On the Road Again!

The last week was a bit stressful finishing work, packing up, and preparing to be on the road again. The very worst part was having to say goodbye's to our friends and to Sydney itself. No more swims in the aquamarine waters of Coogee with Georg, and no more cycling along the coast at sunrise with Garth :( But it does feel good to have the stress behind us and to be finally exploring more Australia!

Kat and I ended up packing all night long to make a 6:30am flight to Adelaide. We arrived in Adelaide exhausted but eager to explore! One of our good friends from Sydney, Isobel, happened to have just moved here so it was very good to meet up with her and see her again!

Also, one of Fred and Diane's very good friends, Diaper Bob (sorry Bob, but the Bongiovanni's have immortalized that name for you!) happens to live in Adelaide. We went on a wine tasting tour in the Barossa Valley - which is EXCELLENT - and had an wonderful dinner with both Bob and Isobel.

My expectations of Adelaide have been FAR surpassed. Based on the judgements of other people, I had expected Adelaide to be a quaint country town and a bit on the dull side. This is simply not true. Adelaide is a comfortably sized city with a lot to offer. The city center is planned and flat and contains Botanical Gardens, museums, a university, shops, and many great places for food, beer, and wine. This makes it an ideal place to bicycle about and take in the sights. The city of Adelaide has capitalized on this and provides free bicycle rentals! Kat and I are exploring the city by bike and thoroughly enjoying ourselves.

Adelaide has been a great respite from the busy, crowded, and HUMID Sydney. The wine, dry heat, and gorgeous stone buildings give the city a relaxed and mediteranean feel. I think it's sometimes a bit off the tourist trail, but if you're looking for a great place to stroll through green parks and sample delicious food and wine in patio seating, this is the place to do it.