Maybe it’s my childhood as a country bumpkin that explains my affection for South Australia. The people here seem so friendly and down to earth, while the country towns are adorned by stone buildings, old-fashioned bakeries and second-hand bookshops. I feel very much at home.
Even Adelaide seems quiet and peaceful compared to Melbourne. There are some lovely little arcades, such as the Adelaide Arcade, that remind me of the Block Arcade in Melbourne. It seems to take very little time to drive into Adelaide, and the farms reappear on either side soon after you leave the city.
We had to visit Adelaide, not just out of curiosity, but because of my needs as a camper. I had told Davey’s nephew, James, an Adelaide resident who kindly took us out for dinner, about how I was surviving even relatively mild nights in a tent: wearing two jumpers (with another nearby), a scarf, and pyjama pants over leggings. James responded sympathetically and succinctly: “You need a better sleeping bag.” He went on to describe the promising camping stores in Rundle Mall.
I thought to myself, “There’s no way I’m wasting all that money.” After all, my four nights in Robe and McLaren Vale had been tolerable, though icy shafts of air had frequently pierced my armour of extra clothing, including the woollen rug and European winter coat that I had laid over the top of my inadequate sleeping bag.
When I mentioned these rather unpleasant nights to Barry, he began sending me links to quality sleeping bags and then Davey jumped on the bandwagon. They crushed my dwindling resistance and soon I was the proud owner of a MacPac Latitude XP 700, bought in Rundle Mall (where there are also some tempting shoe shops). The sleeping bag was on special, but pricy nonetheless.
Last night in Clare, I tested out the new model and it was like a heavenly dream. It seemed as though I was wrapped in warm, encircling arms. As I sank into forgetfulness, I felt sheer gratitude to all my friendly advisors.
Today we are exploring a historic town, Burra (recommended by Wendy), where old stone miners’ cottages grace the streets and the second-hand shops are filled with the kind of objects with which I would gladly furnish a country cottage, if I only owned one. There was even a crowded second-hand bookshop with tomes such as The Decameron by Boccaccio. Who would have thought, in such a tiny settlement? We bought And Be a Villain by Rex Stout.
So now it’s not just a pleasure to experience the golden autumn days in South Australia, but also the starry nights.
 |
 |
 |
| Autumn in Burra | A miner’s stone cottage, Burra | Wonky bull-nose verandahs, Burra |
 |
 |
 |
| Vintage car rally in McLaren Vale | Old stone hotel in Burra |
Vietnamese chicken by Davey |
Quick Summary
- Accommodation:
McLaren Vale Lakeside Caravan Park (acceptable)
Clare Caravan Park (quite pleasant, good kitchen) - Some Aboriginal names:
Coorong – thought to be derived from a word of the Ngarrindjeri people, meaning “long neck” and referring to the shape of the lagoon; Goolwa – also believed to be from a Ngarrindjeri word, this time meaning “elbow”; Noorioopta – may be an Aboriginal word for “meeting place” - Podcast from Robe to Clare: The Guardian: Australian Politics with Katharine Murphy (recommended by Maureen)
- Unsettling trend: The wineries in Clare charge $10 for tastings! But not, thankfully, at Skillogalee. Despite this attack on civilisation, Davey has already bought 8 bottles. Crazy man.