ADELAIDE

Monday 27th February.  Well we have had a little trouble with the landing legs (Wayne thinks it is all the weight in the front bedroom wardrobe)!  So on our way into the city we stopped into an Agentcamper RV place to see if they could fix it.  Yes, but will have to order a part to come over from Melbourne, so paid for it and told it will be next Thursday week before we can fit you in.  That is 9th March!!  O.K.  If that is what has to be.  Booked in for the extra days at Windsor Gardens Caravan Park where the O-Bahn transport was just a 10 minute walk from the park.  Well the 10 minute walk turned out to be 25 for us oldies and not that good in 33 plus degrees heat.  Only way to find out where and when to get into the CBD before Matt and Karen arrive on Wednesday.

As we have been here before a couple of times - Golden Oldies 1999 and PIM Chapter some years later.  So we took a drive in the truck around to familiarise ourselves.  Oops,  we thought we would park in a car park but could not fit!!!!  Adelaide has so much happening on in the city at the moment.  Not only the Super cars, Adelaide Fringe for 2 weeks or more plus heaps of food festivals down by the river gardens.  People and workers everywhere so we flagged looking around the city and drove out to Glenelg for lunch and reminisce the good times with the golden oldie friends.

Victoria Square in King William Street

Adelaide Oval

So hot the people were sheltering under the jetty.

Wednesday night Matt and Karen flew in and we were waiting for them at their at their hotel.  The Ambassador Hotel (Faulty Towers says Karen).  Drinks in the main bar before we explored the city for dinner.

Four days at the Clipsal 500 races was great to spend time with Matt and Karen.  It has been years since we were at Willowbank together.  Matt and Karen found a Coopers Bar - upstairs with a view over the track perched on bar stools for two days.  Saturday and Sunday we chose a sheltered grassy spot along the back straight opposite a big screen which kept us up to date on what happening all around the track.  Very hot days so glad to be under the shade of large trees.  Strolled around these quaint vintage cars and caravans while Wayne and Matt took a stroll through the "Master's Pitt".

We actually saw a small caravan similar to this up at Lake Argyle with a couple of 80 year old's in it.  It was towed by a delivery/panel van where one person slept in and the other slept in the caravan.

Personally, I think four days is too long but I guess it depends on the venue.  Adelaide also has the "Adelaide Fringe Festival" on.  Heaps of different shows all around separate venues in the city.  Also arts and literature happenings throughout the day and nights.  Saturday night after the races we refreshed ourselves and had dinner a couple of doors up from the kids hotel, at Jack Ruby's, then strolled through the city to North Tce. where heaps of different events were happening and where we caught the bus back along the O'Bahn bus way which only takes us seven minutes.  Free while we were going to the car races.  Great service Adelaide.

Tuesday we farewelled Matt and Karen with a barbecue at home at the Windsor Gardens Caravan Park before they left for their trip along the Great Ocean Road to Melbourne.

We decided to take a run to find the best route back to the northern suburb to get the rig fixed on Wednesday, only to find that the company had not ordered the part!!!!  Had time to drive up the hills to Hahndorf for lunch at Otto's - The Best Bakery In The Hills.  Yes, the pie's and vanilla custard and nut slice hit the mark.  Had to stroll up and down the street to walk off the excess kilo's!!!!

Stopped into Mt Lofty Lookout to view the greater Adelaid surrounds and remembered "The Ash Wednesday" fires at the memorial plaque up there.

Too smokey for a clear view today.

Because of the incompetence of Agentcamper RV's we saved ourselves time on Thursday then to travel out of Adelaide through the Adelaide Hills and out to Murray Bridge where we began our journey following the Mighty Murray River.