After these three spots, we were pretty rocked out, and decided to pack it in and head for Adelaide. Besides, nothing could top the chopper ride. We headed up the coast for a bit, stopping for a break in the little fishing village of Port Fairy. With its little stone buildings, and fishing boats along the pier, it was quite picturesque. After this bit of Shipping News sentiment, we were back in the car, and heading north along the inland Princes Highway towards Adelaide.

It was well into the night when we began our hair-raising descent from the Adelaide hills into the CBD. I hadn't realized how high we were, as the highway just continued down, down, and down, Hamilton or Caledon Mountain on steroids. Finally arrived at the house of Karen's folks, Joe and Moira, thus completing our 2200 km journey from Sydney.

Adelaide is described as the City of Churches, and South Australia is known as the Festival State, also renowned for its vineyards. I didn't do any of the above. Instead, I spent an afternoon walking around the Rundle Street Mall in the CBD, a street cut off to traffic and lined with boutiques and walk-in arcades. Although it was warmer than Melbourne or Canberra, I was a little overeager to ditch the jeans-over-jamjams, socks and shoes; subsequently chilled a bit in my shorts and clogs, and a little out of place amidst long-sleeves and fall wear. Picked up a really good funk complilation that I overheard at a record shop, as well as finally replacing the trumpet valve brush I'd lost in Cairns.

That night, I stayed up late, talking and tipping a few with Joe and Moira. They told me stories of their adventures around Oz and what it was like to live through 1975's Cyclone Tracy in Darwin (described by Moira as hilarious). Despite the temptations of hooking me up with ravishing beauties were I to stay in Adelaide for a spell, I had to disappoint my generous hosts and get back to my previously scheduled mission on the Eastern Coast.

The next day I was up early, and driven to the airport by Norm. He was flying out later this day as well, first to a wedding in Bali, and then onward to start his new life (sans car) in Bankok. Good luck, man! I flew to Brisbane, and then completed the planes, trains, and automobiles triumverate by hooking a subway straight from the airport into the downtown core and bus station (what a revolutionary concept of transportation!!) Snagged a shuttle to my next stop: Byron Bay.