Mannum on the Murray

As we left Burra this morning I called into the local craft shop and got talking to a very nice lady.  My impression of Burra was saved by this lady and I bought some Peach and Ginger Jam and Cauliflower Chutney that we have tried already with cheese, and I can report it was yum.

Today the sun shone the sky was blue and hardly any wind at all.  We drove from Burra that incidently is in the Clare Vally to Mannum on the Murry River.  Leaving Burra we once again passed lovely green rolling hills dotted with the orange tinge woolly sheep.  Honestly I just want to crochet them up into a beanie.  We also passed the same hills once again dotted with the giant windmills of wind farms.  Large fields of wheat and canola where also passed and fields of other crops we couldn't quite work out what they where.  The wheat was gently waving in the breeze.

The thriving metropolis of  Gawler woke us up and stressed us out with all its business and narrow busy main street.  We missed our turn of completely and I asked a local the way at the garage while Mr Red Elephant filled the car with Deisel.  He was very helpful and it turned out we had to about turn and drive down the main street again.  Mr Red Elephant was not impressed with my map reading.  NOT my fault I was expecting a big sign saying Mannum not a little sign saying Lyndoch!  AND the map had really tiny writing.

We then entered the Barossa Vally and of course here we saw Vineyard after vineyard sporting their fresh new spring leaves.  One we could see still had flood waters sitting on the ground and debris washed up against the base of the vines.

The Red Elephants enjoyed lunch at the edge of the oval and under the AFL Goal posts  at Lyndoch a lovely little village in the Barossa.

We also stopped at Williamstown after I spotted a tree that had been yarn bombed!

Again the view out the window  changed again we had more rugged hills with more hardy sheep that where climbing amoungst great big rocks in their paddocks.  Once again my map and the signs let me down and we missed our turn of.   We had a very UN pleasant time arguing our way up MT Pleasant.  Mr Red Elephant the made it his job to point out the BIG green signs.

So here we are at Mannum.  Its nice here I like it.  Its warm I had to put shorts on and take my jumper of.  We drove down the main street to the our friend the Murray River that is a little bit dirty looking right  now and very very wide.  The caravan park is on the banks of the Murray River and is nice and clean and welcoming.  We have had a walk up and down the main street, and. I mean that literally, as it is up and down hill.  Visited the op shops,  Soccer Boy found himself another pair of soccer boots and I left some nice tableclothes behind.  Mr Red Elephant then spent a restful afternoon fishing in the Murray and caught one carp that some how escaped the waiting Pelicans.  We had watched another fisherman have his fish stolen and gobbled up by the Pelican as her reeled it in, hilarious the pelican had this big fish shaped bulge in his neck.  I sat in my campchair by the river crocheting in the sun.  Soccer boy tried his new boots out kicking the soccer ball with a new friend and Sporty Girl Red Elephant was being a photographer of Pelicans and baby ducks.
Mannum Caravan Park
Today was a good day and is exactly how a trip like this should be.