Across to Adelaide

An early start today, as checkout is at 10:30. I'm up at 9. I manage to rouse Andrew at 10. Luckily, he mostly packed yesterday. He looks like zombie with insomnia. But with crazier hair.

Straight after checking out, we get a taxi to the airport. Arriving at the airport 3.5 hours before our flight. Checking in and security only take a few minutes, leaving us with stacks of time.

"Fancy a pint, Dad?"

"Not sure about a pint. I wouldn't mind a drink, though."

Andrew has obviously woken up a bit.

"What about this place, Coffee Quarter? Despite the name, it seems to be licensed."

We park our arses and Andrew fetches himself a pint of Swan and me a cola zero.

I'm feeling totally exhausted. Not sure why.

"The cola should perk you up, Dad."

"I hope so."

“You must be feeling bad if you aren’t drinking beer.”

Loads of people are wearing hi-vis jackets.

"I'm guessing that they're miners. Mining is really big in West Australia." Andrew remarks. "I always take my hi-vis off as soon as I leave Schiphol."

A bloke sitting next to me has what appears to be a bacon sandwich. It looks really good Consulting the menu, it seems to be a breakfast bun. I ask Andrew to get me one, without ketchup, when he goes for his next pint.

"They can't do the buns without ketchup. They come ready done." Bugger. I get myself an egg sarnie instead.

Andrew has moved onto Stone & Wood. He works his way through four pints before it's time to board.

Which is very early. 45 minutes before departure. The flight isn't that full and soon everyone is on board. We leave 20 minutes early.

We're flying Qantas so it's full service. We get a fairly decent pasta dish and an alcoholic drink, should you so wish. I just go for a cola. Andrew has a beer.

“Still feeling bad, Dad?”

“Yes, how do you know?”

“You didn’t get a wine.”

There's free wifi. Which is pretty cool. I browse the Guardian website a bit. As well as dozing.

It doesn't take us long to get our bags and be in a taxi rumbling towards the centre of Adelaide. 

“There are pubs here, Andrew.”

“Is that all you’re interested in?”

“Er, yes.”

“How surprising.”

“You must have noticed all the pubs I dragged you around when you were a kid.”

“I was taking the piss.”

Not much later we're ensconced in our rather nice hotel room. easily the best of the trip so far.

"Can you go to the shop, Andrew? I'm feeling totally knacked."

"It's literally just over the road."

“Really? Because I’m a poor, weak old man.”

“Yes, really.”

"OK then."

Turns out that it's not "literally just over the road". It's a good few hundred metres. And much further than I feel like walking.

To another Woollies and BWS. I get a fruit salad and a sarnie. And some Kentucky whiskey. Andrew opts for Coopers Sparkling Ale and Japanese alcopops. He does like his Japanese alcopops. Especially Strong Zero. He drank gallons of the stuff in Japan.

It’s much busier than Perth. Tough that’s not difficult. And has much more of a big-city feel.

“This is more like it. With a bit of life.”

“Unlike you, Dad.”

“I’m just tired.”

“Yes, ‘tired’.”

“I haven’t drunk a drop yet today.”

We spend the remainder of the evening watching TV in our room. Including a rather amusing Aussie Rules programme called the Front Bar. 

They keep showing this horrendous collision from a game the previous weekend. Where a player, running at full tilt, smashed his shoulder into an opponent’s face, knocking him out cold, breaking his nose and sending a tooth flying. It would be a straight red card in any other sport. Not in Aussie Rules, though. As there’s no sending off in the game.

We have a side order of snacks and drinks with the TV. They match perfectly.

I turn in just before 1 AM. Andrew is still up. As always.