Last day

Richard and I were determined to have a final walk. We left Edward tucked in bed and set out for the parks. We only encountered one shower as I showed him the lake and the parks.

Alice for some reason is now sheathed in temporary fencing (for modesty???). We walked through the atmospheric olive groves.

We also saw beautiful rosellas but they wouldn't pose for photos.
These seed pods were amazing. In the past, when dry we've used the caps for long fingers/fingernails.

After a late breakfast, Edward decided that bed was too good a place to leave. Richard and I looked at the blue sky and decided to visit the zoo. Well the sky was teasing and by the time we arrived at the front of the zoo, the clouds were hanging heavy overhead. The meerkats ignited a discussion I thought closed about whether we should get more pet ferrets (because meerkats are not allowed as pets). Hmm. Not while there's breath in me (because they pong, really pong despite what Richard says). The meerkats, however, are very entertaining to watch and we weren't close enough to smell whether they smell like their relatives.

We were in time for feeding time for the lions...who were ready and waiting ahead of time. A small boy approached the gate where the keepers and food would enter and was told clearly by the dominant female that he should move. He did. The keeper told us a bit about the lions before feeding them, as once they have their food, they disappear to eat it. The two lion sisters are about to have a male companion, once he completes his 30 days quarantine. He's a lot younger and smaller than they are at present, so will be side by side with them until the zoo is assured they'll all get along.


Then the rain began. We watched the leopard being fed until the drips began to find their way down my neck. We repaired to the nocturnal enclosure where it was lovely and dry. The rain continued off and on for the rest of the afternoon, pouring then clearing to blue sky. It really was as if Loki, god of mischief, had gained control of the weather. We persisted in an almost empty zoo, racing from shelter to shelter and seeing what we could on the way. We lingered to watch Pusang, the male orang-utan, Karta the female and the pair of siamangs. All seemed intent on their own activities, largely ignoring each other. Many of the apes and monkeys were sheltering out of the rain, and those that were visible were not very active. Richard and I were both soaked despite coats and headed back into town and onto the bus. We were very pleased to get home and change into dry clothes.


Now to pack. How is it that repacking is never as easy as packing in the first place? Where does all the extra come from. Luckily for me, neither Edward or Richard arrived with full bags, so I've loaded them up with books and bits.

I've had such an adventure here in Adelaide. It wasn't just the volume of writing I was able to achieve. It was being on my own here for a month, meeting so many wonderful and supportive people. It was meeting publishers, writers and illustrators. It was walking everywhere and discovering Adelaide. It was all of these and more. It was grand, just grand.