October 25
Adelaide

By 10.45 I had started my first beer of the day, in a plastic cup, sitting in the Chappell Stands at the Adelaide Oval.

When I left the hotel at 9.15 it was cloudy, windy and warm - but not as warm as I had expected.

Gouger Street on a misty morning	Chinese arch - looked better last night

I wandered around the market, took more photos of all sorts of things both edible and inedible and bought some pears. The market was reasonably busy but not crowded. That probably happens later in the day. I do love Australian markets, just like the ones in the older English industrial towns, but with much more colour and an amazing array of produce.

Bags of bags	A huge array of stalls
Mango delight	Charcuterie to die for

When I emerged on the other side, a passing thermometer said it was 28 degrees but the wind had dropped.

A passing thermometer
I passed the Post Office - gates firmly locked as it was Saturday & Australia still seems to function like pre-Thatcherite Britain - and walked up King William Street. I stopped off at the Railway Station, to check on train times for my planned trip tomorrow, passed the Arts Festival Centre, complete with loud colours & odd street furniture, and entered the park which sits on the banks of the Torrens River.
	The General Post Office

It is a very English setting. A bandstand, a fountain and even a regatta on the river. The bird life, however, was distinctly exotic, with pelicans and black swans vying for the attention of passers by.

Adelaide Arts Festival buildings	Bandstand in the park

Finding my way into the cricket ground proved a little difficult but I eventually made it, paid my $6 and joined about 100 others in an almost empty ground.

Gates celebrating a New Zealand cricketer	Typical grassy bank
Traditional scoreboard and bar	Out of focus swift patrolling the outfield

Under the magnificent old scoreboard is a bar and a couple of others had already ordered beers. The old chap who was serving was struggling to get anything more than shaving foam into a plastic cup. He tasted the foam and said that it was cold enough. I remarked that it sounded like a good excuse for a free drink. He replied that he was officially allowed to and, what's more, there were 12 taps to be checked!

My cold beer eventually arrived and I watched the cricket and the swifts patrolling the outfield for insects. I tried hard to get a decent photograph but they do move rather fast so that focussing was extremely difficult.

Chappell stand	Sir Donald Bradman stand

The ground is very traditional, with the scoreboard and most of the stands having changed little for decades. I can't say that I found it attractive, however, although many rate it one of the most picturesque test grounds in Australia or even the world. Rose tinted spectacles, I fear. Even the new stands were pale imitations of those at Lords. The grass banks were typical of Australian Cricket Grounds.

At lunchtime, I set forth, past the regatta still taking place on the river, past tennis courts at the back of the cricket ground, which seemed remarkably empty for a sunny Saturday lunchtime, and up the hill to Light's Vision. This is the famous viewpoint over the city but the trees have been growing very well and they dominated most of it.
	The regatta continues
Empty tennis courts	View from Light's Vision

North Adelaide is leafy with some magnificent property and lots of small parks. I found my way to O'Connell Street, the main North Road, which is also the main restaurant centre. I found  the Archers Hotel, a nice looking pub, and sank a much needed Coopers.

At the opposite end of the block to the pub is Najjars Restaurant. It looked as if it too used to be a pub but it was now a Lebanese style café. It had a 2 course lunch for $15, which seemed pretty reasonable - salad and calamari. Iced lemon tea to wash it down seemed an even better idea. Both courses were good and I staggered away a hot but happy man.
Calamari and chips	Cooling iced tea

It was a long walk home although it was downhill most of the way. Adelaide Cathedral is en route, a magnificent building. It was hosting a very posh looking wedding as I walked past.

From there, I followed this morning's route, down King William Street and onto Grote Street, partly to visit the internet café and partly to examine the thermometer, which was reading 35 degrees.

Hot stuff in these part	Metropolitan Hotel and Internet cafe

Back at the hotel, I was exhausted, I suspect I had walked 7 or 8 k in the day in high temperatures. In Singapore, it is just as hot but I would never consider walking long distances over there, relying on public transport, instead. I had a snooze and a shower and eventually felt up to finding dinner.

The nearest restaurant to the hotel is Vietnamese and, as this cuisine isn't too common in New Zealand, it seemed a logical place to go. The cold rolls were similar to last night's - structurally sound and very fresh but lacking the ooomph of coriander, Vietnamese mint or even spring onions. Mine may not be authentic but they do taste better. The place had a good smattering of Oriental faces amongst the diners but they may have been Chinese and Japanese and just as ignorant of Vietnamese food as I am. The main course was a chicken curry. It was similar to much of the food that I had in Cambodia last year.
	Cold rolls
Greens	and a mild curry

Pleasant enough and wholesome but not exciting. Bit like Julie Andrews, I suppose.

After consuming huge amounts of tea with my meal I returned to my room to collapse, by way of the Hotel bar for yet another cooling Coopers.

October 26