MENSA Scout Camp, Adelaide, South Australia

Adelaide Vegan festival 

After arriving in Adelaide on the 17th November (via the Melbourne to Adelaide Southern rail) we were picked up at the station by our hostel manager. She was on her way home and during the drive gave us a key to our dorm and said someone would check us in tomorrow. 

The hostel was packed, absolutely packed. Even the downstairs disabled toilet had three people, on mattresses, laying on the floor. Our room had couples sharing beds and people were constantly coming and going. 


We're sure there was even a few homeless men making use of the hallway. 

We chatted to a few people and their stories were all the same, they'd come to Adelaide to find work. Mostly fruit picking but happy to take what they could get. 

"Had we heard of anything?". 

The next morning, the hostel was silent as carloads of workers had left earlier for a day of work and those without work were still fast asleep. We spent some time exploring the CBD, botanical gardens and hanged out at a vegan festival (we didn’t really fit in...but we tried). 

John and 'Barry the drug making bear' 

John, who had a bit of a cold was game to try a piece of vegan biltong. Biltong made of mushrooms is actually pretty gross, but his sense of smell was diminished and couldn't really taste anything. 

It's a rather fascinating lifestyle, a little hippy, burn the bras attitude but kudos to those that can overcome their cravings for meat! Or can happily enjoy a gluten, dairy and egg free piece of cheesecake. 



Following that, we then spent the next ten days at a fantastic scout jamboree lodge in the Adelaide Hills partaking in a well organised MENSA camp. MENSA is an international organisation made up of members who have scored in the top 2% of IQ tests. The camp was amazing- a great mix of Australians, with some internationals (including us)! 

Puzzle building challenge

Risk on the table

We met up with other campers in the city and together carpooled to the hills. The lodge was in a forested area under Mount George, it was remote and secluded, deep in the bush surrounded by gum trees and farms. The whole area had an amazing earthy and gumtree smell and as we arrived the cars crunched over dried leaves. Inside 'woodhill' was a fully equipped massive kitchen, drawing room and over twenty private wooden bunk beds. We all located a bed, dropped our bags and started to explore outside. 

Drop bear spotting, Seeone Hills

There was a massive cow shed, basketball court and slanted grass area. 

Someone had brought along a massive paddling pool so that was quickly blown up, ready for a bit of jelly wrestling, while several guys tried out the basketball court. Then the games appeared, board games galore!

Over the ten days we camped out, we received an initiation into how hot Australia can really be, as the spring temperature rose higher and higher.

Relaxing in the evening together

We experienced a range of bizzare weather patterns. Kara had her first rainless thunderstorm! Late one afternoon dark clouds rolled across the sky, cracking and ripping the proverbial seams of our universe. Remarkable! The hot weather also meant that there was a total fire ban on all campfires so we didn’t get to toast our camp marshmallows at the lodge. 

However we did plenty of other fun activities over the week. Johann from Perth took us walking and taught us how to hunt for the infamous 'drop bears' the colloquial local name for the cute and cuddly koalas as well as how to spot kangaroo trails.

Hahndorf- Australias oldest German settlement

As an initial team building event we took at trip to Hahndorf, considered the jewel of Adelaide hills. A small local town of German origins, the Main Street is lined with 100year old elm trees, gift shops and traditional German restaurants.

 The town retains its strong Bavarian heritage and its history can be traced back to 1838 when George Fife Angas, a director of a South Australian company, made a trip to London to promote colonisation. 


During his travels he befriended Pastor Kavel and encouraged his flock of German Lutherans, who at the time were being persecuted by the King of Prussia, to immigrate to Australia. 

Ye Olde Icecreamery

Old Hahndorf Village

Enjoying lunch in the sun, Hahndorf

In the restored old town we went on a gastronomical tour of wine tasting, perfect for it's cool winter climate, then honey tasting and finally ice cream tasting. 

After a late lunch together we returned for an epic game called werewolf. The rules were kind of complicated but we played all night acting out different characters.

On another morning everyone chose a side and we played a dangerous, competitive game of laser skirmish! (Like paintball but with laser guns). In the spirit of fun, the face paint came out and we camouflaged up. After a solid hour of running, jumping, sliding and hiding we were all drenched in sweat and itchy from the dry grass. 

Way to make yourself a target!

Branching up!

Surprisingly Kara, who in the midst of competition didn't think twice about diving into long grass or crawling in bracken wasn’t bitten by a snake but probably could have been, due to her ‘crafty’ hiding spots. Ahh the naïvety. In the end the opposition was up one point but our team had less injuries all-round. 

Everyone ready to play 

John on dinner duty

The day prior we had visited an obstacle course not far down the road and like monkeys climbed over tall wooden structures, swung on ropes and slid down large metal slides. It was heaps of fun, like a jungle gym for adults, ahh big kids! 

On our last night, after a day of practice, we came together and put on a comical skit. Kind of a little red riding hood gone off the rails number. Laughter ensued and to finish the evening we dragged our mattresses across the grass and into the huge cow barn where a projector had been set up for an impromptu movie night. A special treat for the international guests we watched an old classic: the rocky horror show! 

We were so appreciative of the experience and for the amazing people we met and the friendships we built. After leaving the camp and saying a sad goodbye we headed back towards Adelaide CBD. 

Tot siens,

John and Kara