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About The Adelaide Diaries

Hi!

My name is Leyla, I’m 22 years old and most importantly, I’m an Aquarius. 

I recently graduated from the University of Adelaide with a Bachelor’s Degree in Media and Journalism. I decided to start this blog to give myself a creative outlet that I could use to showcase my skills in writing, journalism and storytelling. Along the way, I have also learnt some useful skills in web design and photography. Currently, this blog is like my own public diary. I write about the things I have done in and around Adelaide, and hopefully soon, in and around the world. 

The aim of my blog is allow me to feel more comfortable with sharing my work to a public audience. I also hope that people gain something from reading my posts, whether it be trying out the activities I write about, or inspiring them to start a blog of their own.

At the moment, I am taking small steps in figuring out what I want this blog to be, and who my target audience is. Eventually, I want my blog to become its own brand. Once I develop a solid foundation, I will start promoting it more using tags, social media, and analytics. I will also move away from Tumblr and onto a Wordpress site. Although, that is all still a while away just yet.

I have really been enjoying writing my Winter Bucketlist series, and reflecting on the different ways I have been keeping myself entertained. Most of my posts centre around my friends, and this will most likely be a recurring theme in future posts as well because they are such an important aspect of my life. I hope to continue to see this series grow and evolve, and look forward to what else is to come.

I hope you enjoy reading my blog as much as I enjoy writing it. 

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5. Catch a Gig at a Small Country Pub

Part 2: Sedan

After feeling like we had explored everything that Swan Reach had to offer, it was time to make our way back to our campsite, pack everything up and drive on over to our second camp ground of the weekend.

Sedan is only about a half an hour's drive from Swan Reach. The main reason we were in Sedan was to visit The Old Barn, a small country pub that was hosting their Moondance evening. This was a ticketed event, which secured us a spot to camp on next to the venue, dinner and dessert for the night, and some live music entertainment. Listening to some good old fashioned country rock music in a small town pub with your close friends is one of the best feelings ever.

There were plenty of gas heaters to keep us nice and warm, as well as a huge bonfire out the front of the pub. The drinks were cheap and we danced our little hearts out all night long, keeping the cold away.

This was such a unique experience, and makes me realise how truly underrated live music is in Adelaide.

Once the musical acts concluded, we found our way back to our swags which were just a short walk away.

One chilly night's sleep later, we were woken by the sound of cows mooing. It was definitely an interesting kind of alarm to say the least, but it did the trick in getting us all up and about.

The morning air was fresh while we were packing everything up and loading it back into our cars. Eventually, we were back on the road with Adelaide as our final destination.

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4. Riverside Camp for the Weekend

If there's one thing our friend group loves to do, it's go camping. We aim to go at least twice a year, typically in the warmer months and somewhere coastal. We've stayed along the Yorke Peninsula countless times, swagging it in the national park. We swim and fish during the day under the hot sun and sleep peacefully at night under the twinkling stars. We rarely, if ever, camp in Winter.

The purpose of my Winter bucket list is to prove that Summer isn't the only time of year that you can do fun activities. It never really occurred to us that camping can be a vibe even when it's cold. You may not be able to go swimming in the freezing waters (unless you're especially brave), but you are able to huddle around a warm campfire at night taking in the cool midnight breeze. Although those Summer days can be scorching, the temperature at night is consistently cold year-round. At least in Winter, it isn't fire-ban season.

Part 1: Swan Reach

Instead of heading towards the Yorke Peninsula, we decided to drive inland and camp alongside the Murray River. We found a free camp spot in Swan Reach, which also featured toilet facilities and a 24/7 ferry service to get us across the river. We arrived on a Friday morning and immediately set up camp. The weather kept us on our toes all day, from pouring with rain to beautiful sunshine.

While we waited for more of our friends to arrive after finishing work that afternoon, we decided to cross the river by ferry and explore the rest of Swan Reach. This quaint town was full of charm and hidden treasures. It was quiet and peaceful, and the locals were absolutely lovely. We popped into the pub for a drink or two and a game of pool, then had a wander around the OP Shop. Everything was within walking distance and we were even able to walk on and off the ferry.

By the time it got dark, everyone had reached the campsite. We crossed the river again, this time to get dinner at the pub. The 10 of us sat outside to eat, pleasantly surprised that it was warm enough to do so. After catching the ferry back again to our campsite, we sat around the campfire, chatting, laughing and drinking until we eventually felt the need to sleep.

We woke to the sounds of light rain and chatty cockatoos on Saturday morning. The chilly morning air had most of us walking around in our Oodies. After we finally warmed up enough to change into something socially acceptable, we ventured back into town for some food and coffee. We had a lovely conversation with the cafe owners, then carried on with our journey to the Museum. The museum was a highlight of the trip. It told us the story of Swan Reach, a town we had quickly grown to love.

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3. Homemade Pizza Night

I've come to realise that all of the activities so far have centred around food, but who can say no to homemade pizza?!

I am a bit of a snob when it comes to pizza, I prefer a thin and crispy crust with lots of toppings and minimal meat. Homemade pizzas are therefore the perfect way to enjoy a pizza that is exactly to my liking.

Again, like the last few activities, I recruited my friends for help. We slightly cheated by buying pre-made pizza dough, although I have seen some delicious dough recipes online and will link some below if anyone is up for the challenge of making it from scratch.

We made two pizzas- one margherita and one olive, prosciutto and caramelised onion. We also used a blend of shredded cheese and mozarella balls to achieve that perfect cheesy, gooey melt.

Paired with a loaf of sourdough garlic bread, the pizzas turned out absolutely delicious! They were easy, cost efficient, and a lot of fun to make.

Recreate our pizzas!

Margherita:

Tomato paste

Tomatoes sliced

Fresh basil

Shredded cheese

Fresh mozarella sliced

2. Olive & Prosciutto:

Tomato paste

Prosciutto

Green olives

Caramelised onion

Fresh rocket

Shredded cheese

Fresh mozarella sliced

Want more of a challenge? Check out the links below to make your pizza dough from scratch:

Gluten Free:

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The Comeback of Digital Cameras

You know those things that we used to take photos with before the iPhone was invented? If you were born later than 2005, then probably not.

I remember for my 11th birthday, my parents gifted me a digital camera. I was so excited to finally have something that I could use to take my own photos and videos, to capture memories through my own eyes and keep them forever.

Then I got my first phone and never touched that old camera again (well, until now).

We as a society have realised that it isn't our fault that we look bad in photos taken on our phones, it's the phone's fault.

Like a knight in shining armour, digital cameras have ridden back in on a white horse to save us from this epidemic of unphotogenic-ness (that's a word, right?).

So dust off those digi cams and show the world that you really are capable of taking a good photo!

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2. Wine & Dine at East End Cellars

Wine, steak and outdoor heating screams Winter to me, which is why I wanted to incorporate a visit to East End Cellars on the list.

Myself and a group of friends decided to pay a visit to the Adelaide restaurant one chilly Friday night and it did not disappoint.

It was the perfect opportunity to get dressed up and chat with friends over some delicious food and divine wine. We started with a cheeseboard, which we were able to customise to our liking, and later ordered the steak tartare, fresh rigatoni and steak frites. We shared the meals so that we were all able to enjoy the different menu items they have on offer.

The outdoor heating (and glasses of wine) kept us warm throughout the night. It was the perfect way to decompress after a busy week and the food was absolutely delicious.

The food, plus a bottle of wine, came to be around $45 each (split between four people), which I believe to be fairly reasonable for a nice dinner.

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Got the Winter Blues?

I am no stranger to seasonal depression. Each time Winter rolls around, that familiar melancholic feeling sneaks back in.

To help myself and others who may feel a similar way, I've developed a Winter bucket list in an effort to romanticise the cold.

During the next few months, I will be revealing the activities on the list one at a time as I complete them. Along the way, I hope to learn to love the cold and all it has to offer.

I'll be documenting my experiences and invite you to give some of the activities a go, or even make your own bucket list.

Follow along to see me shed my dressing gown and uggs, and get out and about this wintertime!

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1. Picnic At Mount Osmond

For my friend’s 20th birthday, we thought it would be the perfect opportunity to check off the first item on my bucket list- a picnic at Mount Osmond.

Our first order of business was to go shopping for supplies. Eventually we settled on charcuterie board ingredients, party hats, and (of course) a Woolies mud cake. We then packed the car, put on a banging playlist to set the vibes, and drove up to Mount Osmond.

Upon arrival, we quickly realised how poorly we had planned to actually get up the hill. As we piled out of the car with our picnic blanket and multiple bags of food in hand, we were faced with what looked like a vertical, 90 degree hill.

After climbing what felt like 13 flights of stairs and taking numerous stops to catch our breath, we finally reached the top. We were met with a gorgeous view of Adelaide. The golden light of the 5pm sun really topped it off.

This experience was definitely one to remember. Good food + good company was the theme for this adventure, and it did not disappoint. We were determined to reach the top of this hill and it was so worth it. Plus, we have a funny memory that we can look back and laugh at.

There was something about the peaceful and serene atmosphere that made it feel like the perfect way to welcome a new age for our close friend.

Final comment: The view was breathtaking (literally)!