ll see what this week brings. Having done two jobs now I am hopefull that I can secure more temp work.

Emma left for Alice this morning (6:30am). Took her rucksack down to the pick up point and said goodbye for the second time in 2 months. Perhaps we will meet again on our travels, if not definately back in the UK.

Not much else to report really. Had a great time with Emma here (if a little expensive with eating out etc). Went to Mt Lofty again yesterday evening and took a photo of the view I so elleqouently described before (not). The photo doesn’t do the view justice so if you are ever here do check it out!

>Finally my break to make up for some of the money I have flittered away these last three months. I’m just back from Hay’s office where I seemed to have made an impression after completeing 3 days work in 1 day. Before I could be confirmed to start my new role courtesy of Hay’s I had to take a little test today. I was given 15 or so numbers and the same in names and asked to put them in order; numbers lowest to highest (numbers were 6 digits long) and names alphabetical. Polished up in around 5 mins and scored highly, with only two names out of place thanks to me not being a librarian and thinking clearly that the c in McDonald is ignored when alphabetising, and that in double barrel names it is the letter before the hyphen which takes precedence. I know that now 😀 Crux of it is I qualify and start work Tuesday, initially for 2 weeks, but its a rolling contract and they have people there already who have been working for 5-6 weeks. I just have to learn to pace myself and not do everyone else out of a job as well as me this time :p I don’t think it’s possible as I’m told its quite a large archiving process.

Emma arrives tomorrow morning for 4 days, so I get to spend some time showing her the few sights of Adelaide. I might hire a car for the weekend. I went to dinner last night with a friend then we drove to the Adelaide Hills, near Mnt Lofty. At night the hills are unimpressive until you decsend back in to Adelaide. If only I had thought to take my bloody camera! The view of Adelaide at night was amazing! A completely flat landscape littered with tiny lights as far the the eye could see. The CBD was clearly visible with only a few high rise buildings extending above the carpet of LEDs. It’s a must for a photo opportunity, and so far the best view I’ve had of Adelaide. After we stopped by the beach for a while, and it was refreshing to sit along the promenade at midnight where the temperature was a comfortable 19.5C! The second best view I had was when I looked up and saw the sky littered with stars. Not for a long time have I witnessed such a spectacle to marvel at.

>what a chore! Yesterday I found myself not cleaning chairs, but marquee’s – and there were only three of us to do what normally is done by 6 people! I did come up with an idea to speed things up and make our lives easier, which the foreman seemed to appreciate – why they hadn’t thought of it before is beyond me. I was supposed to return today, but when the alarm woke me at 6:30am I was too tired and sore from yesterday to make the effort to get out of bed. Just hope they pay me my $90 for yesterday’s efforts.

This foray into the world of blue collar work has now lead me to commit myself for 6 months to try and secure an office job here in Adelaide. I quite like it here now. I already have friends in the form of Alex and his uni mates, with invitations to parties most weekends and meeting up for drinks during the week. I’ve also made some good friends at the hostel I’m staying at who have been here for some time, so the situation is all quite good. If I were to get the role I’d be happy to stay and then spend the last 3 months travelling. I’m already resigned to the fact I won’t see everything Australia has to offer. And at the end of the day, whilst I am backpacking, it has more of a packge tour feel about the whole experience given the path has been walked by tens of thousands of backpackers before me, all clutching the latest edition of the Lonely Planet (I have two, so I guess that makes me worse) with places to stay, must things to see and do with countless tour companies all to willing to oblige in showing you the ‘ultimate’ experience. So I am not entirely disappointed.

Met up with Alex lastnight at Grace Emily’s. A mix of live music, cheap beer, and around 23:00 a ‘free’ BBQ with cold coin donations very much appreciated for a sausage in a slice of bread. Last night was particularly good as Alex and I met up with some German friends from Sydney. I met Ben and Sula when I was in Melbourne too. It was quite strange really. When we got to the pub Ben and Sula knew some people who I had met yesterday evening at my hostel. The backpacking community gets smaller each day.