Archive for the 'Holidays' Category

A short holiday in Victor Harbor

Our caravan spot at Victor Harbor March 2010

Our caravan spot at Victor Harbor March 2010

Back in March this year we had a long weekend in Victor Harbor. This is an annual pilgrimage for us a a number of friends. Our wives go to attend a convention while the men do the cooking, cleaning and generally sitting around solving the world’s problems.

It’s a really relaxing weekend for all concerned.

Above is a photo of our caravan site, situated under some shady trees which were in flower and full of very noisy lorikeets. Our caravan is the one on the right – this one with the towels drying on the front. We were sitting around with friends discussing what friends discuss.

Below is a photo of Encounter Bay taken the next day.

Encounter Bay, Victor Harbor, South Australia

Encounter Bay, Victor Harbor, South Australia

Australian travel advice

Travel around the world has become hazardous in recent years.

I thought about that sentence for a few minutes. I guess travel anywhere has been hazardous in many different eras, and nothing has really changed, except perhaps the types and nature of the threats. In 2005-06 when I travelled to Thailand I thought very little about any hazards and I had a great time. I would think twice about going there at the moment with their political problems. (Read about my experiences here.)

from Thailand I went to Nepal for a month. This was a life changing experience, but the Maoists were very active at the time. On one occasion I was confined to my hotel for 24 hours because of bombings a short distance away from my hotel in Kathmandu. It was risky but I survived. Every tourist needs to sum up the relevant risk factors relating to their travel destination and make a call. In reality, there is probably more risk in driving to my local supermarket for shopping than the risks involved in travel to most overseas countries. Far more people die in car accidents than plane crashes, for example.

I recently had my attention drawn to an Australian site which gives Australians advice when planning an overseas holiday. Aussie Travel Advice is an independent travel site especially set up to help Australians. Go and have a look here.

Ama Dablam, Nepal, 2006

Ama Dablam, Nepal, 2006

Granite Island, Victor Harbor, South Australia

Granite Island, Victor Harbor, South Australia

Granite Island, Victor Harbor, South Australia

Probably the best known feature of Victor Harbor is Granite Island, shown in the photos on this post. Victor Harbor, on the south coast of South Australia, is about an hour’s drive south of the state capital, Adelaide. It is a favourite day trip from the capital as well as being a popular destination for interstate visitors.

These photos were taken while we had a weekend there last year. we stayed in one of the excellent caravan parks, ours being right on the foreshore of Encounter Bay (see yesterday’s post for more photos).

Granite Island, Victor Harbor, South Australia

Granite Island, Victor Harbor, South Australia

Granite Island is joined to the mainland by a causeway. It takes less than two hours to walk out to the island, around the walking track that circumnavigates it and to return to the town. You can linger longer of course for there is a fine restaurant near the jetty as well as some excellent fishing spots.

Granite Island, Victor Harbor, South Australia

Granite Island, Victor Harbor, South Australia

A highlight of a visit is to see the Little Penguins which feed out to sea and return to the island to nest and feed their young.

Little Penguins, Adelaide Zoo

Little Penguins, Adelaide Zoo

Further reading:

Encounter Bay, Victor Harbor, South Australia

Encounter Bay, Victor Harbor, South Australia

Encounter Bay, Victor Harbor, South Australia

Early last year we had a few days in the coastal resort town of Victor Harbor. This delightful town is a popular day trip from Adelaide or a holiday destination for both interstate and local tourists. We stayed in one of  several excellent caravan parks. This one was right on the foreshore of Encounter Bay. On the Sunday afternoon I took a gentle stroll along the beach to get a few photos of this beautiful spot.

Encounter Bay, Victor Harbor, South Australia

Encounter Bay, Victor Harbor, South Australia

Encounter Bay, Victor Harbor, South Australia

Encounter Bay, Victor Harbor, South Australia

Further reading and more photos:

Australia Day 2010

Manly Beach, Sydney

Manly Beach, Sydney

Today is Australia Day, celebrating the day on which the first European settlers arrived in Sydney Cove in 1788.

Australians love a public holiday, and especially this one being in the middle of summer. Many people gather with family and friends and have barbecues, picnics, visits to the beach or attend major sporting events.

Near Mrs Macquaries Chair, Sydney Harbour

Near Mrs Macquaries Chair, Sydney Harbour

With the vast majority of Australians living near the coast, water activities are on the agenda for people. Swimming, sailing, surfing, fishing, canoeing and other water sports are all very popular.

Picnic at Swanport Reserve, Murray Bridge

Picnic at Swanport Reserve, Murray Bridge