Iter Facere

On the way to Adelaide

Adelaide, 9:25 PM

Well, today we have nothing to report. We spent the day in transit from Cape Tribulation to Adelaide. The morning was a long bus drive to the airport, then the pleasure of getting internet access and some emails. After posting to the weblog, we waited until 1:30 for our plane to leave. I picked up the Sydney Morning Herald (not very good), the Australian (very good) and the Australian Financial Review (excellent). The flight to Melbourne was uneventful. Clouds obscured our view the entire way so we didn’t see much. What I did see was red. We had a quick layover in Melbourne, got back on the same plane and flew to Adelaide. It was too dark to see anything. Nice conversation with the cab driver on the way to the hotel. He had just moved to Adelaide from Punjab eleven months ago. We talked about India, and how each state was it’s own culture. Someday we have to visit India.

The man at reception loves his job. He was just a delightful guy. He was funny, chatty and helpful. A nice way to check into a hotel. We arrived about 8:00 PM, but Adelaide’s time is earlier by 1/2 hour, so it was 7:30. Intriguing. We walked out for dinner. Bumped into a raving homeless person. Hmm. Walked some more to Rundle Mall, the main shopping area. The clerk at reception had said that all of the shops closed up at night along there, although there were some restaurants. We looked down the road and decided it was too dead, so we went a different way. Must have been the wrong choice. Another raving homeless man, and then a minor encounter with some drunks. We decided to head back the other way and eat at the Italian restaurant near the hotel. That was a great choice. It was called Parlamento. The food was terrific. Jenny had a pasta bolognese with sausage. I started with lentil and swiss chard soup with parmesan cheese (and a nice riesling). My main course was veal tenderloins with onion, tomato and balsamic vinegar over parmesan mashed potatoes with a mild bitter green. Had a nice Zema cabernet. I think I’m lucky I don’t live in Australia, too much good wine. Then espresso and grappa. I have to remember to have grappa after dinner back home.

Back to the room and tomorrow Kangaroo Island.

posted by Jim @ 1:19 PM