(Backup) (Backup) May 3: Out and About in Adelaide in the Rain

I definitely timed my arrival in Adelaide perfectly. My one day off and it rained most of the day. Still, I managed to get out and see the city. My first destination was the Haigh’s Chocolate Factory Tour. Haigh’s Chocolates was started here in Adelaide. It is still a family run business with the grandsons of the original founder now running the business (Alistair and Simon Haigh). They also have stores in Melbourne, Sydney, and Canberra. I saw the store in Sydney in the Queen Victoria Building. They have an online store as well, but they don’t ship internationally. 

I walked the 2.9km to the factory. At first it wasn’t raining too bad, but then it started bucketing. I wished I had worn my rain pants in addition to my jacket. My pants were soaked by the time I got to the factory. The tour wasn’t very long, but it was interesting to watch them actually making the chocolates. They have about 250 products. They source their cacao from Venezuela, Ghana, Papua New Guinea, and I think, Peru. The different cacao beans have different flavors (subtle, but still chocolatey). They blend all four in their dark chocolate, and two in their milk chocolate. Everything from roasting to making the chocolates is done in the two factories here in Adelaide. We sampled some dark and milk pastilles as well as some chocoballs (malt balls). We watched them hand making the coconut milk chocolate roughs, and the cherry liquor balls. Four of their products are handmade. The rest are done on the machines. By the way, the smell was incredible! In the shop, one can purchase all the chocolates that they make. Also, only at this shop, you can purchase “seconds” for a cheaper price. Not everything is available as seconds, but I got some peppermint creams. Later on, I walked by the original store on Rundle Mall.

This is called Beehive Corner.

After the chocolate factory, I walked to Rundle Mall to go to the Scout Camping Center. I decided to get a new sleeping pad because my Big Agnes pad is losing air faster. I got a Nemo insulated pad. It rolls up to about the same size as the Big Agnes, but is 5” wider. The best part of all is that the inflation sack that I used with the Big Agnes works with the Nemo. The guy at the shop offered to buy my inflation sack on the spot. They can’t get them here yet. I told him I was sorry, but I still needed it. 

My next destination was the Aboriginal Art Museum. That was a bit of a bust as only half of the gallery was open. At least it was free. Unfortunately, they also didn’t allow photos (neither did Haigh’s). I looked in the gift shop, but didn’t see anything I wanted to carry with me. 

I returned to the hostel via the Adelaide Arcade. It is a huge shopping area with everything imaginable. 

Don’t let the size fool you. It really is huge!

Inside the Arcade.

Outside the Arcade was this semi-famous sculpture of these pigs. 

Augusta

This is called “Day Out”. I saw this on several postcards.

I worked my way back to the hostel where I unloaded my purchases, then grabbed my Big Agnes pad and headed back out again to go to the post office. I decided to ship the pad home in hopes of being able to patch the leak. I couldn’t see just chucking it, and I don’t have room to carry both. 

After shopping the pad, I went to Coles and the Adelaide Central Market (think Pike Place Market) to restock groceries. Coles had all the usual stuff, and I got bananas, avos, and cheese at the market. Yesterday, when I rolled into the city, a woman asked me if I knew where the Central Market was. Of course, at the time I didn’t know where anything was! Turns out, it was just down the road from where she asked me. I think it was tricky to find because it is under construction.

Hard to tell it’s the Adelaide Central Market. (I took this photo last night when it wasn’t raining)

Inside the market. Lots and lots of fruit and veggie stands. Also, butchers, bakeries, cheese, and a variety of eateries.

I’m back at the hostel now, and it is once again pouring rain. I’m so glad I made it to Adelaide to not have to camp or ride in the rain! Tomorrow, on my way out of the city, I will go by “The Oval”. It’s the big stadium on the river. Here’s a couple more photos.

Effects of the rain.

The birds seem to like the rain. These are corellas. They look like cockatoos, but they don’t have the crest.