"Treasures of Cruising the World" with Bill & Mary Ann: Report #48 Adelaide, South Australia, Australia February 17, 2018 Saturday Sunny & 82 degrees Part #1 Of 2 80 Pictures

Although we spent the night docked in the Adelaide Cruise Terminal, the ship was not cleared until 7am. We were not the only ship here today. The Astor was docked right in front of us. A much smaller vessel, the ship was built in 1997 and holds up to 650 passengers. Normally it caters to the German-speaking crowd, but when re-located to this part of the world, it may appeal to the locals. Just guessing. Asking one of the local terminal helpers, she said that the ship offers 8 day round trip cruises around Southern Australia to Tasmania.

The city of Adelaide has a lot to offer. It is full of wide streets and mature trees with buildings typical of British architecture. It has it all – museums, churches, parks, cathedrals, and galleries. High end shopping can be found in the central business district. The city is surrounded by the rolling hills of Mt. Lofty with the most spectacular views.

So much to see, so little time. The ship had 12 tours today. They ranged from 4 to 8 hours, and cost $86 to $300. The shorter ones took in the city of Adelaide and the highlights. Also of interest is a stop at a nearby wildlife park, gardens, and museums. A trip to Hanhdorf, a pretty township founded in 1839, the oldest surviving German settlement is delightful. We have done it twice. Wine tours took up the rest of the options. We have also joined those in the past, even though we do not drink wine. The tour of the winery is always interesting.

For those of us who did not take the organized shore excursions, there was an option of taking the train at the Out Harbor Railway Station. Located directly across the road from the cruise terminal, the metro ride cost $10 Aus. That would cover each person for the entire day. The ride took about 30 minutes one way. The info on the front page of our daily newsletter made it perfectly clear that there was no public bus service to this part of town, and the ship would not be providing a free shuttle. Would have been nice if they provided complimentary passes for the train.

Having toured Adelaide extensively, we decided to go off later, take a walk, and perhaps find lunch somewhere. That was around 11am. Going into the terminal, we found that at least 100 people, guests and crew members, were using the free internet. Maybe we will try it later ourselves, if nothing else, to download security updates.

The information locals had tons of booklets and pamphlets on Adelaide and the surrounding areas. They were more than helpful, even with a map of the immediate area. We took a long walk out of the harbor area spotting some swift parrots in blooming eucalyptus trees, and spinifex pigeons eating seeds in the sandy banks along the roadside. Had we remembered about the birds, we should have brought the good camera. A couple of miles up the street, we came upon a marina called North Haven. Some very upscale homes have been built here with access to beaches, walking trails, and easy access to Adelaide.

In the marina complex, we went to a place called Abbraccio Café, serving Italian cuisine. Never guess what we had? Of course, Margherita pizza and Cooper’s Pale Ale beers. They sold extra-large homemade cookies from jars, so we bought an apricot and almond one to split. Good way to get rid of coins, naturally. Next we headed for the beach near the pier. You could walk for miles here, although the part we walked was full of a compost-like substance. It was actually spongy to walk on, and we sunk in it….like quicksand. We noticed that a competition was going on with some rowers off shore. And a helicopter was patrolling the entire length of this series of beaches. Guess they could be duel-purpose watchers of the beach goers and also on shark watch. Don’t know if there is a problem with sharks here.

Back on the ship, we worked on photos for the rest of the afternoon while watching a good movie. We sort of needed the down time after our long and vigorous hike yesterday. We did go back to the terminal to see if the internet was working. It was hard to get online, since the notice for the free wifi stated that it would only allow 70 people on at a time.

We found two seats, and realized in a few minutes why we don’t usually do this. This is where you realize that people have colds or worse when the coughing starts. Despite the slow speed, we did get some things done.

Dinner for us was in the Pinnacle Grill at 8pm. Since the ship was not leaving until 11pm, we figured it would be almost empty of diners. Not so. We did get or usual table by the window, but the restaurant was busy. Drop ins, Tina said. They are happy to accommodate people if they have the space. So we both ordered the lamb chops….tasty as ever. One baked potato and one cone of skinny French fries completed the meal. Dessert was one chocolate volcano, and one plate of Cherry Garcia ice cream, or as one of us calls it….naked baked Alaska. No cake or meringue, just the ice cream with a dab of berry compote.

We will have two sea days on our way to Albany. We wonder what to expect with the seas and weather???

Bill & Mary Ann

The Aussie trio entertains both ships….they were great