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| Victoria in the rear view mirror. See you later - we'll be back! |
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| The strange blue crater lake at Mt Gambier |
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| Colinda NP - rugged cliffs |
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| Salt lakes at Coorong |
Headed straight up the
coast on the way to Adelaide, through a couple of picturesque National Parks
(Colinda and Coorong) for the obligatory lookouts. If there’s a good camera
shot to be had, we’ll sniff it out!
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| Glistening sand dunes in Coorong |
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| The Big Lobster - finally we come across one of Australia's big things! |
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| Hahndorf - two beers please! |
Before Adelaide we swung by Hahndorf – a
quaint little village of German heritage. Obviously had to taste the local
brew, and you’ll be relieved that it was in order. In Adelaide we were kindly
hosted by the Bew’s, friends of the Balfours – a lovely roast, hot shower, washing
our clothes and then a bed that we didn’t have to blow up! Luxury.
Key learnings
1.
Don’t take detours based on tourist office brochures – rarely if ever do
they live up to the hype.
2.
Where possible go to places that your parents’ friends live. Especially if
they have hosted them in the past.
Cheers for the informed comment Andy - reasoning for the Blueness of the lake no longer a mystery:
ReplyDeleteDuring December to March, the lake turns to a vibrant cobalt blue colour, returning to a colder steelgrey colour for April to November. The exact cause of this phenomenon is still a matter of conjecture, but it is generally considered likely that it revolves around the warming of the surface layers of the lake during the summer months to around 20 degrees Celsius (70 °F), causing calcium carbonate toprecipitate out of solution and enabling micro-crystallites ofcalcium carbonate to form. This results in scatter of the blue wavelengths of sunlight. During winter the lake becomes well mixed, and recent research indicates that during this phase of the colour cycle the lake is somewhat murkier due to the redistribution of tannins and calcium carbonate particles throughout the lake. Solar elevation has also been found to influence the perceived colour of the lake. The movement of planktonic life-forms within the lake during theseasons and during the day may additionally play a part in the colour change.