Hunter Valley - Wine Country

Trip Start Dec 11, 2008
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Trip End Mar 06, 2009


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Flag of Australia  , New South Wales,
Friday, December 19, 2008

We got up early on Tuesday morning for an important activity that was recommended to us by Mel...a trip to wine country!  The Hunter Valley is kind of like the Napa Valley of Australia. It's about 2 hours from Sydney, so we boarded a bus that specializes in trips from Sydney to the Hunter Valley and made our way to yet another beautiful location.  We stayed at an amazing new resort hotel (at a highly discounted rate thanks to a last minute booking website!) called the Crowne Plaza.  After a few hours at the pool on Tuesday, we walked to one of the nearby wineries, Cappercallie for a tasting.  Then, we had a nice dinner at one of the restaurants in the hotel where we met a local man at the next table over who will be visiting Steamboat in early January.  Small world.

Wednesday morning we started the official wine country tour with our exceptionally informative and jolly guide Brian.  It was more than just a wine tour though, stopping off at 6 different wineries, an olive shop, and a cheese and chocolate shop.  We were pleasantly suprised how thorough the tour was, with a continous insider's commentary from Brian on the bus, and detailed wine tutorials from experts at each of the vineyards, with plenty of behind the bar assistance from licensed server Brian.  It was a full day, with plenty of wine, food, instruction, and amazing scenery, that turned out to be an exceptional value (about $20 each American for the day tour plus about $50 each for round trip transportation!)   Despite feeling a little YOUNG among this group (read: pensioners, AKA retirees) we had a blast!
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lukeakrueger
lukeakrueger on Dec 20, 2008 at 10:09PM

yo
Tommy. Wanted to let you know that I shredded Stickline at the Beav this week.. siiiiick. Thought of you my man.

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