There’s Gold In Them Thar Hills

After the dam, we went to the Barossa Gold Fields where we ran into one of the original miners, Ted.

Actually, Ted was one of our very gracious Rotary hosts and a volunteer at the mines. Well, either that or he just knew a hell of a lot about panning for gold.

Abandoned Mine Shaft.

Needless to say, I didn't strike it rich.

Dam Good Time

We saw Australia’s first reinforced dam (aka the South Para Reservoir), which was constructed at the turn of the century by – wait for it – an American. Today, the dam…known as the “Whispering Wall” serves as the main water source for the Barsossa Valley. The Barsossa Valley is roughly the equivalent of the California Napa Valley. I haven’t really taken pictures of this area, but it is amazing.   

The dam is known as the “Whispering Wall” because its shape is so perfectly formed making the acoustics such that you can stand on one end of the dam and whisper to the other and be heard as if the person was standing right next to you. There are only three like this in the world and, again, pretty impressive considering it was done in the early 1900’s.

Dam, this post is over. 

To Vegemite Or Not To Vegemite, That Is The Question...

If you don’t know, Australians are sensible, kind, giving and have a wicked sense of humor. But, if you are slow (as in not mentally quick on your feet)…they will eat you alive.

I think it’s what I like about them most of all.

One of the biggest jokes they continue to foist on the world is that of Vegemite. Technically, Vegemite is a dark brown paste made from yeast extract that is salty and a little bitter. To be clear, it tastes like it looks…

If you encounter an Australian they will immediately ask you to try some. Don’t be fooled by this trick. It’s not unlike the trick of when a city person visits a farm and the farmer has “farm things” to do that end up being the worst chores that they can think of and only have you do them because they get sick pleasure out of watching you [fill in the blank].

Alas good people…I have found the antidote to Vegemite….it’s Vegemite’s Cheesybite.

The bottle claims, “a deliciously different Vegemite experience” and it doesn’t disappoint. In fact, while it still looks like….um….brown, pasty yeast extract. However, in reality, it doesn’t taste too bad. In fact, it taste’s a lot like the cheese that is included in kids cheese and cracker snack packs.

So good people of the world, fear not…next time you are offered this “delicacy” simply say, “thanks mate but I’m going to wait for the Cheesybite ‘cause its deliciously different.’

I promise you won’t regret it.

AMCOR: A Bottle By Any Other Name, Just Isn't The Same

This afternoon we spent time at South Australia's AMCOR Glass where they make bottles for wine and beer. In fact, they make a lot of bottles...like around 1,000,000 beer bottles a day. It is impressive, fast-paced, extremely HOT work. In fact, if they are off (+/-) by just a few grams...well, as far as I can tell, really bad things happen.

Thankfully, I was able to capture this video from the production line:





The plant was massive, its hard to understate the size of the three furnace operation.

These are mounds of recycled glass.

This is the machine that feeds in the sand, silica and old glass to make new.

Once the sand is heated it drops down into the molds for forming. These can be seen here:

Fire in the hole.

Wine bottles - about 250 per minute.



Hottest job: Part I - This machine/line makes about 450 beer bottles per minute.



Hottest Job - Part II

This is the "cool down" where they are packed and shipped to my refrigerator.

After this visit, I have a whole new appreciation for what these men and women do to make something as simple as a bottle. I even know what those tiny little brail dots mean on the bottom/side of the bottle.

So, tonight, grab a case of your favorite brew/wine and make a toast because somewhere, someplace there is a dude standing over a dangerous machine, next to a 1,000 degree furnace making life possible for the rest of us. Doctors get a lot of credit for being good, but these people make sure our society doesn't come apart at the seems. And, to them, I say "good onya."

A Word From Our Sponsors

Remember kids, a FUN trip is a safe trip.

That is all.

DINGO DANGER

As you know, I am on the constant lookout for Dingo danger...but this morning trouble found me.

Then, it attacked....

Actually, Joe says this is a special wrangling technique...I think the dog just gets lonely. I mean, who doesn't like Merino wool?

Sheep for Brains

It has been a full day and we are only half way through it. We started at the Turretfield Agricultural Research Station where we learned how sheep are bred with Huntington's disease so they can study the early stages of the disease in an attempt to understand it in humans. None of the sheep have begun to show signs, but they all "have it" and hopefully one day they will help us understand what happens in our own brain. Turns out that sheep brains are a lot like human ones. Who knew...

This was Joe our tour guide. You can see the amazing land that this facility was built on.

Maybe it was the Huntingtons, but if you look close...you can actually see the crazy in their eyes. Crazy, crazy eyes.