G'Day Adelaide

South Australia's slow-paced capital is fast emerging as an Australian tourist hotspot

- Riaan Jacob George

Most Indian travellers would associate a vacation to Australia with a long flight. Interestingly enough, I arrive into Adelaide Airport far less exhausted than I expected. That’s probably because the journey isn’t that long. A quick 4.5 hour hop from Mumbai to Singapore and a 90-minute transfer later, I am on a flight from Singapore to Adelaide, clocking a flight time of no more than 6 hours.

My first impressions of Adelaide, as I drive to my hotel, barely after sunrise, is just how quaint and charming the city is. Within 15 minutes, I find myself in downtown Adelaide, where everything seems visibly slower and smaller in scale than the larger, more bustling Australian cities like Sydney and Melbourne. Later that morning, and a couple of flat whites down, I find myself walking through downtown Adelaide. What strikes me first is just how architecturally rich and well-laid-out this city is. On probing further, I learn that this, the fifth most populous city in Australia, was established by the British in 1836. It was planned with precision and its grid-like design is visible even today. It’s virtually impossible to get lost in Adelaide, given its geometric maze of boulevards and lanes. Adelaide’s central business district (CBD) is an architectural delight — stand in the midst of the vast sprawl of Victoria Square. This square is lined with old buildings that now house government offices, beautifully juxtaposed with new glass towers, a testimony of Adelaide’s dynamic culture and mix of old and new.