Our friends the Mustards — isn’t that a great last name? — holiday at Wallaroo every January. We usually drive up and spend a day with them, but this year we stayed a little longer and spent the night in a beautiful beachfront apartment.
Back row: Lisa, Jamie, Jim and Darryl. Front row: Ebony, Lachlan, and a Mustard family friend named Spud. (Spud is an interesting exercise in how nicknames come about. His real name is Haydon, which got shortened to Haydo, which rhymes with potato, which turned into Spud.)
Why are South Australian beaches always so uncrowded? Simple. The state has 3,141 miles of coastline, but only 1,750,000 people. In contrast, Los Angeles County alone has only 70 miles of coastline and more than 10,000,000 people.
I must be one sexy dude, because this woman can’t keep her hands off of me. (In reality, she clearly suffers from some sort of undiagnosed mental condition.)
We met Lisa many years ago at the Tanunda restaurant where she works. She told us she was going on vacation and invited us to drive up and spend the day with her family in Wallaroo, about two hours northwest of Angaston. Neither Jamie nor I think she bothered to tell husband Darryl who we were nor that we were going to insert ourselves into their holiday.
When we arrived he looked at us as if to say, “Who in the hell are you people and why are you bothering me on my holiday?”
But things have really changed over the years. Now we show up in Wallaroo and Darryl looks at us as if to say, “Now I know who you people are but I still don’t know why you’re bothering me on my holiday.”
Kind of touching, huh?
Update: I really need to mention that Darryl is a freakin’ hero. He has a very important full-time job, but still takes time off to fly around the country fighting bushfires. He’s one of those guys you see on TV saving lives and homes right in the middle of those devastating conflagrations. He was just honored with life membership in the South Australia Country Fire Service. It’s a big deal. He really is a hero.
Great story and photos. Thanks for the update. Keep us laughing.
Aussies are THE best for bestowing a nickname on someone. Tiny was given his as he walked on the job first day. Didn’t even ask his name. Was just a “get over here Tiny”.(6’4 tall)?
Awww its a shame the swim jetty at Wallaroo isn’t still standing so that you could do your “jetty jumping” with the kids again ?
We love this place and love that you come visit with us ?
And yes, I think that first year Daryl was a little concerned about the 2 Americans I had invited over on holidays. Just goes to show what a great impression you made on me on your visits to Red Door. I don’t just invite ANYBODY away with us ?? and he does enjoys your visits too ?
He says one day we will come check out your beaches!
P.S. he’s very humbled by your kind words. He takes his volunteering very serious xx