![\"Murray](\"http:\/\/mayl.id.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/08\/Murray-Princess-Tender.jpg\" "\\"Murray")
Murray Princess' Tender<\/p><\/div>\n
The lift had already broken down the day before and was still out of commission but now the paddle had joined in.\u00a0 It was with great excitement that we heard we were being towed by the two tenders and went to the front of the boat expecting to see tow ropes but it was cleverer than that!<\/p>\n
The tenders lived one each side of the Princess, tethered to solid bars that stuck out at right angles a bit behind half way down the boat.\u00a0 I\u2019d always thought this was cute.<\/p>\n
![\"Jason](\"http:\/\/mayl.id.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/08\/Jason-Towing-with-the-Tender.jpg\" "\\"Jason")
Jason Towing with the Tender<\/p><\/div>\n
Well each boat had pulled forward so that they were now tethered to the front-sides and had their little outboards purring along, dragging us with them.\u00a0 Each had a staff member in it and they couldn\u2019t see each other which amused me.\u00a0 I guess they\u2019d prearranged their speed or we\u2019d have been going in circles!\u00a0 The starboard boat had Jason in it all rugged up in a rain jacket as it was not only cooler today but drizzling!\u00a0 The port boat had BJ.<\/p>\n
Hopefully you can make out from this picture that the grey part on the right is the deck of the Princess and that the outboard on the tender is going.\u00a0 They were just chugging along.\u00a0 Jason looked bored and cold so we chatted to him for a while and told him a couple of jokes and then went to see how BJ was faring and chatted to him for a while.\u00a0 We offered to make him a cuppa as we were about to have one each but he said he was fine.\u00a0 He was literally outside our cabin door!<\/p>\n
![\"Breakfast](\"http:\/\/mayl.id.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/08\/Breakfast-on-the-Tender.jpg\" "\\"Breakfast")
Breakfast on the Tender<\/p><\/div>\n
When we went back to the starboard side Jason had been needed for something and had been replaced by the chief engineer, Brett, who was sitting there eating a full breakfast.\u00a0 We did laugh!\u00a0 Chef had brought it out for him as he was missing the staff meal time!\u00a0 Brett said it gave him time to think through what could be the matter with the paddle hydraulics.<\/p>\n
After quite some time, rumour then had it that petrol was becoming an issue for the tenders.\u00a0 They weren\u2019t equipped for this length of journey and they were not allowed to store spare fuel for them onboard the Princess.\u00a0 The plan was for one to zoom ahead without the additional weight of the Princess and get some but Brett\u2019s peaceful thinking and breakfast must have done the trick and he came up with an idea to fix the paddle.<\/p>\n
By this time we were a good hour behind schedule!\u00a0 One of the tenders zoomed off ahead anyway and picked up the lift technician and brought him back so he could be working on the lift and have it fixed before we hit Mannum when the staff would need it for distributing luggage from the new passengers!<\/p>\n
While I’m on the subject of the Murray Princess, we were told that she weighs the same as 15 buses and uses 1,500 litres of diesel per hour – which we found interesting.<\/p>\n
I have not said to date but the passengers on the whole would have averaged 60 \u2013 65 years of age probably.\u00a0 Except for young Donna at 35 and 2 intellectually handicapped lads in their 20s David and I were amongst the youngest few passengers aboard.\u00a0 The staff had been brilliant about offering assistance to anyone that needed help with the stairs while the lift was out of action.\u00a0 The staff overall really couldn\u2019t have been more kind or helpful, we loved them all.\u00a0 Not to mention the great senses of humour which got a regular workout and was much appreciated.<\/p>\n
Those 5 of us that were not disembarking all had a trip of the Barossa Valley as our activity for the day.\u00a0 I guess it got us out of the way while everything else happened for the staff with changing passengers.\u00a0 We were to have moored around 9.00 and left for the tour by 9.30 but didn\u2019t dock in Mannum until almost 11.00 I think.\u00a0 Mardi from the woolshed was there with her minibus waiting for us and Jason came and got us and bustled us quickly away so we wouldn\u2019t miss too much of what we were to have seen.\u00a0 Unfortunately this meant we did not get to say goodbye to Chris and Maria.\u00a0 One minute we were near them in the aft lounge and the next we were gone.\u00a0 It felt so rude and I was so sorry not to have been able to wish them all the best but it all happened in such a whirl.<\/p>\n
Mardi loaded Heather, Ray, Donna, David and myself on the bus (a 15 seater the same as I used to have which made me all sentimental) along with a big picnic basket from the boat and off we went.\u00a0 Along the way Mardi was saying that she was sure she should have had 8 passengers and we suddenly realised that 3 of the others from our table had mentioned coming on this tour.\u00a0 Although they were disembarking today they had arranged to take the tour before going back to Adelaide!\u00a0 So Mardi had to turn around and then find Jason in order to find John and his wife and mother.<\/p>\n
Eventually we were all loaded on and Mardi gave us a very interesting commentary as we drove along.\u00a0 Unfortunately, because of the amount of time that had been taken from us, we were going to miss one winery and would be a little rushed at the others but everyone was relaxed and happy and that\u2019s the main thing.<\/p>\n
Mardi announced the name of each town before we got to it and told us a little about each one plus interesting things about the terrain, rainfalls etc.\u00a0 At the mention of each town name I told David how big or small it was going to be because I knew how often I\u2019d been asked for the places when I worked at directories and it has always proven to be a very reliable indicator.\u00a0 The first one I had never heard of and it turned out to be absolutely miniscule, which is exactly what I\u2019d told David it would be.\u00a0 I’d never set foot in South Australia before this holiday but knew quite a bit about it LOL\u00a0 In this tiny town there were just a handful of houses, a closed down shop and a tiny pub.<\/p>\n
At one point we passed a field and had been told that it contained the Springton Tree, or more precisely the \u2018Herbig Tree\u2019 and we were in Springton.\u00a0 I don\u2019t usually put web links in my stories but because of our time limitations we were unable to stop and look at, or photograph, this tree so I\u2019ve looked it up since.\u00a0 I was far more interested in this than in tasting wine but when you\u2019re on a wine-tasting tour you can hardly complain hehehe.\u00a0 There are some good photos of the tree here Springton Tree Photos<\/a> and the whole story of why it\u2019s so fascinating here Springton Tree Information<\/a><\/p>\n After about an hour or so we stopped at a place with toilets, a souvenir shop and a caf\u00e9 and had a look around before enjoying a cuppa and some scones with jam and cream.\u00a0 Very nice too!\u00a0 I bought a small gift for our house-sitter and a Christmas decoration which I was very happy with.\u00a0 One lovely thing here was that Heather and Ray\u2019s daughter worked in the shop so we got to meet her.\u00a0 She seemed like a lovely person but that was no surprise given her gorgeous parents.\u00a0 As we crossed the carpark to get back on the bus a girl was coming towards us and got thoroughly hugged by Heather \u2013 it turned out the girl was her niece!<\/p>\n From this shop we travelled a bit more and drove up a fairly steep hill to a lookout where we could see the entire Barossa Valley laid out flat before us. We were surprised at what a small area it actually appeared to be.\u00a0 Then some more driving before we came to Chateau Tanunda winery.\u00a0 It was a lovely old stone building and there was a long bench table and chairs set out for us.\u00a0 First there was wine tasting at the bar where David entertained himself by letting me taste the wines he liked and seeing the screwed up face I would pull.\u00a0 Yuk yukkety yuk to dry and red!!!\u00a0 There was one sweet, \u2018thick\u2019 white dessert wine that really tickled my fancy though and he bought me a bottle to bring home.\u00a0 Now you\u2019re talking \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n Wine Tasting at Chateau Tanunda<\/p><\/div>\n Here\u2019s the entire 7 of the other passengers in this photo anyway.\u00a0 You can see Donna smiling from behind Ray then John and his wife from Forrestfield behind Donna and then John\u2019s mother sitting down apparently at David\u2019s shoulder.<\/p>\n After the tasting, and a laugh or three we sat down at the long table where Mardi had spread out the picnic lunch for us.\u00a0 We had plastic plates and all had salad, a chicken piece and ham on them so I just put my meat on David\u2019s plate which didn\u2019t leave me a lot.\u00a0 Mardi noticed immediately and got up to give me more salad from the container and I supplemented that with the little individually wrapped cheese that I\u2019d been given to go with some cracker biscuits.\u00a0 Truly, after all the excesses, it was good to have a light meal.\u00a0 There were also bread rolls and butter so I was not left to go hungry.\u00a0 There was also something for dessert along the lines of a muesli bar or something similar \u2013 I really needed to write this closer to the happenings LOL\u00a0 David thinks it was bite-sized chocolate bars.\u00a0 Something along those lines anyway!<\/p>\n From here we went to another winery where David tasted some fortified things like port but quietly didn\u2019t like them.\u00a0 I bought a small chocolate which was rather nice but not enough that I bought more to bring away.\u00a0 And then onwards with more driving and we went through the larger town of Angaston.\u00a0 We were told from behind us to look at the house on the right with the blinds down.\u00a0 It was Heather and Ray\u2019s house!!!\u00a0 How amazing to go on a holiday tour past your own front door!<\/p>\n And, then out of time, we drove back towards the boat stopping only once to wait for Mardi\u2019s dad to pick up John and his ladies who were not returning to the Princess.\u00a0 Goodbyes all round and then off we went again to see who we now had on board with us.<\/p>\n The new passengers were now noticeably younger which was interesting.\u00a0 People just enjoying a weekend break from work no doubt.<\/p>\n We had new flowers in our room but oh!!! they\u2019d taken my daily newsletters away!!!\u00a0 I\u2019d been keeping those as reminders of what we\u2019d done each day so I didn\u2019t have to keep notes!\u00a0 And we hadn\u2019t had any chocolates left on our pillows the night before.\u00a0 I haven\u2019t mentioned yet but every night during dinner our bed was turned down (only David\u2019s side so I\u2019m not sure if we were both supposed to sidle in from there hehehe) and a wrapped chocolate mint was left on each pillow but on Thursday night we didn\u2019t get them!<\/p>\n Then came dinner and when the waitress asked which choice I wanted from the menu I said \u201cVegetarian please!\u201d\u00a0 After a while she came back to say that the kitchen had forgotten about me, which was not actually a surprise after the ‘salad only’ lunch, but they would whip me up something.\u00a0 And they did \u2013 the most wonderfully delicious omelette I\u2019ve ever had in my life!<\/p>\n The entertainment after dinner was Alex and his music and we just happily talked over him with our remaining 3 friends, Heather, Ray and Donna.<\/p>\n Happy 55th B day<\/p><\/div>\n All of a sudden a drink was delivered to David from the bar.\u00a0 What a work of art!!! The bottom word is b.day as it had started to sink a bit by the time I took the photo.<\/p>\n David's Birthday Drink<\/p><\/div>\n How gorgeous of them!\u00a0 I think this was a joint idea of Jason and the lovely Ben \u2013 the best barman on earth!<\/p>\n Our new friend, Brad,(peeking from behind David\u2019s cheek in the photo) declared \u2018Happy Birthday!\u2019 to everyone from this moment on for his entire 3 days aboard which caused lots of laughter.<\/p>\n Next page\/…<\/a><\/p>\n Please feel free to leave a comment in the fields below before leaving this page. Email addresses will not be used in any way, nor displayed for anyone to see.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" After breakfast we were cruising along happily towards Mannum when our speed suddenly dropped and the noise changed.\u00a0 Rumours spread that we\u2019d broken down! The lift had already broken down the day before and was still out of commission but … Continue reading ![\"Wine](\"http:\/\/mayl.id.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/08\/Wine-Tasting-at-Chateau-Tanunda.jpg\" "\\"Wine")
![\"Happy](\"http:\/\/mayl.id.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/08\/Happy-55th-B-day.jpg\" "\\"Happy")
![\"David's](\"http:\/\/mayl.id.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/08\/Davids-Birthday-Drink.jpg\" "\\"David's")