The Cube

The first time I visited Australia was donkeys years ago. Of the states in Australia, my mother and I visited Perth as sis is there. As sis was working, I signed us up for a couple of day trips. Our first day tour was to The Pinnacles. Of course, there were some other stops aside from The Pinnacles but that, is another story as I am going to talk about rocks here :P


The Pinnacles are limestone formations structures located within Nambung National Park, near the town of Cervantes, Western Australia.


Our second day tour - was to Wave Rock. Wave Rock is 14 metres high and around110 metres long. It is a natural rock formation and shaped like a tall breaking ocean wave. It lies in a small town of Hyden in Hyden Wildlife Park.


After two day tours to see The Pinnacles and Wave Rock, mom was telling sis that I brought her to see rocks after a long 4 hours van ride. :|

By then, I thought I would spice things up and take a day tour to Margaret River. Ha! On the way there, we visited Canal Rocks :D


Canal Rocks is one of the many striking headlands that lie along Leeuwin-Naturaliste coastline. It looks ahead off the Indian Ocean, forming a patchwork of rocky islands.
The rocks has characteristic of gneiss (pronounced nice), a metamorphic or 'changed' rock.

A few years down the road, I relocated to Sydney. One of the easiest and popular day trip from Sydney is Blue Mountains. One of the Blue Mountains' most spectacular landmark is The Three Sisters. It is essentially an unusual rock formation, said to represent thress sisters who according to Aboriginal legend were turned to stone.


The Three Sisters are the only rocks I have visited in New South Wales (NSW). One of the most famous rocks in Australia would be the next one that I have visited on my first trip to Victoria (VIC) - meet the 12 Apostles.


These magnificent rock stacks is like icing on the cake after a long drive along the scenic Great Ocean Road.


Come to think of it, I've only been to one rock place in NSW, one in VIC...and one in South Australia (SA). This was the one I think could have more interesting name (sorry!) as this rock is called the Remarkable Rocks.


Somehow every time I tell people this is the Remarkable Rocks, I can just picture a crow flying pass.. mmm... I blame it on my wild imagination :P

Then it brings us back to Western Australia (WA) again! This Sugarloaf Rock that is foundin Margaret River region is said to look like a massive chunk of rock that looks like "sugarloaf".

So...does it look anything like a conical moulded mass of sugar?

Then it comes to my top two favourite rocks, both are found in Northern Territory (NT). I can't decide if which one I prefer.

It was heaps fun trekking up Kata Tjuta but the sunset upon Uluru is hard to beat!




Side note: Now I got to fix that light in my lounge room.. I need a tradie friend...:|

Ok.. first things first. I don't know how long this walk takes. It's the title of the walk, from a visitor guide I picked up in Adelaide, called Adelaide and Attractions Visitor Guide. I tried it out but skipped some places and I did not enter any of the buildings, exception to the Adelaide Arcade.

It is called Enjoy Adelaide on foot via Rundle Mall and North Terrace. I didn't go according to the numbers though :p Unfortunately for you, I'm putting this up based on how I walked :P
Gomen ne.


I started on this walk after travelling back from Glenelg. I took the tram to the station nearest to my starting point, at North Terrace. That's the number 1 on the map.


No - this is not in the list. Just the tram stop.

First up - Holy Trinity Church (1). This is the State's oldest church, also the first Anglican church in South Australia. A feature of the church is the fully restored clock, which was made in 1863 and shipped from London.


I accidentally walked to the wrong side of the street, so I missed West's Coffee Palace (2), Tattersalls Hotel (3) and Edmund Wright House (4). I did see The Beehive Corner (5), in fact the corner shop was the local chocolate place - Haighs but I didnt realise that at that time, so no picture :P

From Holy Trinity Church (1), I walked on to Adelaide Train Station (not in list).


At the front of the Railway Station, there's a sign saying "Adelaide Casino This Way".

I turned in and walked towards the Festival Centre (20). Before that... here's what was found outside.



Looking down from Adelaide Festival Centre (20), was this bit of greenery. Pretty inviting I would say but due to limited time, I really want to finish the walk, to see what's on offer, I canned the idea of wandering off too far. Oh, the bits of greenery is call Elders Park.


Retracing my steps, I headed back to the main street and ticked off the next in line - Old Parliament House (22). South Australia's original Parliament House.


Next to it, the Parliament House (21). According to the guide, said that the first part (western portion) opened in 1889. Remainder was completed in 1939.


Next up - Government House (19). Here's where things got a bit fuzzy cos I don't seem to see the Government House but it has to be there, according to the map. But the area in front of it looks pretty :)



Then the National War Memorial (18)

Crossed the road to the State Library of SA (16). Behind it situated the Migration Museum which I skipped.


Next to it - SA Museum (15)

All the coming buildings are all in one stretch...

Art Gallery of SA (14)

Adelaide University (13) - there were a few buildings, all under the wing of Adelaide Uni.



A slightly newer looking building - University of South Australia. I like it though, a different flavour to all the brown buildings :P


Then, passed the Royal Adelaide Hospital, to the end till you reach Botanic Gardens (11)

Right across the road is this Botanic Hotel (not in list)

I crossed the road and cut cross by the side of Ayers House (10)
The narration from book - From 1855 until 1897, Ayers House was the home of Sir Henry Ayers, premier of South Australia. The house was used for parliamentary dinners and grand balls. One of the Adelaide's grandest stately homes is filled with outstanding antiques, furniture, chandeliers and decorative arts. With a spectacular $1.6M upgrade, Ayers House also features picturesque gardens.



I strolled along Rundle Street till Pulteney St, turned right to Ruthven Mansions (7) - Adelaide's oldest apartment block, built in 1911.


...and Scots Church (8). Built in 1850.

Then I was back to Rundle Street Mall stretch. There was a beautiful Adelaide Arcade (6), built in 1885, with fountain at the outside.


I bought a pair of jeans on sale here... and missed the famous pigs of Rundle Street Mall.. cos I went into Myers to use the bathroom and back out on another exit... totally missed it.. oh well... can't be helped.


Side note: Phew...that was long....

Glenelg is about 30 minutes tram ride away, a town by the seaside. It was great that I was there when the sky was blue! :)


Am pretty sure there are buses which service to Glenelg but I love trams. LOL. Trams within the city area are free of charge. Nearest tram station to Glenelg from the hostel I stayed in was the one at Victoria Square.


This tram station was situated right in front of Hilton Adelaide. No.. I'm not doing advertising...and I didn't stay here.


I was the jakun who got on the tram and asked around on how do I pay for my ride :(
However the few people I asked were tourists as well, so they didn't know either. I then found the conductor...haha..he told me to take a seat first and he will come to sell the tickets in a bit. I then realise because the tram ride is free in the city area, he only started collecting after the tram is out of the free service area. So there... if you read this, you wont be jakun like me :P

Day ticket $8.60

Reaching Glenelg, a very short walk from where the tram stopped, was this building... with palm trees, indeed very beach feel. The Information Centre is located inside this building.



I then had a stroll along the beach, there was some life guides event at that time.


I wonder how much these apartments cost... :P


A little further away from the Life Guides event, still at the beach area.


I decided that I would do a walk around the town before treating myself to lunch.


Treat to myself - Fish & Chips... it looked like only chokeful of chips but there were fishes, at the bottom. Had initially wanted to try to have lunch at the Glenelg Jetty Hotel but they don't have a menu on display outside, hence I wasn't too keen to enter.




Side note: I think I still need my dose of wedges or maybe... fish & chips :)

Flinders Chase National Park is one of Australia's largest and earliest conservation park. We were given a bus tour to feel how big it is... but a stop was made at the visitors centre. That was actually the last stop, as mentioned on the itinerary but the driver/guide told us that if we are quick, he will squeeze in another location to see koalas and kangaroos. I admit it was a nice gesture, especially to travellers outside of Australia :) (but yes, rest assured, I have experience of seeing koalas & kangaroos many times)

I was the last again getting on the bus from the stop for Admirals Arch. Don't know what that happened, I was last but I was on time. So... it must be the rest who came back earlier. Anyways, I was very determined not to be the last again, second last would be fine :P

Anyway, back to the Visitors Centre. Many bought coffee, they have a small coffee takeaway place, also selling souvenirs and stuff. I bought a bottle of water but what caught my eye was this.


I honestly thought, "Hey, chocolates!"... till I saw the sign :P

Oh... I wasn't last :) I was third last, lucky that the cashier who served a couple at the next register to the one I was queuing up was a tad bit slower. So I got lucky.

We were treat to an additional stop - Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. And it rained.
:(


Koalas were high up on some of these trees, but it wasn't fun when it was raining and I don't have an umbrella with me, and jacket wasn't really waterproof.

The other attraction was these Skippies here...


A couple who offered to take a picture of me together with these kangaroos were quite surprise I told them it's alright. LOL, guess I wasn't really in the mood and yeah, I have had photos with kangaroos. I'm actually quite scare of them. The one staring straight at me looked very much like it would jump and give me a huge kick.

That was the last attraction stop for Kangaroo Island Highlights Tour :)


Side note: Woke up this morning thinking about Eastern Europe... its totally random thoughts..