We leave for Darwin, in the Northern Territory tomorrow!  It’s a two-night, three-day train ride on the Ghan we got on a SuperSaver low-priced special that means we’ll be travelling in reclining seats the whole time.  We’ve purchased a bunch of snacks and things so we don’t have to buy everything from the Kangaroo Diner car.  Only Gold and Platinum Service have their own dining room.  We are supplied with soap and a towel though, and there are even showers apparently.

Our time in Adelaide has been truly rejuvenating.  We’ve spent the past day or two researching and wrapping up near-future travel plans on the Internet, hanging out with family and new friends, and preparing to set off again.  It was wonderful to spend time meeting extended family for the first time, and getting to know them.  There were so many relations at lunch at my second cousin Moira’s on Sunday I had to go home and write everything out on paper to see how it all fit.

We had an amazing dinner at the Cormack’s next door neighbors Connie and Nino’s the other night as well, and thoroughly enjoyed the company and conversation (not to mention the food and wine…home-made olives?  Does it get better than that?).  We got to visit some of the beaches (Brighton, Glenelg) yesterday, as the weather is heating up a bit.  We also went back to McLaren Vale and grabbed a few more bottles of wine from Maxwell’s.  The vineyards are irresistible!

Everyone’s generosity has been overwhelming, and we can only hope to reciprocate someday.  I’m sure John C. and Minkie (see photo above), who have put up with us as houseguests all this time, will breathe a sigh of relief, but we’ll miss them!