May 3rd, 2019
Thirty one hours in transit is exhausting. My flight from Ottawa to Vancouver was full but as comfortable as flying seems to be these days which does not really speak well for most experiences. However, I had a really nice Air Canada employee at the Ottawa check in counter seat me in a totally empty row for the gruelling Vancouver to Sydney leg of my journey. I was able to stretch out and get a little bit of sleep. They also feed you well on those long overseas flights. Better still, Air Canada got all of my luggage safely to Adelaide at the same time as I did. Kudos Air Canada!
One of the thing I like to do when visiting a new city is take a ride on the public transit network to get a feel for the place. In Adelaide this is really economical and in fact, free. There are two, free bus loops that circle the city and both run buses ever 15 minutes or so in both clockwise and counter-clockwise directions. It is a nice way to see what is around and to plan your time there. I started with a nice breakfast at the City Market, a large collection of stalls each run by different independent merchants offering, food, produce, meats and other treats. It reminded me of the old Northeast Market back in Baltimore where my great-grandmother Edna used to work cutting meat in my Uncle Norman’s stall. Further north is Rundel Street where it appears Adelaide likes to shop and where the occasional strange sculpture pops up.
Fully fed I walked on to the Adelaide Botanical Gardens, a compact but carefully planned park near the edge of the downtown area. It is a world apart from the nearby city. Well planned with serpentine paths and carefully identified botanic specimens both local and exotic, it is pleasant and peaceful environment cut off from the traffic and noise that surrounds it. The gardens are home to a number of interesting birds but please do not look to me for any information about them. When it comes to birds, I know nothing.
The gardens also seem to attract school groups in abundance as well as folks who just want a place to peacefully do their thing. Among the trees and flora there are many quite spots tucked away where you can practice tia chi or MMA if you prefer.
Later I was able to meet up Paul and Jenny, two of my riding mates for the coming weeks. We enjoyed getting to know each other a bit while having a tasty dinner at at Paul’s (not the Paul on the ride) Seafood Restaurant. Tomorrow all the riders will gather, load up and head to Port Augusta where we will begin our ride. Let the journey begin!