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Grape Escape 2

October - December 2017
A 60-day adventure by The Travel Bug Read more
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  • TravelerGrape Escape 2
    Day 36

    McClaren Vale

    November 25, 2017 in Australia ⋅ 15 °C

    Today we have had a great day out with a lady called Jeanne, a local tour guide. She has taken us to places we would never have found and was great company. She had carefully planned the day to incorporate some gardens and art, plus wines that we could source in the UK. The McClaren Vale is north of the Fleurieu Peninsula, abutting southern Adelaide. It is renowned for red wines predominately, but we actually tasted some very palatable whites also. The wineries are mainly small and boutiquey and prepared to experiment with their blending. The countryside is simply beautiful, mixed agriculture, or grassed and rolling hills
    Fox Creek was our first stop, where we sampled the full range. Again, the sparkling Shiraz was a star. It is something we have not come across before coming to South Australia and it is eminently drinkable. The Winery is set in a pretty English cottage garden and we are continually amazed at the English flowers that can be grown here. The roses are stupendous, despite the lack of water, but no problem with an open sunny aspect of course!
    We had coffee and scones at a lovely garden cafe whose name escapes us. Minor birds serenaded us from the trees and the blue fairy wrens were everywhere. Lunch was taken at Gemtree. Another lovely Winery with a view to die for. The wines were pretty good too; organic and biodynamic, which means the work in the vineyard is organised according to the phases of the moon. This is of course a growing system as old as the hills and largely forgotten in these days of inorganic methods, but boy does it work. We finished the wine tastings at Coriole and had a really interesting encounter with a lady called Dorinda Hafner. Here we met an engaging and ebullient character. She is originally from Ghana and married to an English Psychiatrist. She is something of a television personality, has written twenty books, mainly cookery and raised her family here in Australia, although they were born in London. She proudly showed me a picture of her two grandsons (well you know Grandmas!). "Look at that"she said "white as a sheet - when I take them out I'm mistaken for the hired help!" I produced a photo of Rafe, explaining his lineage. "Well, at least he looks as if there is a touch of Africa in him". She was delightful and it was one of those meetings where you felt as if you had known one another for ever.
    The day was drawing to a close and Jeanne drove us across to the coast and the famous Aldinga beach. It was warm, sunny and the sea true blue, dotted with surfers and a real sight to behold. Dinner was taken at The Victory close by, accompanied by a glass of Rockford's Black Sparkling Shiraz - the best yet. We drove back across the Hindmarsh Valley and to my delight there were Kangaroos everywhere. It was a superb day to complete our stay on the Fleurieu Peninsula.
    Thank you Jeanne!    Read more

  • TravelerGrape Escape 2
    Day 37

    On the road to the Barossa

    November 26, 2017 in Australia ⋅ 20 °C

    We are moving on today and heading north to the Barossa Valley and yet more wines. It's tough out here you know! The journey is very picturesque through the Adelaide Hills and then on to the Barossa. It is a beautiful morning and the gums and grasses glisten in the sunlight. The cattle and sheep doze under the trees and it is a straightforward journey to Hahndorf which is the halfway point. As you may have guessed from the name, this is a small town with strong German antecedents and from here on this is a continued theme. We stopped for a couple of hoùrs and had lunch at the aptly named Udder Delights! A local cheese platter was the order of the day. Here in Hahndorf are all things German, from Cow Bells to Chippendale Lederhosen aprons!
    It was busy being a Saturday and within easy shouting distance of Adelaide. The town was a charming stop and we eventually pushed on north, again through beautifully scenic country. Our final stop 'The Louise' is just out of the town of Tanunda and 'a passionate vintners retreat' to quote the blurb. It is pretty special I must say and we are staying in a Vineyard suite with lovely views over the countryside. It boasts two showers, indoor and out! The outer version is in a secluded walled courtyard. It was a very warm late afternoon, so I felt I must take advantage of possibly the only chance I may ever have to use an outdoor shower. (in comfort I might add) There was just me and two sparrows perched on the top of the wall. They didn't stay long!    Read more

  • TravelerGrape Escape 2
    Day 38

    The Barossa

    November 27, 2017 in Australia ⋅ 20 °C

    It is wall to wall vines here and more cellar doors than you can shake a stick at! Lots we have not heard of, but others like, Penfolds, Jacobs Creek, Wolf Blass and Peter Leman are well known to us in the UK. As I hinted in yesterday's episode, this is an area with strong German influence. The names are a curious mix of English and German, such as Truro and Pewsey Vale and Tanunda. Some names were even more distinctly German prior to the 1st World War when the government enforced a change. Barossa's history stems from the arrival in the early 1840s of first English and then German settlers, who established settlements and created a unique interwoven culture that still exists today. Entire Lutheran villages moved from Silesia and Prussia to escape religious persecution. They were a God fearing and hard working people and German and English Anglican communities thrived side by side. Various agricultural practices were tried until vines proved to be perfect in the soils and climate of the valley. The success of these early pioneers led to the development of a commercial wine industry from the 1880s onwards. This is predominantly red wine and particularly Shiraz country, although one should not run away with the idea that that is all there is. The platters of regional fare offered everywhere are of the highest quality and each small village or town has its own very distinctive character.
    We have driven all over the the area today, visiting a huge and magnificent rose garden in Lyndoch, Rockfords Winery for a tasting session, which was excellent. It is the home of the Sparkling Black Shiraz I mentioned earlier, so we had to give it a look. Some of their other wines were equally exceptional and we will certainly try to track some down on our return home. Sadly, they had sold out of the 2016 sparkler and the 2017 will not be released for another week. Shame!!. Bethany was the first German settlement in the Barossa. In 1842 a group of 28 Silesian families came with their pastor to settle here and form a 'hufendorf' or village of farmlets. The village is still very much as it was with many of the original buildings still standing if adapted. There is a beautiful scenic drive that we followed to Angaston, which is of Scottish descent and this has retained lots of bluestone buildings of the time with intricately worked wrought ironwork. Tanunda is larger but equally historic, if relatively recent in European terms.
    We returned to the Louise late afternoon having had a thoroughly agreeable day and prepared to sample their tasting menu with its 'flight' of local wines. It was all very fine and the food and wine pairings quite different, even to the point of a red with fish.

    Our second day here dawned sunny and hot and we had mapped out a calmer day. We began with a visit to Seppeltsfield, a large Winery with history! Joseph Seppelt arrived here from Germany In 1840, with his wife Johanna and three young children. He intended to farm and in particular grow tobacco, which sadly proved not to be suited to the ground and so he turned to vines, about which he knew nothing. It was a steep learning curve, but the enterprise was up and running by the time he was succeeded by his son 'Benno'. Here was the true innovator and Benno expanded the business enormously, building huge cellars, wineries and a distillery, as he diversified into fortified wines and Brandy. Until 1960 the company had the monopoly of supplying 'medicinal' Brandy to every Australian hospital! By the 1920s Seppeltsfield employed over 150 people. They housed and fed their workers one good meal a day, on the basis that looking after their workers was the way forward to better productivity. (A lesson to be learnt here?). Feeding this vast workforce was the job of Sophie, Benno's wife. They married when she was sixteen and she went on to have 13 children, whilst masterminding all this. I sincerely hope she had help. The washing and feeding of her family would be enough for most!
    When the Depression hit in the 1930s, Benno continued this practice in an effort to keep his workers alive and the company going. The wine trade had bottomed out and he had the men plant huge stands of palms either side of the roads leading to Seppeltsfield. They are magnificent now.
    Typically, he of the 2nd generation expanded, his father of the 1st generation founded and his children of the 3rd generation lost it! The company is now, after various corporate buyers, in the hands of a single passionate owner once more, albeit not of the family. The estate is quite a sight to behold and something of a national treasure. There is an award winning cellar door, first class restaurant, the jam factory which house contemporary Art and Design studios. The original buildings are in great shape and used regularly, even if not for their original purpose. In the 1878 Centennial Cellar, Beeno started the legacy of maturing single vintage Tawney for 100 years before release. As a result the estate has an unbroken lineage of Tawney barrels of every vintage to the current year. This was certainly a Winery with a difference and we thoroughly enjoyed our morning there. There are wonderful rooms for private parties, some small, others seating up to 450. How about it wine group for the next Christmas Dinner?
    We moved on to Maggie Beer's Farmshop this afternoon. She is a television cook rather like Delia I gather. We had a fabulous light lunch of chicken and tarragon fritters and remoularde sauce with a of drink fennel cola. It was delicious and the cordial is made in the kitchens and topped up with mineral water. We wandered through to the farm shop in time for a cookery demonstration using some of her products. She uses by products of the wine industry to great effect. Things such as Verjuice, Vino Cotto, Sangiovese Verjuice to name but three. No, I'd never heard of any of this either, but would certainly use it if I could buy it in the U.K. Amazon could be the saviour here as they have just moved into Australia and I guess things they will be a-changing!
    We have thoroughly enjoyed our time spent here in the Barossa and move on tomorrow with the thought that we have covered it pretty well and can still walk to the car in a straight line!    Read more

  • TravelerGrape Escape 2
    Day 39

    Into the Flinders Range

    November 28, 2017 in Australia

    Sadly, our time in Barossa has come to an end and we moved on this morning from the lovely Louise. We knew this was to be a long drive and it certainly was, around 6hours with stops. There was little on the road and driving was easy. The temperature outside was over 90 by midday. Thank goodness for air conditioned cars! Initially we were in Grape country and this continued through the Clare Valley, famous for its Reisling. Here the climate is slightly cooler (not today) and the terroir more suited to the production of white white. We called into the town of Clare for a coffee and found a nice cafe. It was busy and not only with coffee drinkers, the two ladies on the next table ordered a chilled bottle of white and proceeded to get stuck in. It was only 11.30! We are clearly lightweights!!
    As we drove further north the landscape opened out and became gently undulating and agricultural. Mainly cereals are grown here and as it is harvest time down under, the Combine Harvesters were out in force. This is a breadbasket area. At one point the countryside was gold as far as the eye could see, which was many miles. Occasionally we would come across a small settlement or homestead, but by and large there was no one to be seen. Slightly eerie for people who struggle to find a quiet patch of road anywhere at home. The road began to climb almost imperceptibly and the landscape began to change. Trees came into view and gradually the predominance of agriculture started to wane. The soil took on a redder hue and sections of scrub started to appear amongst the fields. We had a late lunch stop at a place called Quorn, (no resemblance to Leicestershire whatsoever) which looked of a reasonable size on the map, but was smaller in actuality. We enquired at the Tourist office and were told there were two cafes down the road, so we set off in almost 100 degrees of heat to investigate. There they were on opposite street corners and there was no contest as to which to visit - Emily's Bistro won hands down! As we approached, we did begin to wonder what sort of establishment this was, as the windows were decked out like an old fashioned emporium and on entering, that is exactly what we found. It was extraordinary, a real time warp. The building was clearly of some importance when it was in its heyday in the 1920s and little has changed since. 'Emily' has furnished and decorated in a vintage and quirky manner, all the food was home made on the premises and I think you could say it was the find of the day. I have included some photos to give you an idea.
    The Flinders Range started to appear on the horizon and the ground became ever rougher and mountainous. We espied Kangaroos and Emus under the bushes and small trees, resting in the afternoon heat, apart from the one that decided to jump across the road, thankfully a little way ahead of us. It was then my job to keep my eyes peeled and warn the wary driver of any further incident possibilities! At last came the sign board for Rawnsley Park Station and we ventured down the track some couple of kilometres to our accommodation. We are again in an Eco Villa, made from straw bales coated on the exterior with a red earth coloured render. Minimal clearing of vegetation around the villas allows for clever blending in with the environment and the views of the Flinders Range are spectacular. Ceilings are high and the style is that of the old homesteads of the early settlers. The ceiling in the bedroom is glass and you can draw back the blinds to reveal the night sky, which is something we will try, when I'm not tapping away. Dinner tonight was taken in the Woolshed restaurant and was excellent. The driver had to run the gauntlet of multiple bands of Kangaroos. They were completely unphased, but I can't say that of my chauffeur! Our waiter was a young lad from Corby working his way around Australia, with his girlfriend. It could not be more different here to the steel town of the Midlands, or the flats of Norfolk come to that. We'll see what tomorrow brings.    Read more

  • TravelerGrape Escape 2
    Day 40

    Wallabies, Rocks and Copper

    November 29, 2017 in Australia

    It has been a fascinating day touring the Flinders National Park, in the company of our Rawnsley Guide Phil and a couple of other Poms from Reading, Ian and Sue. The geology here in the Wilpena Pound area is quite incredible and right up my alley. I won't bore you with too many details, but the rocks here are some of the oldest on the planet and their age and strata perfectly delineated in Brachina Gorge, which is a geological corridor through time. There are the very earliest fossils known to man in the rocks here. They are some 370 million years old, not that you would recognise them as they appear as spots in the rock the size of a 10 pence coin. You definitely need to have your eye in! This is a favourite haunt of David Attenborough, who has visited many times, both privately and professionally. To our delight we saw some rock wallabies half way up the Gorge rock face. They were resting in small caves away from the heat. One was as interested in us as we were in him, staring down with apparent fascination. Two others bounded up the cliff face as if it were nothing. Like all the animals here, Kangaroos and Emus also, they are extremely well camouflaged and you have to look hard to pick them out. The 4WD bounced up and down through the park and we viewed animals, birds, vistas and vegetation. including a tree called Xanthorea, or in Aboriginal speak 'black boy' or the more common name of Yakka. It is over 300 years old and everything from it is used to great effect by the Aboriginals, even the sap as a boiled sweet and as it hardens glue! For cricket fans, this is where the Simon Hughes Book title 'A Lot of Hard Yakka' originates. The famous Australian 'long drop dunnie' was tried out and pronounced not as bad as expected!
    We arrived at Blinman for lunch. It is a tiny Outback hamlet that rejoices in the princely sum of 17 inhabitants. It is the quintessential one horse town, but has an unexpected history. The only pub/hotel provided a welcome cold drink and lunch. Peter asked the obvious question 'How does it keep going with so few people?' We are visiting at the very end of the Tourist season up here. A lot of places close down for the summer when temperatures can soar to 50 degrees. Only the Europeans come then, to escape the cold winter at home. Most Aussies hunker down in the air conditioning, as bush camping (a great favourite here) would be impossible even for them. Imagine sleeping in a tent in such conditions! For nine months of the year the place is apparently heaving and they survive for the rest of the year on that. Blinman, in common with several towns in this area, are outside the jurisdiction of any local council. They pay no rates, local taxes etc, but of course they have no services, such as electricity, water, refuse, lighting and survive by cooperation and their own wits.
    In the 1850s a one legged shepherd called 'Peg Leg' ( could only be Australian speak) sat watching his flock just out of the town. He looked down and realised that he was gazing at a copper deposit. To buy the lease on the land was £10, far more than he could afford. He managed to persuade 3 others to join him and they purchased the land and sat on it. Seven years later they sold to a mining company for £7000, a fortune in 1800s. The depth of the deposit was realised and tin miners from Cornwall were imported. A nine month journey by sea, followed by a two month overland trek to Blinman and here at last were the sought after miners and their families deep in the Flinders Rangers. A situation more different to Cornwall could not be imagined. We were taken on a tour of the mine as it stands at the moment, by Sherri, one of the inhabitants who has been instrumental in the restoration of the 1860s mine. The amount of work involved here is astronomical and the money raised by 17 people similar. Sherri painted a lucid and gripping picture of the life of an 1860s hard rock miner. It was humbling and a testament to man's ingenuity and determination. The conditions were appalling and few men survived beyond 40 years of age. If an accident didn't get them, then silicosis did. I will try never to complain again. Yes, I know highly unlikely, but in the event Blinman will come to mind, both past and present.
    It has been a day to remember.    Read more

  • TravelerGrape Escape 2
    Day 41

    The Flinders Range from Above

    November 30, 2017 in Australia

    The day dawned clear and bright after the late cloud of yesterday, which was as well, as we were due at the Rawnsley Park Air Strip at 7.45am!
    This morning we were to view the Wilpena Pound and the surrounding ranges from the air and one of us was a little apprehensive! As I said to him, "it's only 30 mins - you managed the best part of 24 hrs to get here!" It's the reliance on one engine that gets him! We decided we would celebrate with breakfast afterwards (if we were spared!!). Our companions of yesterday, Ian and Sue joined us for the flight and the pilot Andrew explained the essentials, before proceeding to weigh us all (very discreetly I must say) and place us in the Cessna accordingly. I was relieved to actually have a seat rather than be strapped to the fuselage. Climbing into one of these small planes is something of a contortionist exercise, but we were eventually all settled, belted and microphoned up and at the end of the runway. This is a dirt track with the odd wind sock, which is very common in these parts. Most of the stations have their own strip and fly their own planes & helicopters and when you see the terrain you cannot be surprised. The take off was very smooth and we climbed and banked to the right. There were a few 'road bumps' as Andrew described the turbulence as we approached the Wilpena Pound rim particularly. 'Air is rising in front of the cliff face which is what we are feeling now - it will soon clear'. He was very calm and matter of fact and somehow it felt better to know the process.
    We had viewed the bluffs of the rim of the Pound from the ground and they are high and spectacular, but nothing prepares you for the sight of the whole structure from the air. It is impossible to take in the enormity and scale of the weathered mountains at ground level. These mountains are some of the oldest on earth, formed when the continent of Australia was part of the larger land mass of Gondwanaland. Movement of tectonic plates forced the earth upwards and folded it at the same time, forming a mountain range that would originally have been higher than the present day Himalaya.
    The peak of what is now Wilpena Pound, was faulted and eroded over millions of years, leaving this enormous rim and a lower undulating centre. Until the 1940s the Hill family farmed the interior and grew wheat would you believe. There is only one narrow pass into the interior of the circular Pound and the logistics that of keeping a farm going must have been horrendous. Initially geologists thought this must be a volcanic caldera, until it became apparent that the rocks are sedimentary not igneous, which blew that theory out of the water. However, it is clear to see from the air, what has been going on here and all around you, as far as the eye can see, the earths eroded crust looks like a gigantic piece of origami, folded and manipulated into fantastic shapes. Andrew kept up a fascinating commentary, explaining the various ranges and I can't tell you what a thrill it was to see the National Park from this angle and suddenly it put everything into perspective. Our 30 minutes was up in no time and we landed very gently back on terra firma. We lived to tell the tale and scrambled eggs never tasted so good!!
    After our early morning adventure we drove up to the village of Wilpena to take a closer look at the other side of the Pound and some other features that we had been told to look out for. As Andrew had predicted (born in Sheffield by the way) the clouds closed in and thunder rumbled and it rained in short bursts, quite hard, but not for long. The temperature dropped ten degrees and the air took on that wonderful aroma that occurs when water falls on baked earth. As we drove back towards Rawnsley, we witnessed a marvellous phenomenon that Phil had told us about yesterday. Kangaroos appeared from nowhere and converged on the roads. On the bitumen surface the water sat in pools and they were quick to take advantage of an easy drink. We saw dozens. It was an amazing sight and Peter had to edge the car forward until they deigned to move. Fortunately, there were few other cars on the road. Having mentioned that I had not seen a Kangaroo in 6 previous weeks of travel in Australia, I have now been spoiled for choice. There are usually several around the lodge morning and evening. They are the most unusual animal and I have become quite fond of them over the last two weeks. We are heading back to the Woolshed restaurant tonight for a final Flinders meal. The 'feral mixed grill' I think we'll avoid, but the Rawnsley lamb sharing platter does appeal. Tomorrow we head back to Adelaide to await the 2nd test, for which we have some tickets. It starts on Saturday and is to be the first day/night Ashes test match. Fingers crossed the red ball and a little more evening humidity will help
    us!
    See you in Adelaide.    Read more

  • TravelerGrape Escape 2
    Day 42

    Who did you say you were?

    December 1, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    I did not intend to write anything today, as I did not think there would be much to say. Always expect the unexpected! A huge thunderstorm erupted over our heads and the villa about one in the morning and rumbled on for a couple of hours. Sleep was impossible, so great was the noise. As I discovered later, I lay awake thinking about our long journey this morning, how difficult it might be and would it even be possible etc; Peter’s thoughts ran along the lines of how was he going to manage to save his Intercontinental points from a travel company booking! ( He did of course which may explain the following)
    Men are definitely from Mars, Women from Venus!! I rest my case.
    We left early and the storm had passed, although it was misty and rained on and off until we were out of the mountains. It is a 480kms drive down to Adelaide and all went smoothly. We arrived in Adelaide just before 3pm and it was and is cold, scarcely 18 degrees! Home thoughts from Abroad?
    When I booked all this last January, as I think I told you earlier, our preferred hotel had been booked out by the Aussies. So, we had to decamp to the Intercontinental over the road. Peter was mildly irritated, but all that changed this afternoon...........
    We arrive at the hotel, having missed the entrance first time round and after a painful negotiation of the one way system, eventually end up back where we should have been first time. The hotel was heaving and Peter slotted the hire car neatly into an impossible space whilst we checked in and so it began. Please remember that Peter is a member of the MCC and as such, keen on cricket - or so one would think?
    On our way up the hotel steps we bump into Jonny Bairstow and Mark Ramprakash - Peter oblivious! Checking in was straightforward; Michael Atherton was reading a paper on the sofa in the lobby and Graeme Swan drifts past - Peter misses both! We go to check out the restaurant and lobby bar, and the ENGLAND CAPTAIN, Joe Root is sitting at a table less that 3 feet away with his wife and young son eating - PL away with the fairies. Paul Farbrace (coach) is checking notes close by - nothing. Finally, the piece de resistance, we go to return the car to Avis and have to make a left turn into a tiny street. Peter narrowly avoids running down a cyclist (who cuts across him to be fair). Imagine the reaction from my driver, moaning and groaning should cover it for the purposes of our journal, until I point out that he has almost mown down Michael Vaughan!!
    As you will gather the England team and the accompanying Media circus are in our hotel. PL thinks he will nip down to the bar later for a swift drink with the lads. He will have to recognise them first! Do you not think failing to recognise the current England captain is a hanging offence if reported to the MCC? Seems likely to me. Let's hope there are no Wikileaks!
    We are on the 10th floor with a fabulous view over the Adelaide Oval from our bedroom window. You could throw a cricket ball from our bedroom window to the square with a good arm. Peter thinks "he will be ok here"?? Of course we could do with some decent weather for the match tomorrow that does not look to be forthcoming. I'm in search of a thermal vest in the morning. I left my winter clothes at home! The England team should feel very much at home. It's like a June day at Headingly. Let's hope the ball swings. Watch this space!    Read more

  • TravelerGrape Escape 2
    Day 43

    The Adelaide Test Day 1

    December 2, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    The match started at 2pm, by 2.30 RAIN STOPPED PLAY!
    You have to be joking and It was definitely as wet and cold as Headingly in June!!

  • TravelerGrape Escape 2
    Day 44

    A Test Free Day

    December 3, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    There has been no improvement in the weather today, but fortunately we have been spared huddling on a hard seat trying to keep warm!
    Luckily, our second set of tickets are for tomorrow, so we can only hope for a small improvement in the weather and England's performance.
    The emphasis today has been cultural and Adelaide can deliver this in spades. On our way out of the hotel we bumped into Glen McGrath lingering in the foyer. 'Good Morning, how are you?'says he. PL -“He clearly recognised me! Charming chap”.
    As I mentioned in an earlier report, this is a charming and very liveable city. There is a good mix of architecture, old colonial style cleverly interspersed with the modern. We walked down North Terrace this morning, which is a perfect example of the aforementioned, passing the classical Government building of South Australia, the Library, University of Adelaide, Governer Ayre's mansion house and the Art Gallery of South Australia. We lingered at them all, but made our first serious stop at the Art Gallery. It is beautifully curated and a thoughtful composition of 'old masters' and the modern. There are good collections of Hans Hysen and Sydney Nolan and a fascinating exhibition of Aboriginal cultural art called 'Tarnanthi'. We loved it. Our next stop,was the Botanic Gardens which we loved. Obviously, the Australian Genii were in the ascendancy, but the rose garden was again marvellous. There was a superb rainforest atrium and Amazonian hot house and a pleasant couple of hours drifted away. We had a spot of lunch and then wandered back along the beautiful River Torrens towards our hotel. The news of the cricket was not great from an England point of view, but the cricket chat in the bar tonight was lively. Jason Gillespie, Phil Tufnell, Damien Fleming and Tim Rice were all in attendance. This is certainly the place to be for people spotting. Let's see what tomorrow brings!    Read more

  • TravelerGrape Escape 2
    Day 46

    Test Day and an alternative

    December 5, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    We had our second day at the Test Match yesterday. Still cold, but a little sunnier. It wasn't a great day to be honest for the English. The top order batting was abysmal and we only came back into it late in the evening, when the bowlers actually started to take a few Australian wickets at twilight.
    By the finish at 9pm it was really cold. If Australia can't produce warm balmy evenings for this experiment, then I suspect only the sub-continent can.
    We are in two minds re the Day/Night version of a Test Match. It is a surprisingly different animal and most people do disappear before the end which probably wouldn't happen if it were finishing at 6.30pm. We were seated, as before, in a mixed stand of wildly enthusiastic Aussies and their slightly more restrained founding fathers! We had a good wander round, watching from various positions. Those seats are hard to sit on all day and no possibility of bringing the usual MCC cushions. Peter was resplendent in jacket, shirt and bold and custard tie as before ( not forgetting the trousers!). We had a few strange looks I can tell you, but also a few who stopped and said how wonderful it was to see. All is ultra casual here as you know, so I suspect there was no doubt as to our Nationality even if you didn't' spot the MCC tie. We warmed up back in the bar at our hotel, along with the world and his wife. Andrew Strauss, Jason Gillespie and Damien Fleming in tonight. Craig Overton stood to one side, chatting to who were clearly his parents. We realised that they had been sitting in front of us during the day and had a few heart searching moments, wondering whether we had said the wrong thing at any point? The conclusion was no! They were a lot calmer than I would have been had my son been playing in his first Ashes tour.
    Today we have had a quiet day, taking a short cruise down the River Torrens. Its banks have been allowed to remain in a very natural state, bringing the countryside into the city. Adelaide is a very green city, which only adds to its charm. We ended up at the Adelaide Zoo and decided to visit the pair of (hopefully) breeding Pandas that are here. The only pair in the Southern Hemisphere. Rafe is particularly fond of them and so part of this was to take some pictures for him. However, we were soon captivated; they are gorgeous. We were also able to catch up on Australian animals that we were unable to see in the wild, such as the Echidna and Tasmanian Devil. The small city Zoo is beautifully designed and kept and was quiet as the children have not broken up from school. We are now back in the hotel lobby bar enjoying a tray of Earl Grey tea. Old habits die hard! Ian Botham is sitting close by, but not with a tray of tea! A group of five ladies have just ordered their fourth bottle of champagne with apparently no effect. I am in awe, the lightweight that I am!    Read more

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