Travel Tip: Adelaide

Just a quick travel tip for any of you going to Adelaide, if you need to book a cab, be sure to give yourself an extra 30 minutes from the time that you actually want to be picked up.

Last summer...sorry, I mean "winter" for all you Aussie's...in July/August, I was traveling to Adelaide on a fairly regular basis. The one consistency was that the cab was ALWAYS 30 minutes late picking me up. So I quickly learned to book the cab for 4:30 and get downstairs at 5:00 and things would be just fine. I'd make it to the airport in plenty of time and no stress.

Oh, how quickly you forget. I was in Adelaide for work this week. Yesterday I go to book the cab and I do it for 5:00. Well, needless to say, around 5:15, I remembered that the cabs never show up on time. So I start stressing cause the cab company keeps saying that the cab is on it's way and it never shows. Finally around 5:30, the cab gets there. And of course, b/c it's so late, we've now hit traffic (mind you, "traffic" is relative). It took just over 30 min to get to the airport when it's normally a 15 min cab ride.

I had just enough time to buy a book and get on the plane. No Qantas club for me. :(

One last tip on Adelaide - I wouldn't suggest the Hotel Grand Chancellor on Hindley. While it was generally clean and near restaurants, it just needs alot of love. Half of the shower curtain holders were broken and the ones that were working, didn't even match. The vents were covered in dust and god knows what else. I just chose not to think about what might be in the carpet. It was certainly not what I would equate with a four star hotel. But if you're staying in Adelaide, I would suggest the Medina - it's an old historical building so it has lots of character and it's very nice.

F1 or NASCAR? You decide...

So one of the many things that I've been exposed to since I moved to Australia is Formula One racing. Each year in late March, Austalia hosts one of the races in Melbourne. It's a big deal and a major Australian event. So, of course, I felt it was my duty to attend.

I've been to a NASCAR race in Phoenix, and while it was very redneck, it was also a ton of fun. So, I thought maybe the F1 race would be similiar. So lets compare:

NASCAR - cars go in a circular lap
F1 - Cars drive a circuit which requires both left and right turns
Discuss: The level of difficulty is higher with F1 due to having to turn both ways

NASCAR - All fans get to sit in the stands and see the whole track
F1 - If you pay $600 for the weekend, you can get a sit in the stands and see the cars for the two seconds as they drive by
Discuss: In terms of a spector sport being watched in person, I believe that NASCAR wins hands down. While every seat may not be fabulous, you generally get to see a large portion of the track.

NASCAR - Non-race entertainment is generally limited to the shopping for souvenirs. At the Daytona 500, I think you can camp in the in field.
F1 - There are in field concerts on the day of the race
Discuss: Not sure which wins here as I thoroughly detest the type of music they were playing at the concerts at the F1.

So final decision - I vote NASCAR. Maybe it's the American in me but I truly believe that for an in-person sport, I believe that NASCAR provides better entertainment. I'm sure F1 has a higher degree of difficulty and there is more strategy, blah, blah, but if it's no fun to watch, then it means nothing.

6am Flights...Who thought that was a good idea?

We're in Brisbane visiting HA's family. It's only 8am. That means we were on the plane at 6:30 this morning. Which means I was awake at 4:45. And anyone that knows me very well knows that I don't do mornings well. Poor HA has had to deal with my crankiness.

And because I'm going to Adelaide Tuesday morning, I have two more of these ridiculous flights. Booo!