-- From Moonta Bay to Adelaide

The road tracklog
from Moonta Bay to Adelaide
from 22/02/2010 to 28/02/2010 

Monday February 22d was the usual day of publication of my website, it was in Minlaton around 11 a.m., all occurred well. But I had never access to the mailbox @gmail by Google consequently subscribers were not informed and I did not read my emails. It is necessary to be conscious that nothing occurs always normally. I continued my road towards the bottom end of the Yorke Peninsula with a misty view on Chinaman's Hat, the sky was cloudy. In Visitor Centre I paid the entrance fee of the Innes NP and of the two nights at Pondalowie Bay.

The following day by a chilly morning with a cloudy sky I carried out the small maintenance of my truck by rediscovering the recurring leakage of the SurFlo N°1 pump to be repaired… The afternoon was devoted to prepare the road from Adelaide to Melbourne by determining the probable date of loading on Spirit-of-Tasmania. Then in the late afternoon, the sun coming again, I did short strolls to take some pictures.

On 24/02, before leaving Innes NP I made a short detour to see the Ethel wreck which sank in 1904. The undertows of the sea made their work of destruction and of cleaning of bay. In a few tens of years there will remain nothing. I went up the Yorke Peninsula by the East coast road by stopping in Yorketown to read my mailbox and in particular an email from Evelyne who advised to me to reserve a campsite at Levi Park CP in Adelaide because there were several cultural events this week and the following one. While leaving Visitor Centre I warned a phone box to call Levi Park. It was a great moment of bravery and of communication between a deaf person, I, and a charming understanding if not commercial hostess.

The coastal road walked on between cereal fields as far as the eye can see, the horizon being crossed by grain silos. Jean-Claude said to me that some exploitations have a surface which amounts in million hectares.

On February 25 in the late morning I arrived in Adelaide, capital of South Australia. I drove directly to a shop of rubber seals, indeed I should replace the 2.5 cm wide flat joint between the accordion and the body. Jean-Claude gave me the address of Fitch, The Rubber Man. Then I entered the centre town to look for HSBC branch where I had made send my new Visa card by the French branch; it was arrived. Finally I settled for four days in Levi Park Caravan Park. The day was sunny with a +30°C temperature.

The following day I paid visit the consulate of France to take my new driving licenses; I was accommodated in French, I was in France. Then I cycled looking for a charger for my laptop. Oh happiness I found a universal charger for Notebook by Kerio model AD-90 at “Dick Smith�. After Port Lincoln and Port Augusta it was at the capital that I solved my problem. Conclusion it is necessary to be like a lice, pugnacious, tough finally obstinate!
In the move I took some pictures of the city whose centre fits in a quadrilateral of broad streets surrounded by parks and in the south of the historical settlement of the first colonists. Edmond Wright House was saved demolition then restored. At the origin the building was built in 1878 for the Bank of South Australia. The Rundle Mall exhibits sculptures well in the humorous style of the Australians.

For the first visit day I spent more than two hours to explore the South Australian Museum which is certainly neither Le Louvre nor MoMa but which conceals some nuggets. I deliver some of them. The gallery devoted to aboriginal art presents a mural of 1800's devoted to sorcery protecting from diseases imported by Europeans. Then a set of totems emphasizes the statuary art.

But the point of organ was the gallery of minerals with the discovery oldest fossils in the world dating back to the Ediacaran in Flinders Ranges. A picture of Wilpena Pound is very expressive.

A reconstitution of a Cambrian predator from a fossil does not owe anything with science fiction, it is not a stellar vessel.

On Saturday 27, I took again my exploration of museums of the city by starting with Tandanya - National Farming Aboriginal Institute- which exhibits works of contemporary artists of the local Kaurna people. Then I strolled in the many galleries of the Art Gallery of South Australia, alas it was not allowed to take pictures and guards were vigilant. At a detour of galleries I discovered three sculptures by Rodin of which two were drafts of the monumental compositions, the Burghers of Calais and the Gates of Hell. Temporary exhibitions are devoted to modern works. This museum is worth a visit.

Act of repentance ?

Then I stopped lengthily into the Migration Museum, I wondered whether it were about an act of contrition, official or circumstantial. There too I give examples which it is not useful to translate. Contacts which I had show obviously that there is far from the cup to the lips, Australian from Anglo-Saxon stock remain very British.

In the early afternoon I strolled again along Rundle Mall.

In this Sunday morning very windy with a pleasant temperature of 25°C I undertook to visit, always by bicycle, official architecture of the 19th century. Close to Victoria Square the Town Hall was built in 1863 in the Renaissance style and on the other side of the street the construction of the imposing Main Post Office began a few years later. Far northwards the Railway Station occupies an street angle with a frontage decorated with pilasters. By strolling in this early hour with a low angle light I discovered a commercial building of Art Deco style of 1920's.

Around 10.30 I entered the St Peter's Cathedral at the beginning of the Anglican religious office. I received a booklet of  readings and psalm related with the office. I have amazement to discover at the foot of the front-page a comment of which the photo figure below. Force is to note that the Anglican Church, attached to the Crown of England, employs the words of “Orginal Custodians” instead of official “Traditional Owners”. The nuance is not pure form, the Church remains attached to the concept of Terra Nullius which considers that the ground belongs to the Crown of England.

About midday I traversed, with foot, sumptuous Botanical garden where families walked with their children. Rare species were gathered as well in Palm House, Victoria Amazonia, the Museum Economic Botany as in Bicentennial Conservatory. It was a happy conclusion of my visit in Adelaide.

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