I'm Back!!! With a few chilled out days to report on......!

Hello you lovely people I hope this finds you well and I am very sorry for the lack of blogging over the past few days, but I have been chilling and catching up and just falling into bed shattered!!

But I am here now, at the start of Sunday, my last full day in Adelaide before my flight back to Sydney tomorrow to collect Pops and catch up on all his adventures.  But before then there is another day with fabulous company to be enjoyed, and Thursday, Friday and Saturday to catch up on so pop on the kettle, slip on the slanket and enjoy.....

On Thursday it was my day back in the beautiful city of Adelaide.  I love it.  I have visited it many times before but it draws me back.  Some say it is old fashioned and backward.  Piffle.  Agreed it is laid back, like England in 1973 but it modern and vibrant at the same time with gorgeous buildings, fab restaurants and great people.  And I very much liked 1973 and I don't want this place to ever lose that laid back feel.  So I headed out on the bus to explore once again.

The heart of the City and my first stop (always) was the Central Market.  A buzzing vibrant hub filled with stalls selling everything from the freshest most colourful fruit from all around Australia and the world, to sausages, bread, meat, fish, speciality goods (that's the generic term, I also like fancy goods), clothes and shoes and more besides.  It also houses its fair share of eateries, one of which has a special place in my heart.

I first found the 'Big Table' almost 15 years ago on my first trip with my then husband and I have returned every time since.  I has not changed a bit and gave me a happy lump in my throat and tear in my eye at the memories.  For me it epitomises Adelaide.  Just a corner stall, eight people buzzing behind the counter, all busy preparing the freshest food and amazing coffee, smiling and singing and just loving their work, and why wouldn't you working there.  It's funky but not in a contrived way, it just is 1973. I had coffee and a chat with the owner then another and some gorgeous yogurt (I really did not want to leave) and then finally bid my farewells and vowed to return, knowing that I will as this is really a special place.

So then for a wander through the city, wandering down King William Street, shopping in Rundle Mall buying more to and adding to my already tight weight allowance, then headed for the river passing through the amazing university campus.  The buildings were amazing and hopefully the pictures convey that.  Once over the beautiful Torrens river I inadvertently lost my amazing sense of direction and ended up outside Adelaide Zoo!  And in I went, what a lovely place, hardly anyone there so I had all the animals to myself including the pair of pandas they have (Fi Fo and Wing Wong or something like that) and just like any couple they were sitting apart enjoying their tea!  Fabulous, I got so close and pondered how really quite ridiculous they look, just like a child had made them up, but cute as hell!!

I continued wandering through in the blistering and beautiful sunshine (35 degrees, lush!) smiling at all the native animals, the kangaroos, wombats, and of course the koala.  The Tasmanian devil made and appearance for me too.

Content and happy I wandered back down the banks of the river towards the City and saw the beautiful Adelaide Oval appear and sat in another favourite spot opposite it and watched the black swans float by and smiled to myself again.  I really do love this place.  Then another stop in Central Market China town for a little snack (15 prawn and chicken dumplings and hot and sour soup turned out not to actually be a snack) with I wolfed down before sitting in the setting sun in Victoria Square to wait for the others to arrive for dinner.

Started with bubble on the Majestic Hotel Roof Terrace (darling) and then headed down into the East End of Adelaide where the shops and bars get funkier and decided on Street.  WOW!! The food was incredible and we sat on a long table by the window, chatting eating and generally watching the world go by.  I also watched the bar area quite closely as the few at that end of the place was extremely pleasing on the eye.......

Then a short hop over the road found us in front of the gelato shop so it would have been rude to pass by, and with happy hearts, full bellies and ice cream taches we headed for home.

Friday was Halloween (a hot one is  a strange sensation.....) and we were heading for a night at Helen's to celebrate, but before then the morning consisted of a fab beach walk with the lovely Mandy and the so handsome Buddy, her 3 year old golden retriever!!! Eeeeeeeeeek he was sooooooooo lovely, my heart melted.  They had just got him when I was last here and he had turned into the most loving obedient dog and the walk was a pleasure, the sun on our faces, the sea on our feet and the beach full of dogs playing and just enjoying the simple things in life.  We walked from Seacliff to Brighton, stopped for a coffee and the largest serving of raisin toast known to man, then headed for home. 

Now, after my visit to the zoo yesterday I had been told by Jenn, Carrie's daughter, that it was home to an animal sooooooo happy and cute it even smiles when it is asleep.  I am talking about the Quokka.  OMG they had Quokka and I missed them!! So, having a half price deal in my head, I headed back to the zoo to meet this amazing little critter.  I got in cheap as they were closing early for a Halloween do and headed straight for the children's petting zoo (which is where the Quokka resides!!)  Thankfully no kids but there they were, cute as a button and yes, smiling!!!!!!

I sat for ages 'petting' them but soon it was time to tear myself away and meander back through the lush grounds, pausing to sip a slush puppy with the kangaroos before heading home to get ready for the witching hour.

Costumes donned, pictures taken and car filled, me and the Heggies headed off to The Millers beautiful home.  We had a right laugh.  The kids went terrorising the neighbourhood whilst we all sat and chilled, ate a gorgeous curry and then headed home for bed.  And that was Friday.....

Saturday was my day of getting things in order, chilling, buying last minute tat to add to my increasing weight limit and spend more time with the lovely ladies, so we headed for Marion, the shopping centre.  Not as big as some but perfectly formed.  Yogurt shop first, then met with the others in San Churros,  a Spanish eatery that just does chocolate.  Heaven.  I had the chilli chocolate hot chocolate which turned out to be a mug of melted goo that was amazing to spoon into my mouth but even this hardened chocoholic was beaten!  That may have had something to do with the chocolate fondue I had with it......

Then some shopping ensued, finding beautiful bra's in a size that I never knew existed, laughing till a tiny bit of wee came out at getting caught, actually getting locked into a clothes shop as they all shut at 5pm (1973, I told you) and after being released we headed back home for bubbles by the pool and making plans for my final day (sniff).  I wanted my last Seacliff sunset so we headed out, chasing the sun via Hungry Jacks to see Tracey's daughter Sarah in action, then sat and watched the sun go to bed.

A stop for pizza followed and a movie night, snuggled in the pool room with blankets rounded off the day beautifully. (I fell asleep after 10 mins then woke at the credits but my 3D glasses hid the evidence.....)

And now here I am.  All up to date, sorry if the last few days were not exciting enough for you my faithful followers but sometimes it's not all about jumping out of planes, feeding sharks or climbing buildings (do not fear, I will still be doing all that in future adventures) it's about spending time with people who make you smile and laugh, doing normal things that on the other side of the world do not seem so mundane, and just realising that life is short, do what ever it is that makes you happy.

Happy I am, and as I sit in my bed listening to all the birds come to life and looking at the pile of stuff I still need to cram into my luggage, I am looking forward to my last full day.  Now I wonder what we will be up to......

Until later......TTFN xxxxxx