There's No Place Like Home (Pt. I)

And I know I’m not in Kansas anymore... right Toto? Well, while Toto won’t be thinking about it, the past couple of weeks have me wondering as to just where home is...

Over the past two years in London, ‘home’ has always meant Australia, and usually meant Adelaide (and sometimes Melbourne). Yet within hours of touching down in Australia again, and speaking with friends, the term ‘back home’ was suddenly referring to London.

Right now, after the past two and a bit weeks, I could possibly end up in Sydney of all places, but more on that later.

Adelaide: Hometown. A strange feeling being back. “A tourist in my own town” it definitely was, even if the only change appeared to be the extension of the Bay trams through Vic square and King William Street (above). That, and where I was staying - still with Mum n Dad, but in their new home in Belair - that’s their “back yard” in the photo at the top of this post. It’s not everyday that you get a koala in your backyard either, but we did on the Sunday afternoon.

It was great to see everyone again. Within a few hours of landing in Adelaide, it was off to Matt’s 40^th - a great gathering of people. A fantastic lamb on a spit too! And just good to hang out with Matt, Mandy, Curl, Suze, Charlie n All until the wee hours of the next morning. Nothing like a good ‘bbq’ with mates. That’s the man himself as we nicked the best parts off the spit, and damn, they were good! I’ve never had a bad bbq at Matt’s in all the years I’ve known him (and that’s now over a decade!)

The following two days saw me catching up with mostly family and a few other mates that weren’t at Matt’s bbq. It was great to ‘meet’ Sandy n Garth who’ve I’ve not seen since I was a lil’ taker - they’re cousin Zara’s parents, if you recall my mentioning her in previous posts. To also great to have a gathering with Uncles Allen n Ian and Aunties Judy n Bev and see them all again. Trish n Neil as well.

An afternoon at the Robin Hood Hotel with Mike, Matt, Mandy and Rina was a nice way to round out the day before dinner with Mum n Dad. Yes, I did get to spend some time with them during a hectic couple of days. They did head off to Sydney the day before I left Adelaide (impending grandchild was calling!), but it did give me a bit of time to wander Adelaide and be that Tourist in My Own Town.

A quick lunch with Monty was a highlight of strolling the sunny streets and the Mall. I did take a pic of the Mall Balls too, but only to show the folks back here - yeah right...

To finish off my trip with Peter n Judy was great too, even if it was shifting cars and a ride to the airport. You may remember them from my exploits in Dover last year. First time I’ve driven a car in the last two years too, and it was a tad nerve wracking considering the last time I drove in Adelaide I ended up in hospital after a head-on collision!

Sunshine and warmer weather does help me think of this as home, although I’m glad I missed the usual February month-of-35C+ weather.

Alas, time wasn’t on my side to do all I wanted, but it’s not like I won’t be back...