Adelaide to Robe

Farewell to Adelaide & our comfortable accommodation on Hindley St. We did omit to mention that Hindley St. appears to play host to all the pole dancing bars/clubs!! However we didn't hear or see anything untoward & it all seemed to be "in the best possible taste " ?!

By the way, this is our car reg -

how great is that  - Rob & Barb's Journey !


So we decided, as it was a bright morning, to go to Port Adelaide & take in the dolphin trip. What a mistake !!
 As we parked the car, I asked a passing lady if we had to pay to park on the road. No, she said & then started on a tale of woe - pregnant, broke & hungry (she looked obese, not pregnant!) & could I spare her a couple of dollars.  I politely refused & we hurried on.
The place was like a ghost town - strange for a Sat morning.The hepful lady in the tourist info office gave us all the details of the dolphin trip & we walked up to the harbour. Totally deserted at 11am, apart from a mini bus full of elderly, partially sighted people, the leader of whom was banging on the door of the ticket office with his walking stick, shouting "where are they, they said we could get on board at 11".
 I pointed out to him that the sign said they didn't open till 11.15.   I have to say the boats looked lovely, but we were starting to get the giggles about the whole scenario. We beat a hasty retreat to the Harbour hotel for a coffee while we waited for the ticket office to open. I went to order our drinks only to be told that I couldn't have a decaf coffee as they had a "proper" coffee machine & you couldn't make decaf on that!!! (I have had the best decaf coffee since we got to Oz, all from "proper" coffee machines.) Well, that was it, the giggles took hold & we looked at one another & said "Let's get out of here!! Blow the dolphin trip!)
Maybe we missed a great opportunity, but there was something very odd about the place.......

As an alternative we drove on the coast road to Semaphore, a delightful beach front location, with properties to die for, right on the esplanade. We ate our picnic lunch (with the usual polite seagulls in quiet attendance.)   Then down the coast a bit to Glenelg, Adelaide's nearest beach resort.....oh my! what a difference to Port Adelaide, suave, sophisticated cafe society enjoying lunch al fresco on the harbour side, overlooking some seriously impressive yachts....& yes I did get my decaf coffee!!

Now the drive to Robe, 350km along deserted highway, through the Coorong, that we had touched on yesterday on our trip. Vast doesn't describe this area of scrub & saltflats as far as the eye can see. Wildlife along the way - flocks of pelicans flying in V formation & 3 dead kangaroos !
The first sign of civilisation is Larry the Lobster at a little place called Kingston.

We arrived at our motel in Robe at 6 to a warm welcome from Martin, who showed us our comfy looking room with all mod cons including kitchenette. A stroll up the main street parallel to the ocean & into the local pizzeria. Again a great welcome, fab food & terrific locally produced pear cider.