There’s a lot going on in Adelaide and environs, and Brittany and Andy made sure we took advantage of as much as humanly possible. Definitely more than one post. Saturday evening, we had drinks at this quirky pub.

Then dinner in a Moroccan restaurant, Marrakech, a favorite of theirs. Delicious!

Sunday morning we took a quick jaunt to the beach to give Bega some exercise, since dogs were not allowed at our next adventure. The Adelaide beaches are on the Indian Ocean, which I’ve never seen before. I mean, it looks like an ocean, not really different, but still, a bit mind-blowing.

Then we were headed to an AFL game, which is Australian rules football, a completely different sport from American football,. very little resemblance to rugby and zero to soccer, except that the players seem to be running back and forth the ENTIRE TIME. GWS Giants vs Gold Coast Suns

Needless to say the players are all young and extremely fit.

To keep things confusing, Australian rules football and rugby are both called “footy.” Gather Round Adelaide, a four-day “Festival of Footy” was happening the weekend I arrived and Brittany and Andy had tickets to a  Giants game. GWS Giants are their favorite team, so they had the gear and loaned me a scarf to help me look adequately supportive, but it wasn’t quite the weather for a winter scarf. It would have been great if I hadn’t shed it early on , since we were right at the fence and ended up on camera a few times. “Our” team won and are currently in first place, so yay. Not gonna lie. Winning is more fun.

Sunday night we headed to China Town

for dinner at Concubine,

which was also delicious. Brittany and Andy may be converting me to more adventurous eating. It is certainly one of the reasons to travel: to see, do, taste, experience new things, and a lot in Australia is different from Colorado. I love having my horizons broadened!

Here’s wishing you interesting, delicious, even victorious, new experiences!

Finally a new international adventure! I was in Sydney about a week ago and absolutely loved it. There was something gorgeous to admire everywhere I looked. And it’s a super walkable city, so I saw a lot in just a few days. Here are a few highlights.

I was oddly apprehensive about exploring a new city on my own, more so than traveling to France, in fact, since this was going to be a completely new place. But it turned out to be rather liberating. It may have helped that everyone I encountered was SUPER friendly. I even got an excellent restaurant recommendation from a fellow traveler at baggage claim.

I never would have found this place on my own, and once I did, I nearly walked away after failing to get the door open.  Doors in Australia tend to open IN, not OUT like in the states, so no amount of pulling will get you in the door. Fortunately someone came out just as I was about to give up.  Once in the door, it was still an adventure. First a winding staircase.

Then this landing, still no one in sight.

Then finally, the maître d’ at the bottom of all the stairs. The place had barely opened for dinner service when I got there, and there were already at least fifty people inside. I managed to get a seat at the bar in the dining room after promising to vacate by 7, when all spots were reserved. Of course I obeyed, but I had plenty of time for a leisurely dinner.

I don’t go to restaurants much these days, certainly not alone, and I thought it would be a big deal and I’d feel awkward. But the waitstaff was wonderful, the food was delicious, and the whole experience felt like a door opening  (without my confused tugging). It felt like an invitation to keep trying new things, to refuse to let my horizons shrink. So far, so good.

Here’s wishing you open doors and beautiful bridges to whatever adventures await.

Grace and peace to you wherever you are!