To find out more about Hemali’s Australian adventure, visit her in our Lewes Branch or call 01273 472466
Our journey began at Heathrow Terminal Three, where we enjoyed the Qantas business lounge before boarding our direct flight to Perth, which lasted 16 hours. Upon arriving in Perth, we took advantage of the domestic business lounge, where we refreshed ourselves with a shower before our flight to Adelaide.
Checking in at Heathrow with Qantas was very straightforward. If you’ve checked in online, you can simply head to the self-service kiosk, scan your boarding card, and it will print your baggage tags. Then, just drop off your bags—no queues and no hassle.
The flight itself was quite pleasant. There was plenty of entertainment available onboard, and the food service was excellent. They sure know how to feed you!
First stop in South Australia
After a quick 2-hour and 25-minute internal flight from Perth to Adelaide, we finally arrived at our first hotel, the Majestic Roof Garden. Its location is perfect for accessing all the attractions in the city, and the airport is just 20 minutes away from the city centre.
Day 1- we started our morning with a kayaking tour courtesy of Dolphin Sanctuary Kayak Tours. We were fortunate to see numerous dolphins in their natural habitat, along with various species of birds.
We then took a trip to the Adelaide markets to grab some lunch. It’s a huge market with lots of fresh produce and a food hall.
A quick wander around Central Adelaide then we hit the road to visit the Barossa Valley. Which is a famous wine region in South Australia. We had our own private cottage with stunning views over the vineyards. Our hosts cooked us a traditional BBQ with free-flowing locally produced wine.
Unfortunately, due to the weather, our hot air balloon over the Barossa Valley was sadly cancelled. So, a few of us decided to get up for the sunrise and kangaroo spotting.
Day 2 -We explored the wine area of the Barossa Valley. Our first stop was Maggie Beer’s farm shop and cookery school. Here we took the cookery lesson making our lunch from fresh local produce. We made Ricotta Gaudi with mushroom, thyme & homemade labneh, followed by a chicken dish served with fresh vegetables.
Maggie Beer is a famous Australian chef and has been on the likes of Australian MasterChef and Bake Off. Think of our Mary Berry. Maggie is a national treasure there. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to meet her as she’s been unwell, however, we did meet her daughter and I had the pleasure of cooking alongside her.
Next, we moved on to Seppeltsfield Winery for a tour of the grounds before sampling the 100-year-old port and also sampling our birth year. The winery is known for the largest consecutive 100-year-old intact barrels.
We then headed back to Adelaide which was around an hour’s drive back. We checked in our hotel The Oval which is attached to the Oval cricket ground. Beautiful hotel for any cricket lovers! After a quick change, we headed to take on the Adelaide Oval Roof Climb.
This was an amazing experience. I was completely out of my comfort zone. We walked up along the roof and then did the lean-out. It was absolutely fantastic!
Day 3 and 4– An early start this morning as we are heading over to Kangaroo Island just a short plane ride from Adelaide or a 45 mins ferry from Cape Jarvis and well worth the visit, the Island is simply stunning and also known as ‘The Galapagos’ of Australia we have seen so much wildlife in its natural habitat along with the most beautiful landscapes. These are just some of the wildlife we have seen……Kangaroos, Wallabies, Koalas, Sea Lions, Fur Seals, Echidna, Cape Barren Goose, Many species of birds, Lizard and Eagles.
We visited remarkable rocks and Admirals Arch where it was a little windy and this certainly cooled down the temperature as winds were blowing from Antarctica. We stayed at the Sea Dragon; their guiding team, who showed us around the island, were excellent and so passionate about the island they call home.
Next, we were adrenaline junkies and took a Sand dune buggy with Little Sahara. Lastly, we took a lesson in Gin paring at Kangaroo Island Spirits.
This tour was put together by the hotel we were staying in for the evening at Sea Dragon Kangaroo Island, an intimate, boutique property set on 250 acres of private land which is brimming with kangaroos!
What an incredible place and a passionate owner! We were super spoilt!
After two absolutely amazing days on Kangaroo Island, we took the ferry back to Adelaide for our final night in South Australia.
A definite destination to recommend to clients who want to experience a slice of South Australian paradise!
Day 5– Today we flew from Adelaide to Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. We flew north to Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, arriving mid-morning to temperatures in the mid-thirties. We first visited the Alice Springs Desert Park, then headed to the Telegraph Station, established in 1871 to connect Darwin and Adelaide. This historic site was key in linking Australia to the British Empire’s telegraph network, allowing messages to reach London in just five hours—an impressive feat for the 19th century. I highly recommend a visit if you’re in the area. Our next stop was the Royal Flying Doctor Service, where we learned about its inspiring history and the vital work it continues to do today.
Day 6– Leaving Alice Springs and take on the Mereenie Loop via the Tjoritja/ West MacDonnell National Park.
We took in the sights of Standley Chasm and Ellery Creek which was a stunning waterhole you could swim in.
The environment here is harsh, and temperatures are extreme. You need to be well prepared if taking a self-drive, I would recommend booking a small guided tour. These guys know their stuff and will keep you safe and really elevate your experience. We toured with Autopia Tours.
We finally made it to Discovery King’s Canyon Resort after travelling on unsealed roads for 3 hours! Which was an experience in itself! We were very well shaken and very much had the look of an Aussie backpacker!
This was a beautiful resort with stunning rooms. We saw a wild Dingo hunting rabbits and a massive thunderstorm with torrential rain! Before the rain, we just managed to walk the Light Towers installation by Bruce Munroe which was breath-taking.
Day 7– King’s Canyon to Uluru Before we left, we walked the Creek walk at Watarrka/King’s Canyon National. Due to the thunderstorm. We had to paddle some of the way! It was a
real privilege to see water in the Creek!
We had a quick stop off at Curtain Springs for lunch. It was really quirky and felt very much like Australia in the 60/70’s.
We checked into Sails in the Desert which was a lovely hotel. We were all looking forward to the Field of Light show, however Mother Nature had other
ideas! We managed our dinner before we were treated to a natural light show! We just made it back to the bus before it poured down!
Day 8– An early start to our day today as we had a sunrise segway tour around the base of Uluru but when we got there it was cancelled due to the rain we had the previous night.
However, we still did our tour by walking and in fact, it was a much better option as it allowed more opportunities for photography and just to be present in the moment.
Uluru is mind-blowing when you’re at the base and each way you turn there is something different to see or you see it in a different light.
After this, we took a tour of the resort which consists of numerous shops, restaurants, art galleries and free daily activities.
We then did a site inspection of Desert Gardens and the stunningly beautiful Longitude 131 hotel.
Once again, we had bad weather which meant we couldn’t watch the Wintjiri Wiru which I was really gutted about. However, if you have any customers going that way then I would highly recommend this experience!
Day 9– Today we are heading home but before that, we had a private tour of Kata Tjuta with SEIT Tours, our guide was very knowledgeable.
We flew from Ayers Rock to Melbourne, where we had an easy onward connection to Singapore and then on to Heathrow. Unfortunately, a couple of hours into our flight, we encountered an emergency onboard, which forced us to divert to Istanbul. We were on the ground there for a few hours. As a result, we eventually arrived at Heathrow later than planned.
The journey home took nearly 35 hours from the time I left Sails In the Desert until I walked through my front door. Despite the long travel time, it was completely worth it for the amazing experiences I had during my first visit to Australia.
Travel tip.
Kangaroo Island– dress in layers. The wind can feel cold year-round, and summer days
can be hot.
Red Centra– Again pack layers as the evening goes on it can get colder and carry a hat with
a fly net!
Australia has different plugs from most other countries. The plugs have three flat prongs and the top two are slanted inwards. So make sure you pack the right one!