Road trip – Page 5

Vacation day 9. Mount Remarkable National Park (Flinders Ranges)

After a little rest at home we went north to Finders Ranges. This is a really huge territory and we saw just a tiny peace of it, but still it’s something.

For the great joy of Reda we found this female grasshopper laying the eggs. How does she manage to dig a hole in such a hard ground?

Very cosy birds – White-browed Babblers (lat. Pomatostomus superciliosus) – always hanging out in gangs and making funny noise.

No, this is not the same noisy miner we see in the city. That’s a Yellow-throated Miner (lat. Manorina flavigula).

Reda the explorer and a very promising sign.

I’m not the expert of kangaroos, but I think that’s two different species.

Sacred Kingfisher (lot. Todiramphus sanctus).

I went to the shower at night and event winced. For a second I thought that’s a really big moth. But that’s a welcome swallow, well, occupied swallow, in this case.

Vacation day 8. Victor Harbor

Our trip from Adelaide to Melbourne and back came to the end, but the vacation didn’t. On the eight day we went to Victor Harbour to see the Little penguins.

Brown Quail (lat. Coturnix ypsilophora) – the real master of disguise.

While waiting for the penguins.

It seems it’s going to rain.

Singing Honeyeater (lot. Lichenostomus virescens).

It’s getting dark.

Strange rocks.

Finally! The penguins are back from the hunt. They are really sensitive to the light, so you can’t use the flashlight. These little birds are really fun to observe. The way they walk and climb on the rocks is really funny and amazing at the same time. They don’t have hands but can climb the rocks so steep not every human could. And even one falls down it’s nothing. They are really tough creatures.

Road Trip: Adelaide – Melbourne. Day 7.

On the seventh day we came back to Adelaide to rest a little before continuing our journey. On our way back we visited Hallet Cove. The funniest thing we saw that day, were the exploding seeds of some plant. Poor bugs that where sitting on those barrels of TNT.

Little show-of before hitting the road again.

Kiata – town in the middle of nowhere.

It’s forbidden to take any fruits and vegetables to SA so we disposing remaining apples and other goods. The funny thing is, that this should stop fruit flies from invading the state, but while we were gathering stuff to be thrown away or car was full of those flies 🙂

The rocks of Hallet Cove.

Somewhere far away like a mirage – Glenelg.

It seams like you are on Mars.

Elephant the climber.

The sunset.

Road Trip: Adelaide – Melbourne. Day 6.

We packed our stuff and went further.

When it’s time to leave the Sun is shining. Nothing new.

Our hostel with the bar that is always empty. Every time you pass, waiters looked at you with hope, that you stop for a drink.

Here we are still in Melbourne. And here we are in the middle of nowhere.

We passed a giant koala protecting little shop and a mini zoo. Though the road is between large cities, it doesn’t look like there are a lot of visitors. Everything is old and a bit abandoned.

In the afternoon we reached the Little Dessert National Park. We placed a ten in the middle of a huge camping site with only one camper van in it.

We watched kangaroos.

All sorts of birds.

Flies.

Little birds.

And bigger ones.

Later we were preparing dinner. When you don’t have a can opener you need to improvise.

Our block.

Mom with the crazy red eyes and her always hungry kid.

Did I mentioned, that we went north where it supposed to be warmer. It was really nice in the daytime. At night we sat in the tent looking our photos. And then the fun started. Something was scratching around in the dry leaves. Then something big passed just next to our tent and we heard the sound of emu.

Then we went out to enjoy the stars and to have some fun.

Our auras.

The fight of the creatures.

Our ride.

Kangaroo-Luka.

Reda and her imaginary friend.

Laurius and his bike.

Reda catching the wave.

Luka showing of in her new princess dress.

Road Trip: Adelaide – Melbourne. Day 4.

One more freezing morning came. We stayed at a free camp site full of people with kayaks. They were living in huge tens of which some served as a kindergarten. Nearly a small town.

In the morning we met three kookaburras who were demanding food from everybody. After they got a piece of raw meat they flew to the tree and were killing the meet while smashing it, like it was a lizard or other creature.

Kookaburras often take care of a nest in a company of three – the parents and the elder child.

We spent a night next to the river where we were bitten by sand flies. If you think that mosquitoes are bad, than you probably haven’t faced these creatures.

Totally Australian scenery.

Crimson Rosella. They are more orange around Adelaide. But when you come closer to Melbourne, they become red.

Australians really like horses.

That’s the proper way of travelling.

Australia!

The road was winding along the ocean.

Passing through little touristy surfing towns.

We stopped for a walk in one of them

Warning in the cafe.

Laurius is waiting for the fresh juice.

You can really feel that the closer you get to Melbourne, the more tourists there are. Road signs designated for them.

We were still worried about the weather as it was cool and rainy.

And finally we’re in Melbourne. We were lucky to get a room near the CBD, even though, it was the Melbourne Cup that day. The city was full of high-heeled and hatted ladies.