Australian Vacation - Day 4
Kangaroo Island - Adelaide
Got on the bus with the same guide as the day before only this time we had to be ready by 7:30. We’ve been staying in the YHA hostel in a small town of 250 people called Penneshaw on the east side of the island. Although it’s right next to the ferry, this means we always have to get picked up first, over an hour before people in the more centrally located town. The drive is pretty fantastic though so we can’t complain too much. Penneshaw itself is laid out across a hill with incredible sea views as you descend into it. On the highway to the rest of the island, the road is frequently lined with gum trees that are unlike anything you’d see in North America.
Our first stop for the day was a honey factory. Kangaroo island is very proud of the purity of their bees saying that they’ve been living in isolation for 130 years and have thus been immune to the same problems as most other worldwide bee colonies of recent years. Andrea was very happy to find homemade Crunchie bars for pretty cheap.
Next we hit Kelly Hill caves which were pretty cool limestone caves located inside a hill. They had cool lighting and plenty of stalagtites. A bit short on stalagmites for my liking though. I tried posing for a picture and almost took down this little rock wall they had set up by leaning on it. Andrea wasn’t happy with me but this other guy said he’d keep it a secret as I almost got the wall back the way it was.
After lunch, we spent a few hours in the amazing Flinders Chase National Park. Set on the western side of the island, the area was hit by wildfires 3 years ago which destroyed a lot of the trees, but for the most part it’s regenerating quickly. All of the best stuff in the park is on the coast, starting with Remarkable Rocks. They look totally out of place in this setting, but the jagged and hole filled rocks made for great picture material. Admirals Arch was another beauty. Huge waves continuously crashing on the rock have caused it to form a giant hole/arch about 50m high that’s now a resting ground for New Zealand fur seals. The sun came out just for this part and it made for an awe inspiring sight.
We finished the day off with a Pelican feeding, before hopping on the ferry back to the mainland and into Adelaide. One night here before our trip to South Australia comes to an end. We fly to tropical North Queensland tomorrow morning.
