• Esoteric Adventures
  • Amanda Jones
  • Esoteric Adventures
  • Amanda Jones

Big Lap

One year off to travel this big sun burnt land Read more
  • Trip start
    May 3, 2025

    Pre planning update

    November 28, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    Well we have booked Kakadu, Broome and Derby. We get the new 4wd UTE this week. Have told work I'm leaving. So we are all set.

  • Goon ready

    February 15, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    Goon bags or the now call them Bagnums are a great way to carry wine, as they are light. Weight is everything on the big lap.

  • Not long now

    April 18, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Doing the final pack up for both house and caravan

  • The start and goodbye

    May 2, 2025 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 15 °C

    Leaving our house for the adventure of a lifetime (hopefully).Thanks Matt and neighbours for the send off.

  • Day one - Sydney to Jugiong

    May 2, 2025 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    What a great start!! Our love neighbours gave us such a great send off.

    We’re thankfully leaving the awful rainy weather behind with blue skies and sunshine ahead.

    Saw a few “shit box rally” cars enroute to Jugiong.

    Then an amazing dinner at “The Sir George” hotel in Jugiong. Love it here.

    Staying in the Showgrounds here in Jugiong then off to Griffith tomorrow.
    It’s chilly here tonight. Forecast 6 degrees.
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  • Hay, NSW

    May 4, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Travelled from Jugiong to Griffith and stayed a night (meh).
    Drove from Griffith the Hay.

    Cute little town. Free camping tonight beside the Murrumbidgee river.

    So peaceful. Dogs are having a great time too!!!

    (PS Mother’s Day lunch only $25 for 2 courses AND you get a glass of wine!!!! How about that!!!!)
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  • Renmark by the Mighty Murray River

    May 6, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Yesterday we drove from Hay to Euston and stayed in a really lovely caravan park.
    Today we crossed three states.
    Euston (NSW), Mildura (VIC) ending up in Renmark (SA)

    We’re staying in a bush camp right by the Murray River for the next 2 nights.

    It’s so peaceful (except for sooky Pablo crying for attention)
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  • Day 7th of may

    May 7, 2025 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

    We spent the day in Renmark visiting a brewery, and Gin maker and cliffs over looking the mighty Murray. We went on a paddle steamer and finished off with a fire and wagyu Steaks.

  • Karoonda Silo art

    May 8, 2025 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 11 °C

    Overnight here in Karoonda. They have art projections on their Silos. A series of artists throughout the year.

    On to Adelaide tomorrow.

  • Aelaide Central Market

    May 9, 2025 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    Adelaide Central Market is a party for your senses. There is no other Market like this, in Australia anyway. Cheeses, butchers, seafood , mushroom shops to even milk from the Flerurieuian Peninsula. Specislist gourmet small restaurants selling Italian foods, Spanish, seafood and oyster bars. Mandys favourite is Portuguese Tart place called Saudade. Andrew likes the butchers O'Connell's which mas a smoker and you can buy fresh smoked Chickens.Read more

  • Big day in Radelaide

    May 10, 2025 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

    Great day, started hanging out with me step brother Chris in Semaphore, then we went to Rundle Mall, Festival Theatre, then the Big Shed Brewing in Woodville and topped it off with a sundowner at the Largs Bay Hotel. Beautiful weather today, Adelaide really put it on for us. Largs Bay Hotel is where Cold Chisel and ACDC all got their starts, use to be a wild pub.Read more

  • Meet Wyatt champion Great Dane

    May 12, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    This kid (he is only 9 months old) has won so many dog shows). He was camped up next to us with his mum in Semaphore. Glad to get a cuddle as we said our goodbyes and headed to the Barossa.

  • Barossa Wineries

    May 12, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Spent our first morning in Barossa looking for a German cake which is something like a Beesting, cousins said we had to eat one. Then we went to an amazing winery that was almost shut down and was abandoned for 10 years till the new owners bought it sight unseen, the "Chateau Tanunda" which is 130 years old, then we went to Seppeltsfield home of the Para Liquor Port, they even had a 100 year old port which you could taste for $180 small glass.Read more

  • Flowers

    May 13, 2025 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 14 °C

    We saw Andrew’s family on Sunday (Mother’s Day). His Aunty Lorraine was so thoughtful and gave me some beautiful flowers from her garden. I’ve been careful with them putting them in the sink when we’re on the move and they’re a brightening up our little van beautifully. Thanks Aunty Lorraine. ❤️ (one photo in Sunday and one today)

    I had a lovely day chatting with my girls and Zach messaged from Japan .

    A lovely day overall.
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  • Barossa - day 2 & 3

    May 14, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Fabulous few days in the Barossa Valley.
    Yesterday we took it slowly and soaked up the great weather.

    We visited Henschke in Keyneton tasting some great wines.

    Today Andrew’s Uncle Peter, Aunty Lorraine and cousin Chris took us to a couple of lesser known vineyards for tastings - Gumpara and Gibsons.

    Lorraine grew up here in Nurioopta. Learned a lot about the area.

    Also got to see some beautiful flower arrangements at the flower club morning Lorraine invited us to.
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  • Diesel sprays, Pikes wines and beers

    May 15, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Wow I did the most stupid thing today, I tried filling a Jerry can with high flow truckers diesel, needless to say it sprayed me all over my jeans, socks and shoes ( fk #$#@#). But things got better after we arrived a Polish Hill (Clare) to try Pikes Wines and Beers. Very dry out here with farmers suffering in drought. Hopefully Lake Eyre flooding will bring some rain. Camped at Blyth tonight on the sports oval. Oh and we got starlink working. Tomorrow we start heading into Flinders Rangers.Read more