Going West Tour: Day 10 Adelaide arrival

By the numbers

1 train

19,087 steps

14.46 kms

 

I woke up early to find that my phone had internet updates and I then made sure I included the check in for the hostel I was staying in as that was one job I had not done. It was around 3 am when I was doing this and then went back to sleep. The plan for today was to get off in Adelaide while others would either be staying to do tours or getting off like me. The light breakfast was just that and I was happy to have whatever the little cupcake things were with coffee before making my escape. I had also learnt how to put the beds up and that was really easy. I just hope they checked after I left. We could depart from every door in the carriage and once we had done so I ended up in the gift shop where the girls at reception started calling me to find out where I was as they thought I would end up at the hotel without my bag. I thanked them for what they had done as I was the only one left with my bag as the others had taken off. No one called me crazy for going to take a half hour walk from the station into Adelaide.

 

The walk was not too bad at all and kinda enjoyable. I wasn’t worried about the train being 15 mins late on arrival to the station as I wasn’t going on any of the local tours. I was doing the Brad tour and making my way from there. I ended up at the hostel without too many problems apart from nearly rolling my ankle when I wasn’t watching the footpath, and getting distracted by the street art. Someone has painted random Bin Chickens with some of the art. Not something I can explain for sure. The guy at reception told me that I could check into my room at 1130 and I said I would hang around and do the washing as I waited. Somehow the card I was given vanished and I cant remember if I had picked it up or not as I followed someone into the laundry. By the time I got my washing done and dried, I could go to my room. I had been suggested to get a metro card if I am going to some of the museums that are on the dock areas. That is my plan for tomorrow, so that would be interesting. Besides for inner Adelaide there are free bus and a tram that travels in certain areas.

 

Then I dropped off my bags to my room not long after the washing had been done so I was basically ready to leave. I did some housekeeping in my room as I moved the desk from one side of the room to sit next to the powerpoint so I could use my laptop without issues. When they service the room they will see that. How I pay for the washer and dryer is via bank card with tap and go. I had similar in Europe and that was different. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but I went to find a convenience store first and I ended up with an egg sandwich as well. So now I was loaded to go on a trip. The next location on my list was to find where I catch the airport bus on Saturday as its an early flight. I found the correct stop and I did my go to location on this trip and found the closes IGA for a hot meal for later if I need to be there. Its basically the next block over from where I am staying, which is a close walk. I was distracted by some of the street art again and even wandered through China Town to see what was there. I did make it to West Terrace Cemetery, although at the time I had the beginnings of a headache. I hadn’t put tablets in my grab and go bag apart from filling up with water that I had nearly forgotten to do between the convenience store and the airport bus stop. Not sure if the little sleep on the train the night before came back as I was sorting out my booking with the YHA when we came back into mobile phone service with data.

 

I sat in the shade of the cemetery thinking about what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go. Looking at the map of the walking trails, there was so much you could go see as the city was surrounded by parkland from the looks. Very different from many other cities in the planning. Water had taken the edge off the headache. I ambled through the cemetery and was really impressed with what I found. The cemetery had signs about various areas of heritage or the natural environment with arrows pointing towards the locations on metal posts. I knocked on one to check. Information panels about the people who had significant impact towards Adelaide were around and even social history like about funerals and the death of children as examples. An example of the natural history included olive trees that were planted everywhere as they were good for hedges. The cemetery was even the location of Australia’s first military cemetery. Even the Afghan cameleers were in the cemetery and I thought it was pretty interesting since they were the original Ghan. While I was enjoying myself I was feeling a little run down as I think it was from the train and the headache was saying hello.

 

I didn’t stick around the cemetery for too long as I had spend an hour or so there and I wandered off following part of the park I had walked through earlier from the train. I knew where I was going, which was lucky. I made a bee line for the IGA and headed back to the hostel. At that point I quickly ate my black noodle pork as the IGA seem to stock alot of Japanese foods, which I will try as they are made in store mostly unless they will have roast or something tomorrow. I went back to my room as my headache was at the point it was hard to function even though I had a caffeinated drink. A headache tablet was taken and I had to lie down. After a short sleet, I was able to function again. I have to remember to take stuff with me when I go walking, but I really think it was the lack of sleep and the early start. Maybe if I had a lie down once I checked into the hostel, I might have been alright and not crashed. I was alot better after a shower and got them to turn the aircon on as its controlled down stairs. The hostel is only two floors, so its not huge like some are with massive amounts of room, but I have gotten lost trying to find mine. My head is fine at the moment. Tomorrow we shall see.