Laid Back Adelaide : Attractions

Work seems to be greedy nowadays.

Spending most of my time mingling with updates, value captures and submissions.
I'm done for a while.

Finally, my great escape.

After a few posts I think there's more yet to be told.

Or is it just me who can't stop blabbing about Adelaide?

I think it's me.

Nah...who cares anyway.

Let's see if I can backtrack the whole itinerary during the short visit.
It's been a while.

The first attraction that got both of us excited would have to be Gorge Wildlife Park.
Remember the part that we wanted to cuddle the koala so bad?
This is where it all happened.

The admission was $15.
Not only do you get the chance to cuddle the koala, you can also spend time feeding the kangaroo.
Literally you can feed the kanga like you feeding a baby; right to their mouth.
It was there that I know they are a big fan of Arnott's biscuits.
And all that without any extra charges; $15 and you can do all mentioned above.
Other than that there are also Meerkat, Penguin, Camels and others.

Getting there from the city was a long and winding road.
First time driving in a foreign land, I was pretty sure that we were lost most of the time.
The road kept going on and on and we saw nothing.
Finally after about an hour or so, we saw the signage and got all excited.
Bear in mind that the Koala Cuddling session is at 11.30am, 1.30pm and 3.30pm.
So better plan your time well so that you don't missed out on that.

Our next pit stop was Hahndorf.
We reached at around 2pm and went straight to the room.
Truth was, we were so tired that we didn't manage to explore a whole lot there.
One thing about Hahndorf that I love is it feels homey.
It is also accessible via public transport.
We took some time to dine at The Haus.
We enjoy that a lot.
What's not to enjoy when there's food right?
Hahaha.

Right after that we head off to Port Elliot.
The view there was to die for.
I truly deeply madly fall in love with the whole area.

We then took a short drive to Victor Harbour.
There, we ride on the Horse Tram to Granite Island.
The horse was such a cutie and they all have great names.
We opted for a one way ride and it cost $7.
Then we hike around Granite Island and enjoyed the view it has to offer.
We also managed to catch the Penguin Feeding Session.
The penguins are so cute and cheeky that we almost adopted one of them.

The last thing that I  would like to list here is The Oyster Bar at Marina Pier

I will always remember this as it was my first oyster experience.

Along with great company and amazing view.

It was perfect as perfect can be.

We also did an oyster toast!

It was all fun fun fun.

I truly miss that moment.

Laid Back Adelaide Part 3 : The Rooms

Knock knock!

Who's back?!

Me me me!

Hello everyone...

Please bear with my sudden addiction to keep writing.

I'm not sure what kind of disease this is.

But it keeps me agitated that I just got to be back ASAP.

I guess once I run out of topic I should be back to normal.

So do keep praying for the time to come soon.

Like REAL soon.

One may just wonder what else will I be talking about this time.

Wonder no more people...here goes.

In this third installment, I think I'll just blab about something easy.

During the 5 days, we spent our night at four different places.

Both of us are grateful for the existence of booking.com.

It made life so much easier.

Oh wait, it didn't. 

It made just the booking of the rooms much easier.

Other than that life's pretty much the same.

After spending lots and lots and lots of time comparing and reviewing we finally decided and booked about a month before the trip.

Both of us were so busy that we had to ensure it is done way earlier or we will end up wandering around like zombies with a luggage in tow.

Hahahah enough of crapping back to the topic.

However I need to make it clear that the experience we had might differ from others.

So here is my part of the story and I'm not fabricating.

Our first stay was at Hostel 109 located along Carrington Street.

I like this place for many reasons.

The staff at the reception was super nice and friendly.

He guide us around the hostel and provide us all the infos we need to know ( read : Door Code and Wifi Password ).

 The room was not that spacious but sufficient.

Thank God that we are two little girls.

So not a major problem, we fit in perfectly.

There was also computer area to surf the internet.

I find that area as sacred as I spent quite some time googling the route to the next destination.

Located near to the City Centre was another plus point.

We walked all the way back from Rundle Mall the first night out.

There was also ample of parking spaces but you will have to pay on weekdays and Saturdays.

Free parking on Sundays.

You can easily find a convenient store, petrol station, and cafes around the area.

If you don't mind the walk, like the both of us, you will love the place.

At Hahndorf, we opted to stay at The Manna Hahndorf.

I have to say that it is the most posh room out of all four that we booked.

It was so perfect that both of us chose to stay in most of the time.

The deco of the room was simple yet there's a touch of elegance.

In its simplicity, it is also very rich.

I'll let the picture do the talking.

The room look exactly the same as in the picture.

We got the chance to watch some shows on TV and we enjoy that.

There was also a toaster and water heater that I utilised to prepare breakfast.

Other than that there was a mini fridge, iron and iron board as well as hairdryer.

Parking space was plenty and free. 

Upon leaving, we wished to stay there a little longer.

But time was against us and we find ourselves in Port Elliot about an hour later.

This time around, we booked a room at Port Elliot Beach House.

It really lives up to the name as there was really a beach right in front of the beach house.

The view was to die for.

I just can't get enough of the view.

It doesn't matter from which angle you are looking at, everything was breathtaking.

Aren't the room cute?

First thing both of us had in mind when we enter was "Awwww..."

The bed was so comfortable and we really enjoy the night we spent here.

The kitchen area was superb.

Same goes to the game and hang out area.

There was also a laundry room should you want to do your laundry.

After quite a long journey, it was worth every second.

In terms of cafes and places to dine there's only a few.

In case you plan to stay for long, don't forget to plan the meal as well.

The beach house do provide food coupons at the nearest cafe, but usually it will be fully booked.

It was during our stay so we opted for another nearby restaurant.

If you plan to cook, they have a convenient store down the street where you can easily buy stuffs.

Our last stay was actually laid out at the very last minute.

We didn't really plan to stay for the night.

The initial plan was to hang out until late night and make our way straight to the airport.

As we looked back, the idea seems absurd and we booked the last available room at Glenelg Beach Hostel.

Just like the previous stay, it is situated close to the beach.

Only thing, we went to the beach on our first day upon arrival.

So the beach no longer excite us.

Hahahaha.

Nothing much to talk about the place.

It was just for us to sleep before heading to the airport first thing in the morning.

It is kinda like a mansion when you're inside.

The room was okay.

We didn't expect much either.

But I love the toilet though it is a bit eerie if you are alone.

Main reason for choosing the place would have to be because of the availability of public transport in the area.

Just name it, everything is there; buses, cabs and tram.

In a nutshell, we enjoyed all of the rooms that we stayed in.

Though one may be better than another, there will always be pros and cons.

That is also a reminder that life is all about give and take.

You win some you lose some.

The one thing I love that applies at all the places we stayed in is the check out policy.

Before you leave, you are required to make up the bed and take off all the white sheets and place it at the mentioned area; it could be a bin, a room or a specific place.

It inculcate you with a sense of responsibility.

And that is something that I am more than happy to comply.

I guess that would be it for this post.

I have yet to talk on food and attractions in Adelaide.

Perhaps my next post would be on that.

Till then...

Laid Back Adelaide Part 2 : The People

I'm back sooner than I thought. 

Hahaha I have to blame that on the chocolates. 

'Sugar rush' mode activated. 

So what's more to tell about my vacation in Adelaide?

We officially arrived and walk through the city on our first night. 

Maybe not every inch of the city, but we covered pretty much of what we needed to. 

In this second part, I would like to talk about the people we met throughout the whole stay in Ade.

Right after going through immigration, we were greeted by a lady who was conducting a survey in relation to the process at the counter. 

We chatted a little and told her of our first time being there and all.

She asked us of our plan and how are we heading there?

Both of us answered simultaneously, "We'll be driving." 

The look on her face that very moment was priceless.

She finds it hard to believe and I pretty much believe it was due to our petite size.

She even said out loud; "Such brave little girls. Good for you" before we parted our own ways. 

In a nutshell, after that first encounter we were no longer worried if we lost our way. 

Most of the time, they even provide additional infos such as the easiest route and places to dine.

Another incident that I find worth mentioning was when we first hop off the tram in the city. 

With our luggage in one hand and a map on the other we try to figure out the way to our hostel from Victoria Square Tram Station.

Suddenly a lady stood next to us and the next thing was "Hello girls. Do you need any help?".

Even before we asked for help, help arrives.

I remember that I was beaming for a few seconds before I answered her question.

She showed us the way and even guide us with the streets around the area.

Up until now, I still remember the many streets that we walked through.

The next day, we visited George Wildlife Park and were among the earliest visitors.

Therefore we interacted more with the animals than humans of course. 

The one thing that was on top of our list is Koala Cuddling.

You definitely can imagine how excited these two little girls are right?

  

While waiting, a couple sat next to us and started chatting.

Laura and Derek.

They are Australian and used to travel years back.

We got along very well that they even waited until the end of our session with the Koala. 

Laura also introduced us to George who came all the way from London. 

Before we continue our journey, we managed to snap a few photos with them.

Tracking back a little, there's another individual that I wished to highlight.
Before we officially arrived in Adelaide, I was constantly in touch with. 

I hope he gets to read this somehow some way.

His name is Phil.

Without Phil, I don't think that we would have enjoyed Adelaide the way we did.
My first point of contact with Phil occurred when Ana suggested that we should rent a sports car to travel from one places to another.
She wanted to do something different and I tagged along to the idea.

We came across the site http://www.adelaidehillstouring.com/
Straight away, I sent an email enquiring more about the car and services provided.
The communication was consistent leading up to our vacation.
Phil was always there to answer my questions no matter how irrelevant the questions are.
He even offered to help plan our itinerary for the 3 days.
I was eager to meet him to personally thanked him for all the assistance.

Unfortunately, during the delivery of the car, Phil was not able to make it.
On the other hand we met Felicity, Phil's wife.
Just like Phil, she was very helpful and she showed us everything we need to know about the car.
First time driving a convertible hell yeah I was nervous.
Lucky us, the car was very easy to manage.
Felicity was also kind to always keep in touch through email even after that.

Finally, when we returned the car, I met Phil.
I may not have shown my eagerness as written above.
But I was happy to finally meet him after all the emails.
In addition to that, he brought along his youngest son whom requested us to record a short clip for his school project.
Ana and I happily assisted him.
The only thing that I forgot to do was snap a picture with them.
How silly was I to forget that?
Phil, in case you read this, from the bottom of my heart, I thanked you for everything.
May we meet again someday when I return to Adelaide,

There are others than those that I've mentioned above.
John from Victor Harbour Information Centre too was a joy to talk to.
The lady during dinner on our first night who got all excited when I hold out my monopod that she went straight to ebay looking for one.
Another lady we got to know while riding the Horse Tram who spoke to us a little bit of Malay from her stay in Bali years before.

Trust me that the list could go on and on.
As much as I wanted to list everyone, I just can't.
So here goes, to everyone that we met during our 5 days stay;
We truly enjoy the warmth and hospitality.
You made us feel at ease and at home in a way.
Thank you for all the help and the chat.
It is all of you that made us feel the need to visit Adelaide again sometime in the future.
Once again, thank you for everything.

There will be Part 3, but I have to figure out on what to write next.
Till then...bye for now.