Tour Wrap and a Walk Down Memory Lane

I had arranged with Helen that she would accompany back to Queensland on Tuesday morning and that I would spend the Monday exploring Adelaide.

South Australia provides free public transport to Seniors Card holders irrespective of which state they are issued in so at 9.30am on Monday I caught a bus from my hotel into Adelaide.  I got off at the King William Road - Rundle Mall intersection.   This took me back to June 1960 when Margaret and I first arrived in Adelaide. 

This shows the intersection as it was in 1960.  In the background is the Post Office Tower and we were put up in an hotel just the other side of it.  We walked up from the hotel to Rundle Street,  Adelaide’s shopping centre.

Rundle Street in 1960

 

This narrow little street was the epitome of fashion and when Margaret saw that one major store, Charles Birks, was displaying what they called "Gussies" and she knew as "bloomers"in the ladies underwear window she was appalled! 

We spent the morning, up to 11.00am, exploring the shops when suddenly everything just shut down.  That was it for Saturday mornings in Adelaide back in the 1960!

Rundle Mall 2011

I had morning tea and spent the morning walking up and down what is now Rundle Mall.  What a change.  See http://rundlemall.com.au/

I walked from end to end of the Mall and it brought back many memories of Margaret and my 38 years in South Australia.  Rundle Street was where we had to go and officially register Helen as our adopted baby in February 1963 having first picked her up from the Queen Victoria Hospital in Rose park.  Finding somewhere to park was a problem.  We used to come to Adelaide a couple of times a month to go to the pictures and loved the old Regent Theatre ( http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/1587 ) now long gone.  Margaret did most of he shopping for clothes in Adelaide.

After exploring the Adelaide Arcade my  walk took me along Hindley Street where we hunted for somewhere to eat the first Sunday we were in Adelaide.  We found one restaurant open, The Copper Kettle, also long gone but replaced by dozens  of eateries.

Finally I ended up at the Adelaide Central Market which being a Monday the Produce Market was not open the some stores in the surrounding arcades were.   I had a snack a a Chinese Snack Bar before catching my bus back to the hotel to tidy up my bags for the trip home.

I had dinner in the hotel before going to bed early.

Helen and Ann picked me up at 8.30am and Ann left us at Adelaide Airport while we checked in.  There was a minor problem as I had made a mistake with Helen's booking but we finally found it and we were off to Queensland.  We arrived home a about 4.00pm.

Next morning we picked Louis up from his kennel where he had a great time.  he was how ever pleased to see me.

Final Wrap Up

Kilometres ridden  a little under 400 over eight riding days.  This is about 150km less than I had intended but I enjoyed them all which i wouldn't have if I had completed the entire ride.