Adelaide - Part 2

Written on: 19.04.12

This morning I got up early enough to get the free breakfast the hostel offers. It’s just toast and tea or coffee, but it’s free! The reason I managed to get up early is because there are some other girls in the dorm that’s not very good at turning their alarms off or being quiet when they have to get up early!

After breakfast I went on a free city walk arranged by the Tourist Information Centre. There was a big group of 11 Polish people, 2 New Zealanders and me. There were two guides. The female guide told the male guide to take care of me and the New Zealanders while she handled the Poles. She had to tell him three times. I don’t know, maybe he hadn’t led the tour before. He was a nice man, but he seemed more interested in talking to us about Norway, where he is going in a few weeks, and New Zealand. He didn’t say much as he led us around. I’m glad the “tour” didn’t last more than 30-45 minutes, but at the same time I’m disappointed that I didn’t learn much more about Adelaide. But it was free and I did learn a couple of titbits. The main street that runs through the city is called King William Street, the streets that cross it have different names on either side of King William Street because “no one crosses the king”, I thought that was funny.

 After my city walk I went to Adelaide Central Market. There was loads of fruit, meat, baked goods etc. there. I bought some fresh fruit to eat while I’m here.

Tempting, but I managed not to

 After I had gone back to the hostel to put away the fruit I went to the Migration Museum. It was really interesting, I suggest anyone that goes to Adelaide to visit it. I especially liked the exhibit called “Behind the Wall”. It’s the history of the site which originally operated as a “Native School” where Aboriginal children were boarded and educated, and then as Adelaide’s Destitute Asylum. It was really sad to read the stories of people that had been there, but also very interesting It’s history and we should learn about it and learn from it.

I had a very quick look inside the “normal” Museum as well but I think there must be something going on in the city today, because it was filled with children and extremely noisy and with a long line that I have no idea where it led to, so I just gave up and walked out. Maybe I’ll try again another day.