We did not think it could be hotter outside, but today it was 100 degrees at 11am on our veranda. What a day to pick a surprise drill for the crew members, because even at 9:15am, the thermometer was already well on the way to the century mark.
After breakfast, we had a message in our mail slot that today's mandatory muster station drill had been cancelled. It was to take place between 3 and 5pm, although many of the guests would be on tours or in town. It was written on the notice that this drill had to be done every 30 days, but we just did this in Sydney. So why again, we don't know. As far as we know, only a handful of guests boarded today, and it stands to reason only those few should have a private muster drill. The next mandatory drill will be in Fremantle on February 22nd. That's soon enough for us.
We learned last night that one of our mutual friends has come down with Covid. His wife has tested negative although. He has been isolated in another veranda room, while his wife was allowed to stay in their suite. Just from listening to people coughing, we believe there are more positive people than they know. Mandatory testing for the guests has stopped for the time being, unless you are feeling unwell and want to be tested. According to Presty, the crew has passed all tests. Great news. Presty added that there will be a total of four guests disembarked for other medical conditions between here and Fremantle. Much goes on behind the scenes that we don't always know about.
We stayed onboard the ship until 11am, when most all of the tour groups went off. We had no inclination to go to downtown Adelaide, especially with today's heat. Shopping is not on our itinerary unless it is grocery shopping. And we are stocked up in that department. So we took a walk under the shade of the mature pines and eucalyptus trees on Lady Gowrie Drive which led us to North Haven. There is a small but nice community of seaside condos and houses that face the gulf in this part of the suburbs. On the way, we passed by the golf course cross from the cruise ship terminal. We had spotted some golfers early in the morning, but now, the groundskeepers were watering the greens and it appeared closed for the day.
There are some special birds here called spinifex pigeons. They are quite unique with a crested spiral of feathers on their heads, resembling our California quail, but bigger. They stay on the ground in sandy, grassy areas, and are named after the grasses they prefer – spinifex grass. This is where they will lay eggs. The birds we saw today were fearless, and posed for some photos as they dug for seeds. We looked for some rosellas, the pretty little parrots, but saw none. The eucalyptus are beginning to bloom, and we know that attracts the parrots. Perhaps the heat of the day kept most birds grounded and in the deep shade. Smart birds.
After passing a few streets that went to the homes, we came across Gulf Point Centre and North Haven, which is located 20 km from downtown Adelaide. There is a beautiful marina here, with some nice eateries along the waterside. It has grown since the last time we were here, which may have been 5 years ago. At that time we went to an Italian restaurant called Abracci, but it was not here despite the fact that the website was showing it was. We walked the harbor which compared to a small version of Cabo San Lucas. Only better with no vendors or big bars like Senor Frog's. No this is a laid- back casual marina where the locals go for good food and conversation.
The restaurant had changed names and was now Palermo Ristorante. It is still serving Italian cuisine by the same owners, and still had many varieties of pizza. Perfect. We went inside and sat at a table for two. Within minutes we had Peroni beers in chilled glasses. We ordered the 15 inch Hawaiian pizza , and was bigger than we thought it would be. Of course, family-size was the clue. Guess what? We cleaned our plates it was so good. Needing some more hydration, we had another beer. One for the road right? Oh yeah, we had brought the Kindle for updating. We did make an attempt to log onto the free WIFI while on the ship, but could not get it to work. Our waiter said he could hook us up on their internet, so with his quick and magic thumbs, the young fellow logged us onto their website, and we were able to download everything needed to continue.
We took our time walking back, taking some time to look for the birds. Only a few were out and about. One thing for sure, there were no other people walking out here today. On the way back, we wanted to see how the tickets were purchased at this railway station. But we found the building closed. Once back in the terminal, we asked the info lady how that worked. She said unless we were on a huge ship, there is no agent at this station. You board the train, and pay for a ticket on the other end. Greg had mentioned that an all- day pass was $10. That would get you to the central business area where the buses and trams are free. Similar to what we found in Melbourne. Good deal.
It was heaven relaxing in the air-conditioning of our room until dinnertime. It was also a good time to read up on tomorrow's port of Kangaroo Island. One good thing will be a change in the temperature…. Cooler, we hope.
Dinner time found one less tablemate present….Heo. After two days in Adelaide, he was feeling a bit under the weather, so decided to skip dinner. Best safe than sorry, and hopefully he will be fine tomorrow. Greg caught us up on two days worth of their explorations. Being Australian, they know these cities quite well. Barb had gone off with friends Ellen and Aart to the Botanic Garden and lunch, which was really nice for all of them, especially Barb. She seldom leaves the ship.
There was shrimp on the barbie for appetizers at dinner. And Barb took credit for cooking them, of course. One of us had the tortellini entrée, keeping it light after that huge pizza. The other good meal was the fish….barramundi again. No bones. Scallops were served in a much different form, and the beef bourgeon was another huge portion. Desserts were chocolate cake and fruit crisps.
The entertainment tonight was provided by a local Aussie group with folk music and poetry. Greg had peeked into the World Stage after 7pm, and said it was packed. These venues are always popular.
Bill & Mary Ann
