Adelaide is unusual in that, although it was established in the early 1800s, it was not established as a penal colony, but a town of only free settlers.  It was founded on religious tolerance, attracting both British Calvinists and Prussian Protestants and is known for a history of progressive politics, contribute to its oft-cited standing as Australia’s most livable city.  Adelaide is not on the ocean but situated several miles inland where the British Colonel charged with designing it found a river and springs for a fresh water supply.

Our port was, therefore, not in the city itself and, instead of a bus shuttle, the ship arranged for transport on the public trains.  We began the morning with a bus tour that took us to the beach community of Glenelg and into the center of the city where we were turned loose at the pedestrian mall.  We could either return with the bus after an hour or so or, as most of us chose, stay as long as we wished and return to the port by train. 

We visited the Southern Australian Museum to see the Aborigine exhibits, did some shopping, had meat pie for lunch (our hankering back to our time in Scotland, and managed to find the train station and our train.  Handily, Viking had arranged a local representative to stand at the station and help us navigate.  It was an uneventful 45 minute trip back to the ship through multiple suburbs, mostly with Scottish names, full of what looked to me like 1940s bungalows, but I believe most were older.  It made us feel good to make our own way around the city successfully—we get so spoiled on a cruise with the ship staff taking care of everything and us just following directions.

We gained ½ hour last night because Adelaide—and indeed all of South Australia as well as Darwin and all of the Northern Territory are one half hour behind eastern Australia.  Some places in Australia are actually ¼ hour off.  This evening after leaving Adelaide we gained another ½ hour.