{"id":8486,"date":"2019-07-19T10:49:08","date_gmt":"2019-07-19T14:49:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=8486"},"modified":"2019-07-20T10:53:55","modified_gmt":"2019-07-20T14:53:55","slug":"gday-from-downunder-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=8486","title":{"rendered":"G’Day From Downunder"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Mike Bowen With all The Latest From Irish-Australia<\/em><\/p>\n

It is well documented, that the rest of the world has a bad habit of taking the micky out of we Irish. Well here is a bit of a slap back at some of them, at least here in Australia anyway. <\/p>\n

The full telling of this story might take a little bit longer than downing two or three pints before reaching the end, that\u2019s if you are still with me by then. <\/p>\n

On the 1st of July my wife and I set off to spend some time with our friends and neighbors Janine and Ed Alexander, who also happen to be the best neighbors that God personally picked out for us. <\/p>\n

This was going to be a special time together as it was our 25th wedding anniversary on July 4th, and on the 5th I was to be celebrating 45 years being an expat in Australia. To add a bit of extra flavour the 6th of July just happens to be my birthday. So the stage was set for all the stars to fall in to place, for one great bonanza of a trip. <\/p>\n

Ah ha! The road that you set out on is not necessary the one that you will always end up on as I was to discover. Our destination was a small island off the South Australia coast called Kangaroo Island and, what would you expect to see on Kangaroo Island? Well, I\u2019ll get to that later.<\/p>\n

Marie and I set off on the 800 kilometer journey in her state of the art Mazda CX5 with all the electric mod cons that included remote entry and everything else minus the kitchen sink. Ed and Janine set off in their state of the art VW Amarok. <\/p>\n

We had arranged to meet on the next day at The Salopian Inn for lunch in McLaren Vale, South Australia\u2019s wine district. <\/p>\n

As expected the meal was delicious and the wine must have been delivered only hours earlier from heaven. So far, so good, and with full tummies and smiles all round we set off on the last 100 kilometer leg of the journey to catch the ferry from Cape Jervis to Penneshaw on Kangaroo Island. With both cars safely secured, it was time to head to the bar to have a little top up from lunch. Perhaps not the best decision to make for traveling on rough seas on a full stomach. <\/p>\n

The ferry had no sooner left the quay side when all three of my companions looked like they were knocking at Heaven\u2019s door. I swear that in the blink of an eye, Ed had the crew putting wet towels on his head and he looked like he was glued to the get sick bag. Janine looked like she was about to spray the bar lounge walls a different color and Marie sprinted to the loo to spend the rest of the journey confined there. <\/p>\n

I was amazed with the chain of events as I am the one who is most affected by water. As you can tell by me writing this article, we all survived the crossing to the Island. <\/p>\n

On the next day Ed suggested we travel with him and Janine in his VW to see The Remarkable Rocks. I can tell you it was a \u2018seedy day\u2019 day for my traveling companions and things didn\u2019t look like they were going to get any better. Well, maybe with a Hail Mary along the way. <\/p>\n

We decided to stop off at Parndana for some early morning coffee to get the blood flowing again and to get the color back on the faces of my traveling companions\u2019 faces after their sea sickness experience. <\/p>\n

We received a big welcome from the lady who was serving from behind an espresso machine that looked like the bee\u2019s knees and I swear had never been plugged in since the day it fell off the back of a truck, because the $18.50 I paid for the four coffees was NOT coffee and to the day I go to my grave I will continue to assume it was something that came out of a drunken pig\u2019s ass. <\/p>\n

In glorious sunshine and perfect light for taking pictures, we headed for The Remarkable Rocks, which is an understatement – those rocks looked like they had dropped from outer space, they were amazing. The information board said it took 500 million years for rain, wind and pounding waves to give them their shape.<\/p>\n

I believe that what happened after this visit to the rocks was caused because, when leaving those iconic relics my wife asked me to slide a chunk of one of those 500 plus million year old rocks into my pocket. <\/p>\n

It now has place of pride in my garden and I have the horrid memory of what happened later that day and what messed up the next few days of our supposedly magic celebrations. <\/p>\n

\"\"With what felt like a half ton of moon rock in my pocket making me limp like I had consumed a dozen pints, I made my way back to Ed\u2019s Amarok and chucked the precious rock in the back. <\/p>\n

The journey back to our rented house was joyous until I discovered I had lost the remote key to Marie\u2019s CZ5. As we had brought along enough clothes to dress an army and enough alcohol to restock any fine bar for a few years for the celebrations, we were now in a pickle. How were we going to return home? <\/p>\n

I can tell you the conversation with my bride of many years was not one of pleasantries as to how I lost the key. <\/p>\n

Ed and Janine would be moving on to Mount Gambier in the South West of Victoria after the 5th and Marie and I were to move on to a pre-booked hotel in Port Noarlunga South in South Australia and then on to see the murals that were painted on silos in the Australian outback. <\/p>\n

I contacted the Mazda dealer as to how we could get a replacement. Their reply was that they would have to have the car to be able to access the necessary code. Well, that was impossible considering I couldn\u2019t even get into the bloody thing in the first place and if I could, I wouldn\u2019t need their help. <\/p>\n

My blood was at boiling point with frustration as to how to solve the problem. By now Marie and I were looking more like divorcing than celebrating. <\/p>\n

A few more glasses of wine and the only solution that came to mind was for me to fly from Kangaroo Island to Adelaide then on to Melbourne and another hour and a half by limo from the airport to home to pick up the spare key. <\/p>\n

Returning the next morning by limo to airport, fly back to Adelaide, then taxi to the bus depot to catch a bus to Cape Jervis to catch the ferry to Kangaroo Island because their were no flights to Kangaroo Island on July 4th. <\/p>\n

I arrived back at 7pm looking like death warmed up and out for the count. I can\u2019t use swear words in this paper but if I could I would use the whole alphabet for having to make a two thousand kilometers round trip for a bloody ******* key. That was the plan, leave on the 3rd and return on the 4th, our anniversary. <\/p>\n

When I arrived at the airport next morning in Kangaroo for my flight, I was greeted with a \u201csorry the flight is delayed by one and a half hours announcement\u201d. Holy **** was my first thought I haven\u2019t even started and there is already a problem. <\/p>\n

I explained my dilemma to the Qantas lady and she was almost as distressed at my story as I was. She kept me updated constantly and I would almost swear she was praying for me as she kept smiling at me. Her prayers must have been answered, as I caught my connection in Adelaide
\nOn my return Ed picked me up at the jetty and we headed for the pub that was only a stone\u2019s throw away from where Marie and Janine were waiting to start the celebration of my return. <\/p>\n

There seemed to me a strange sense of jubilation in the air on arrival. I sort of felt like everyone was looking at me, for what reason I couldn\u2019t figure out. Surely it couldn\u2019t be that everyone knew it was Marie\u2019s and my anniversary, could it? However still looking like a bag of **** I felt like I was the main attraction and I soon discovered that I was, as everyone on the Island had heard of my misfortune from the Qantas lady at the airport. <\/p>\n

\"\"By losing the key I lost a bit of dignity but survived the panic in the round trip. Forever Kangaroo Island will now be etched in my brain for a few reasons. I see more kangaroos no more than a few miles from my home and wonder why I had to travel so far to see just one. <\/p>\n

In spite of all the trauma, seeing The Remarkable Rocks was incredible. We learned not to travel in winter as most restaurants in holiday places are closed. We also learned that having great traveling friends can help get you out of any sticky situations. Thanks to Ed and Janine, if not for them I think I might still be back there living as a hermit.<\/p>\n

Fast forward and after leaving the Island Marie and I traveled on the silo hunt for Amazing Murals. The most important thing I learned from this trip and the KEY to any good holiday is, DONT FORGET TO BRING A SPARE BLOODY KEY WITH YOU!<\/p>\n

Until next time, be good to those who love you and Slainte from Downunder <\/p>\n

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