Day One

TUESDAY 13TH NOVEMBER

We left home around 9am and drove for around 6 hours until we got to 'Dog on a tucker box' at Gundagai. Em and Rob had told us we had to check it out coz it was just something you do. 'Twas a little underwhelming...

Ha!

We grabbed some food from a cafe with 'vegetarian food'

which i was very excited about but we just got these weird deep fried cheesy broccoli thingos. Not so nice. Although, everything was so cheap - like a home made ice coffee and the food and a bottle of water for $6! Crazy! The cafe was kinda cool - it was in an old train and had antiques available to buy throughout the cabin.

The area smelled pretty gross and it was super hot too so we got out of there pretty quickly.

We drove for a little while longer until we got to Albury which was our first overnight stop.
We grabbed some beers and spent the arvo near the Murray River.

We then checked into our hotel. We stayed at the Rydges. Pretty average accommodation, but not too bad. Fine for one night.

We had dinner at a pizza place called Cafe Victor. It was probably one of the best pizzas we've ever had so if you go to Albury, have a pizza there. It was right across the road from the Rydges. The staff were lovely too. Oh - it also had some broccolini in garlic, chilli and olive oil which was AMAZING!! We all know that anywhere with a good broccoli dish is a winner in my books : )

And that was it for day One.

Day Two

WEDNESDAY 14TH NOVEMBER

We woke early and went for breaky at Canteen Cuisine on the main road. Pretty boring breakfast so wouldn't recommend that spot but it was nice to sit in the sun before we got driving again.

After breakfast we drove up to Huon Hill (about 1/2 an hour drive) to the lookout. It was a beautiful drive up the dirt road.

The lookout itself wasn't as nice as the drive up but Scott got excited coz we could see the Defence Force Vehicle Plant. I didn't take a photo of this.

When we'd had enough viewing we started our drive to Echuca which should've taken about 2.5 hours but took a little longer due to stopping for photos and scott wanting to fish.

First stop was when we first saw Lake Mulwala in Warby-Ovens National Park with all these trees sticking out of the water. This is where Scott tried some fishing. Quite unsuccessful. It was a cool spot to stop but it was pretty hot and there were dead trout around which made it smell and brought the flies in from every direction so we weren't there for long.

After leaving here and driving for a little while longer we found a much more impressive part of this lake with thousands of trees sticking out of it so we stopped for a couple more photos.

I'm trying to teach Scott to keep the horizon straight on photos. Not going so well as you can see.

Pretty cool!

We then decided to keep driving to Ecuca with no more stops.
We checked into the place we were staying at for the next two nights. Recommended by Kristina and Steve. It was so so lovely. Called Adelphia Apartments - beautifully styled and very welcoming. There was a king sized bed with a bath in the same room all looking over the river (Capaspe River).

                                                   She left us a bottle of moet. So sweet.

We had a beer at an old pub across the road and went for a walk around town which was pretty cute. Lots of lovely people.

Dinner was at a near by restaurant on the Murray River called Oscar W's which Em recommended I think. It had just brought in a new tapas menu and it had heaps of vego so I was a happy camper. It was  all beautiful.

That was it for day Two.

Day Three

THURSDAY 15TH NOVEMBER

We had breaky up the road in town at Murray and Shona's Courtyard Cafe. It was ok. Not the best but not too bad.

We went to the Holden museum after breaky which was pretty damn cool. I suggest anyone to have a look through if you're in the area. $8 to get in.

We had booked a paddle steamer ride up to to Morrison's Winery so we hopped on the P.S. Canberra around noon and travelled up stream for a half hour ride. Hopped off at the Winery and did some wine tasting and had some lunch. I didn't love the wines but Scott liked the Shiraz and the food was pretty good. We had a walk around the vineyard while we waited for our back ride in the paddle steamer.

For the arvo, we walked up to the local 10 pin bowling and had a few games there for the arvo and then spent the rest of the night eating take away indian from Ecuca Curry Club (pretty good) and playing monopoly on our cute little balcony. 

And that's Day 3.

Day Four

FRIDAY 16TH NOVEMBER

We took off from Ecuca around 7am. Had a cheeky McDonalds drive though breaky and got on driving along the Murray Valley Hwy. We stopped off at the John Deer Store in Swan Hill where we bought some xmas gifts.
When we continued our drive we came across some salt plains which was awesome! We went for a walk on them (Scott tasted it to make sure it was salt - it was) and it was pretty soft - Scott was too heavy for it and kept sliding everywhere. Pretty funny. I was all good coz I'm so skinny (ha).

We then kept driving onto Adelaide. The drive was pretty interesting. Lots of different trees and colours - not just the same farmland the whole way which lots of other drives have. We did notice though, that there was no wildlife the whole way apart from birds (quite a few eagles) which was weird.

Arrived at Adelaide at around 2pm (Adelaide is 1/2 an hour behind Sydney time which we didn't know until we got there). We didn't have any accommodation so we just booked a night at a little best western motor inn close to Glenelg Beach. Pretty average accommodation but great spot.

We went to the Surf Life saving club on the Beach for a few drinks which was awesome. So crap that NSW doesn't have them. They had some live music on the grass beneath the club so we got to listen to that which was lovely.

After this we went for a walk along the pier and a walk on the beach. The water was FREEZING! Beautiful beach though.

We then went back to the grass where the music was playing and got some yummy wine from the coopers tent and continued to listen to the great music.

                                                    The view from where we were sitting.

We walked and got some dinner when the music was finished - from Good Life Organic Pizza. It was a cool restaurant but the pizza wasn't that good.

                                                    The walk to dinner. So pretty.

We played pool at a pool hall for the rest of the night. Ha! None of the pubs had any pool tables so this is what we had to resort to. It was kinda cool and a bit lame at the same time...but we had fun. Ha.


Day Four done!

Day Five

SATURDAY 17TH NOVEMBER

We had breaky at a Tapas restaurant up the road near the beach called Tuscan Tapas (I think) which was ok. Then head off on our way to Sellicks Beach (about 40 mins away). We stopped off at Maslin Beach was very pretty but apparently there are lots of sharks. It also used to be a nudist beach. We took a walk around some cliffs and there were a couple of nude bums hanging around. We got outta there pretty quickly.

We then carried on our way to The Victory Hotel where we were staying (Em and Robs recommendation) for the next 2 nights. We got our own private cabin with amazing views out onto the ocean over olive groves, vineyards and farmland.

We went and grabbed some burgers and chips from the beach side shop and ate them on the steps of our cabin, in the hot sun with a cool breeze, overlooking this heaven. 

Scott had a nap after lunch.

Up the back of our cabin.

We had a drive around after a nap and bought some cleanskin wines from Aldinga Bay Winery (kinda strange place). What we tried at the cellar door was very nice but i think he gave us some chardonay instead of 2006 sav blanc. Poop! We also got some red 2003 Barbera which we had never heard of but it was pretty yummy. We are yet to see if he's given us something different in the box!

We then had to get to the shops before 5pm to get some ingredients for the next nights dinner coz EVERYTHING shuts then! Crazy! Dead town after 5. 

This night we had dinner at the Victory Hotel which was beautiful. We Recommend it for sure! It was very packed so I think everyone agrees (it's also like the only place to go!).

And thats Day 5! 

Day Six

SUNDAY 18TH NOVEMBER

As part of our accommodation package we got a breakfast platter so we made our own breaky this morning. It was a nice little touch we think.

We played golf at Lady Bay Golf Course in Normanville which was about 1/2 an hour from where we were staying. The course was pretty cool. There were kangaroos hanging around but also a lot of flies which was pretty annoying. The weather was quite strange there - it was a stinking hot day with a freezing cold wind. We played pretty poorly - we blame it on the flies : )

We had a lazy night that night. Cooked up a stir-fry and watched telly. Then walked over the the Victory Hotel for some sticky date pudding. It was YUM!!!!


Day 6 over!