Coonawarra, Fluerieu Peninsula and home

The last few days of our trip have come a cropper with horrendous weather so our proposed 4 nights at The Links, Lady Bay at Normanville on the Fleurieu Peninsula south of Adelaide turned into 3 nights and no golf - supposedly 4 nights with 2 days of golf and one day in the McLaren Vale region for lunch.

The Links course was adjacent to the Grand Mercure which is part of the Accor Holiday Club that we belong to, our reason to begin with for heading to that neck of the woods. Probably a nice spot in most weather and very close to the coast as well but when the wind and rain rushes in at gale force off the ocean - it is NOT a pleasant spot! Poor 'roos were bounding all over the fairways looking for somewhere to get out of the weather as well. It really was cold and miserable.

Managed to do the McLaren Vale lunch bit at D'Arenberg, one of the most delightful vineyard lunch spots we always attempt to eat at when in the region. Last time we were there, there was a corporate lunch on so we were unable to get a seat but just managed a seat this time if we were happy to wait 15 minutes - we were! As anticipated, a delightful lunch had by us both!

So it was out of Normanville on Thursday morning and off on the road. A reasonably long drive of about 500kms from South Australia, through vineyards, vineyards, and whew! more vineyards (Kemm says this is where the cheap plonk comes from plus the grape juice etc that win might have blended with it – just shows how much cheap stuff is out there. The vines themselves are nowhere near as well looked after or manicured than those we have passed through in the past few days) the orange growing region of Mildura and Berri in Victoria, and into New South Wales. Filled up with fuel in Mildura and thought we might just drive a while longer and eventually came to this 'little' place called Euston along the Murray River (never heard of it!). BUT it has a great motel with this ‘ginormous’ spa bath from which one can watch TV (Have tested it and it works!), is right on the Murray River (must go for a walk shortly when it's daylight!), AND a great typical NSW club with restaurant, pokies,(just a few.....mmmm...) etc.

So for now, it's early morning and have just looked to see that's it's 1600kms to home - if we do 2 big days driving we'll get there - if not, it'll be 3 days.

So, it's been a great trip - we both loved the Great ocean Road and I guess that was the focus of our trip anyway. We did have magnificent weather there and were fortunate enough to be there then and not this week with the shocking weather.

Would I recommend the Great Ocean Road trip to others? Yes - but take 3 days from Melbourne to Port Fairy. It's not far looking at the distance map but it's the stopping and starting and checking out all the things to do along the way that take the time.

Till next trip - au revoir!

Brenda and Kemm