When we arrived around noon from Sydney back on the 25th, after spending the day shopping and packing for our trip into the Outback, Karen, Phil and Marty drove us north along the coast to Semaphore for fish and chips. The sand of the Spencer Gulf is the *softest* I have ever experienced – like walking in baking soda, or talcum powder!

Now we have re-entered the world I am more familiar with, after an almost unbelievable trip. We had a great time in Adelaide meeting family and friends, and staying with our nephew Marty and his cousins on Karen’s side. We also got in two warm-up bike rides along the river through the city – Thursday going north on the commuter route, and Friday rode 20 miles to the ocean and back.

Friday night we went with Jim’s friends to his favorite Thai restaurant, the Regent Thai – fabulous, and met some of his best mates from his many years working here. Saturday night was a huge, fantastic BBQ party at Lucy and Emma’s and Marty’s house (where we stayed) to celebrate Marty’s birthday and meet all the friends and family – we had about 60 people in the house, and it was wonderful. What a lovely bunch of folks the Clovers are, and what lovely friends and family they have!