WEATHER: Sunny. Highs in 50s
Since we still have the rental car, we decided to visit the Grampians, about 2 hours away. Armed with maps and suggestions of places to visit, we hit the road.
There are some backroads that lead to the Western Highway, our route west to the mountains. As I was fiddling with the GPS, George missed a turn, and suddenly we were in the middle of nowhere. No farmhouses, no other cars, just a very narrow road and lots of sheep. Finally, I got the GPS working. Twenty kilometers to the next town. For some reason, I asked how the gas tank was looking, George's response: "Empty". "What??!", I shrieked. I kept thinking of a 40-kilometer round-trip hike to bring some gas back. Then, 30, then 20, etc., until we thankfully arrived in town, coasting on fumes. Whew!
In the foothills of the Grampians is a lovely "wine village". They are famous for their Sparkling Shiraz, a superb bubbly unique to Australia. The pourer was a super friendly expert. We learned about the history of the wine region. The grapes date back to the 1850s. We went to another cellar door where we went on a tour of their underground cellars. Really old stuff.....
Once in the mountains, we stopped for a picnic lunch and a hike. Here I am, enjoying the view....
Not!! ! I would be scared to death to do that.
We drove back on the scenic route, passing by kangaroos basking in the late afternoon sun.
Another fun day!
DINNER: Using the leftover cassoulet. I added rice and more meat to make "Leftovers Supreme". It tasted very good, but looked king of ugly on the plate. It will never be a contender for Master Chef Australia which we, like most Australians, watch religiously on TV.
This is beginning to sound like one of your best gigs - lack of heating excepted. Oh well, that will get you ready for England!
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