There’s nothing like working on a seaside. And if that seaside is on South Australia’s Kangaroo Island, with its pristine sands and turquoise waters, then it is a actually fantastic sensation.
I have to admit I’ve by no means actually been a lot of a runner. However after a wonderful month-long tour of Australia and having piled on the inevitable kilos, I discovered myself on probably the most lovely stretches of sand on Earth being put by way of my paces by a former chef at well-known London restaurant The Ivy.
Leap to it: Sian meets one of many locals (form of) on the Southern Ocean Lodge
Sue Pearson is one thing of a legend on Kangaroo Island.
She arrived on this wilderness greater than ten years in the past and now runs ‘one of the best fish and chip store on the earth’, based on one native newspaper. She additionally runs a four-day coaching programme known as Soul To Sole. It is mainly away of getting your self in form whereas exercising and consuming healthily.
I cherished each second of my mini-fitness enterprise and simply want I may replicate it on the finish of each vacation.
My husband Jonathan and I had been staying on the much-acclaimed Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island, or KI to the locals.
The island is a 30-minute flight from Adelaide. Alternatively, you are able to do a straightforward 90-minute drive by way of world-class wine nation and board a ferry on the Fleurieu Peninsula.
Whichever choice you select, you’re going to get the sense of being in a really particular place from the second you arrive.
KI is roughly the scale of Kent, and a microcosm of various Australian landscapes.
It is the place to see one of the best of Australia if you do not have time to see the entire nation. Even on our quick journey from the airport, we glimpsed bushland, eucalyptus woods, white sandy dunes and spectacular seascapes. And there have been, unsurprisingly, plenty of kangaroos.
The Southern Ocean Lodge is perched on the island’s wild south coast. It’s a mind-blowingly lovely location, with the sweeping white sands of Hanson Bay seen from each a part of the resort. Every time we had been greeted by the panorama, we could not assist however say: ‘Wow!’
On our first day, a pleasant member of workers took us by way of our personalised itinerary as we sipped a glass of bubbly. We would suggested workers beforeoffered hand that we wished to stroll on rugged clifftops and cycle on empty roads.
As we chatted, a tanned and toned blonde girl walked in direction of us. We exchanged greetings and he or she launched herself as Sue Pearson. Inside a matter of minutes, I used to be readily agreeing to participate within the Soul To Sole health expertise together with her on the ultimate day of our break.
A view to recollect: As its title suggests, the resort appears out in direction of the Southern Ocean
Employees clearly take satisfaction within the Southern Ocean Lodge and could not wait to indicate us our suite. Every of the 21 visitor rooms is known as after an area shipwreck and so they snake gently down the hillside in direction of Hanson Bay.
Our room was the head of luxurious dwelling, and if there hadn’t been a lot to do throughout our keep, I might have cherished to spend extra time on the heated terrace, snuggled up with alpaca blankets and books, absorbing the drama of the Southern Ocean and watching the climate change.
Our suite’s walk-in wardrobe and mattress had been huge, whereas the picket flooring of the lounge segued into delicate carpet within the bed room and heated limestone tiles within the big toilet.
Occupying centre-stage within the toilet was a spectacular picket tub. There was such consideration to element all through. There was a Bose music system, cosy eco-fire, a fridge bursting with native foods and drinks, natural linens and even a tan leather-based toilet-roll holder.
And I do not know whether or not it was the KI water, the hairdryer or the shampoo infused with native lemon myrtle and wild lavender, however my hair had by no means seemed and felt so good.
We spent the following two days exploring Kangaroo Island.
It’s Australia’s third-biggest island, and really bigger than we thought at virtually 100 miles lengthy and 34 miles extensive. It’ can also be dwelling to about 4,500 folks. The guided excursions in 4WD consolation with Distinctive Kangaroo Island had been very good. A 3rd of the island is a nationwide park, with gorgeous pure options such because the wind-sculpted Outstanding Rocks and Admirals Arch in Flinders Chase. There, we watched seals being hurled in opposition to the rocks earlier than swimming again to do all of it once more.
Then we went to Seal Bay and located ourselves inside touching distance of those fantastic mammals. It is one of many uncommon locations on Earth the place you may truly stroll with sea lions on the sands. No marvel they name this space the Galapagos of Australia.
Ogling animals in a zoo is solely not the identical as viewing them within the wild. We noticed koalas munching away in eucalyptus timber, dolphins frolicking and seal pups studying to swim. We additionally went stargazing and got here throughout penguins on the seaside.
Within the resort’s eating places, there is a distinct concentrate on seafood, as you would possibly count on, with loads of candy crayfish, scallops and King George whiting. However there’s additionally an abundance of produce reminiscent of natural lamb and honey. In actual fact, right here the world’s solely pure Ligurian bee colonies produce extremely prized honey. I purchased a number of pots of this liquid gold to take dwelling as presents, together with scrumptious native jams and fairly first rate bottles of sauvignon blanc.
Absorbing the surroundings: Sian does her greatest Mae West impression in her suite’s big tub
For my hardcore remaining day of train, I braced myself by feasting on lavish seafood suppers and getting acquainted with native wines. The resort boasts the most important and greatest stocked open bar I’ve ever seen, however workers are at all times available to combine cocktails or dig out uncommon wines.
The service is seamless however laid-back on the similar time.
Company will be as sociable or as personal as they need to be. We had been each. The kitchen ready us picnics for our bike rides a deux, however we additionally received chatting to some good folks on the beautiful Li’Tya Spa within the grounds and joined them for a jolly supper one night.
Our remaining morning in paradise dawned all too rapidly, and I discovered myself on the white-sand seaside of Emu Bay, nervous concerning the day forward, but curiously excited on the similar time. Since most of my vacation garments by now had turn into ridiculously tight, I used to be additionally grateful for the prospect of burning off a number of energy. Sue and I jogged, chatted and laughed loads – there’s one thing concerning the sound of crashing waves that makes you overlook you are exercising.
One of many goals of Soul To Sole is to extend dietary data and achieve culinary expertise.
Sue cooked me lunch in her own residence and it was fantastic: seasoned scallops with greens grown close by, adopted by candy and fluffy native ricotta served with home-grown figs and a drizzle of honey. The flavours had been easy but chic.
Kangaroo Island is the place the place all my expectations of an ideal vacation had been realised. I’ve travelled extensively in Australia, however the uber-chic tackle wilderness on the Southern Ocean Lodge, coupled with Soul To Sole, beat all of it. It is not low cost, however then good issues hardly ever are.
Mae West as soon as stated that an excessive amount of of a great factor is fantastic.
When you’re sitting in a picket tub, sipping champagne and watching child seals frolic within the waters under, you realize what she meant.
