Pulling into Adelaide felt good. Coming south from Port Augusta was a great ride - a little tedious because of the wind, but beautiful, peaceful and refreshing. Finally getting back to Adelaide after having left on the Ghan almost a month before was like completing a circle. It felt good.
Adelaide is a gorgeous city. Not gorgeous like San Francisco or Sydney, where the views and the atmosphere make you wonder why you didn't come a day earlier, but gorgeous like a well-kept lawn in a nice suburb. It feels comfortable and homey. Ray Taarnby, Mr AwesomeHost that I stayed with at the end of December was gracious enough to welcome me back for a few nights and he even threw a huge party in my honor!
OK, the party was for Australia Day. It was a great party though, and I even got to teach a little salsa to hone up item two of my 4-point plan for financial independence.
I spent the next two days just messing about Adelaide and getting familiar with Ray's circle of friends. Ray is a magnetic guy who attracts good and interesting people-your writer excepted of course-and there's always someone engaging to meet and talk to. The center of gravity is a small italian restaurant called Scuzzi; close enough to Ray's place to get to easily, but far enough away to walk off an awesome spaghetti bolognese or omelette; something I did not fewer than four times. Ray knows everyone, and they all know him. It's like Cheers.
Adelaide itself is a gorgeous city with wide streets, green parks and tidy little museums. I read in the local paper how the congestion in Adelaide's central business dstrict is simply intolerable, but I didn't see it. What I *did* see was clean streets, comfy coffee bars and cafes, nice shops, orderly traffic and not too much noise. Like I said; gorgeous.
What I didn't find was any salsa dancing, outside of my own instruction that is. I went to get a haircut in the east end of town where there seem to be more trendy bars than there are people, and I found a place called Hair By John. Inside were six men, all in the same Ricky Martin uniform; jeans, tight black t-shirt, generous 5-o'clock shadow and a Justin Bieber haircut. Gay Central. Two thoughts: I can get an awesome haircut here, and these guys will know where the salsa action is! Well, I did get an awesome haircut - no small feat on my pumpkin head - but the coiffured barber just grunted confusion when I asked him where a guy could dance salsa in Adelaide. Maybe he wasn't really gay. I've been accused of having no gaydar.
Anyway; lack of salsa aside, three nights in Adelaide was a wonderful way to end up the South Australia section of my trip, and Ray Taarnby joins the pantheon of awesome Aussies who have been more kind to me than I can ever acknowledge. Thanx for everything, Ray, and I'll see you in Iowa! Next stop: Perth....
Adelaide is a gorgeous city. Not gorgeous like San Francisco or Sydney, where the views and the atmosphere make you wonder why you didn't come a day earlier, but gorgeous like a well-kept lawn in a nice suburb. It feels comfortable and homey. Ray Taarnby, Mr AwesomeHost that I stayed with at the end of December was gracious enough to welcome me back for a few nights and he even threw a huge party in my honor!OK, the party was for Australia Day. It was a great party though, and I even got to teach a little salsa to hone up item two of my 4-point plan for financial independence.
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| Where everybody knows Ray's name... |
Adelaide itself is a gorgeous city with wide streets, green parks and tidy little museums. I read in the local paper how the congestion in Adelaide's central business dstrict is simply intolerable, but I didn't see it. What I *did* see was clean streets, comfy coffee bars and cafes, nice shops, orderly traffic and not too much noise. Like I said; gorgeous.
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| They all looked like this guy.... |
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| First haircut in four months! |
Anyway; lack of salsa aside, three nights in Adelaide was a wonderful way to end up the South Australia section of my trip, and Ray Taarnby joins the pantheon of awesome Aussies who have been more kind to me than I can ever acknowledge. Thanx for everything, Ray, and I'll see you in Iowa! Next stop: Perth....
