Leaning sadly against a pillar as we exited Parklands Station in Adelaide, we found our luggage. So it hadn’t got lost. But the reason it was leaning was that one of the wheels of one of the cases had been broken and it wouldn’t stand up on its own! Not good. Luckily, Esther, part of the expedition management, was on hand. Her boss approved for us to get a replacement. That’s tomorrow morning tied up then. Shopping! My favourite!
Replacement case purchased, Robin and family arrived from Queensland.
We nearly lost two boys in the crack of a piece of artwork …
… not a million miles from a interestingly named street.
We walked through the city to the Botanic Gardens and hit an Indian restaurant for lunch. Our residence in Adelaide was the Miller Apartments. On Hindley Street. Near the dodgy end. With the night clubs, strip joints and brothels. To be fair they were quite a way to the west of us – I’ve just been out to check!
We had been moved rooms once on arrival because the cleaner had apparently forgotten to clean the room. When water started pouring out of the ceiling over Jack’s bed in the second room, we got another transfer to a higher floor. Hopefully above the source of the leaking water! Lots of drama. They let us keep the key to the leaky apartment so we could finish the 1000 piece jigsaw we had started!
In the Botanic Gardens there was a fenced off section where part of the Adelaide Fringe seems to be taking place. Or at least will be in the evening. We’ve never been to the Edinburgh Fringe and here we are sniffing round the edge of the antipodian equivalent! The RAA (Royal Automobile Association) were hosting taster sessions trying to encourage folk to buy tickets for the evening shows. The one we chanced upon had a mixture of singers, magicians, acrobats, comedians and a juggler. It was really fun to see Fringe events “in summary”.
Monday is boat-day.
We rented Dreamweaver for a five day self-drive cruise from Mannum to Bow Hill and back. A ten minute practice at mooring – basically ramming the bank and whipping out four mooring lines – and Robin was signed off as skipper. We were away. Actually, Robin was already familiar with the boat. We had rented it with my cousin about 20 years ago. He was employed as driver then as well!
The boat has four bedrooms and a couple of bathrooms down the port side. The “wheelhouse” (Robin-land), a dining zone, a large kitchen area (basically Linda’s domain!) and a lounge fill the starboard side. BBQ on the rear deck with two massive outboard engines, two canoes and a swimming/fishing deck. Upstairs there was a large dining table, sun-chairs (for use in the shade!) and a hot tub. All mod cons!
We shared the River with hundreds of cormorants and pelicans …
… lots of hunting harriers – probably marsh harriers – and smaller kites. There were swarms of swifts and martin’s and a few black swans.
Jack and Phroggy pulled a couple of carp and lots of freshwater shrimps out of the water.
We got as far as Bow Hill – a city of some 120 souls – located 30 km upstream of Mannum. The general store sells a wide range of goods to the populace. Indeed the store itself is for sale. We just wanted icecream. For the price of two and a half Magnums, we bought four litres of vanilla. Now the challenge was to consume this before we disembarked!
Being in an area with almost no light pollution, the night sky was absolutely spectacular. Millions of stars, the milky way, several satellites courtesy of Elon Musk (the president of the USA?), numerous planets (all seven were visible at the same time this week – if you knew when and where to look.) (And if maybe you had a telescope!)
Finally, we can report that the requirement to eat four litres of icecream in two days defeated us – but only just. And that was despite the best efforts of (mainly) Ben, Jack and me!
Anyway, that was last week – always behind! Today, as I write this, we fly to Queensland. You may have heard that the weather in southern Qld is rather “interesting” at the minute! Alfred is about to arrive. And he’s a bit of a cyclone!
Where we are going is close to the “a” in “Sunshine CoAst”! Could be a bit damp and breezy!
How bad it will be remains to be seen!
Lovely trip on the Murray!
Alfred at the latest briefing is going to cross north of Brisbane. But so much can and will happen with this cyclone.
Stay safe Tapp family!
Here at Samford we don’t have to worry about tidal surges, but it still looks a formidable ‘weather event’ as they say in this day and age.
Still waiting for the cyclone in Brisbane, all calm at present. Now likely to make landfall on Saturday, and Sunshine Coast not affected as much, though plenty of rain.