Thursday

I had a shared sleeping cabin on the ferry, only one fellow passenger a lady from the UK. The cabin sleeps up too four. The sail is not as calm as my journey to Tasmania, I do manage a bit of sleep but mainly lay awake and follow the motions of the waves and listen to the wind.

We arrive in Melbourne at 5:30AM, it’s still dark, by the time we disembark there is a wisp of light and a fine drizzle of rain. I head straight to the tram which takes me to Southern Cross Station. Early morning workers are starting to appear. At the station I find an excellent coffee and breakfast and watch the city come to life.

Southern Cross is enormous, I find the platform for my train, which is new and we even have tray tables and excellent room for luggage, we head out through the city and are quickly in rural Victoria.

We arrive in Ararat and I have a 10MIN wait for the coach, it’s modern and very comfortable. Next stop Horsham, only an hour away, so far the land has been flat and dry and yellow, all the crops have been harvested, the only green is on the Gum trees.

At Horsham we have a one hour stop so I hunt out something to eat at a cafe. Walking back to the bus stop I find a lady in the street playing an up right piano, it’s a “street piano” and anyone can play, she’s playing a show tune and I am instantly taken to my Nana’s house she was a wonderful pianist. This is a fundraiser for the Salvation Army. A special little moment and lovely to be reminded of my Nana Basil.

I join another coach, again modern and comfortable for the last leg of my trip today. The land is still flat and dry but then I see the Grampians off in the distance they look impressive. We have a rest stop at a petrol station/roadhouse everyone piles out of the bus. Huge trucks pull in, it’s hot and dusty we stay for 30MIN.

The flat land turns to rolling hills, we are on the outskirts of Adelaide. We start to drop people at their stops, by the time we arrive in central Adelaide only a few passengers are left. It’s nearly 7PM it’s been a long day but very comfortable, the Victorians do a great job of regional travel! Thank you VLine.

Distance Traveled 738KM

Distance Walked 4KM

Friday

I’m staying with good friends in Adelaide. I sleep in a bed, in a bedroom with lamps and paintings, on my own no dorm buddies or bunk beds here, it feels like home and I am woken only by Billy, a very handsome four legged member of the family and the early morning twitters and tweets of birds.

We go for breakfast and a short walk. Adelaide is cool today, not as hot as I expected, I am lucky I think! We walk along the River Torrens there are old guns, ducks, tall reeds and still water.

There are fabulous home cooked meals, barbecues, wines and lots of chatting, lots of laughter, teenagers coming and going, Billy steals a dessert. Plans are made for Adelaide tomorrow. What a lovely way to spend my first day in Adelaide, what a wonderful Rest Day!

Distance Travelled 5KM

Distance Walked 7KM

Saturday

We have a leisurely start to the day. I am going to walk the Hallett Cove Boardwalk. This is a fantastic ocean cliff walk. Unfortunately some of it is closed at the moment for repair. The bit I do do has spectacular ocean views interesting geological history which is well documented as you walk.

My chariot awaits me at the top of the hill. We head home for a wonderful meal, great conversation and end the day with a game of Pool, lots of fun apparently my team won! I did get a lot of coaching from my young instructor and managed not to damage the table! I haven’t played before, what a great way to spend a Saturday night!

Distance Travelled 70KM

Distance Walked 6KM

Sunday

Ok so the plan was to walk the 10KM to St James Anglican Church, a later start than planned meant I didn’t get there all the way on foot. A fantastic track along the Torrens River originally know as Karrawirra Pari by the Kaurna people. There is a great pathway for cyclists and walkers. Plenty of people out and about, lots of men in Lycra on road bikes, dog walkers and joggers. The O-Bahn wizzes past, that’s the bus system that runs on a track in parts of Adelaide. I especially liked the Gilberton Swing Bridge (which really does swing and bounce). From the city fringe I grab an Uber the rest of the way to the church.

I arrived at St James in Mile End, the church was built in 1882, the stone and traditional stained glass make a beautiful combination, there is a small congregation and after the service tea and biscuits are served, I chat with some of the people all wanting to know who I am and where I have come from, there are funny stories shared and some of the history of the church told. It was a lovely time spent visiting and I was thrilled to spot the scallop shell in one of the windows at the front of the church just as I was leaving.

St James Mile End Adelaide

About St James Adelaide.

I find some lunch on the walk back into the city, I pass by Adelaide Hospital and University. I turn right to head into the CBD and find I’m in the red light district, interesting use of electronic billboards and bars and clubs getting going after a wild Saturday night. The CBD is busy with the Tour Down Under bike ride on here at the moment. I head for a coffee shop to recharge the batteries both mine and the phone. From here I catch an Uber to visit family for an evening of catching up, kids on bikes, up trees, swinging on jungle gyms, a new puppy, piano recitals, ballet, knitting lessons and bedtime stories, a wonderful meal and much laughter. I am exhausted by the time I get home. It’s been a fabulous Adelaide Sunday.

Distance Traveled 27KM

Distance Walked 13KM

Bedtime Stories Read 2

Monday

My final day in Adelaide, what a wonderful time I have had being able to stay with such good friends and enjoy their life for these few days and visit with family last night and create these precious memories I really feel very blessed this morning.

So today I am visiting the Adelaide Art Gallery and Museum. My bus to Alice Springs does not leave till 6PM. I am really looking forward to seeing The Red Centre of Australia.