Surprise, I’m down under!

With the ability to work remotely and facing a long, lonely covid winter it seemed like the best option to make it down here for a bonus summer… and maybe longer?

It still feels a bit unreal that I’m here. Flights were near impossible to get. Australia is only allowing citizens and their spouses in (I’m lucky to be the latter). Upon arrival, we were whisked away by the army straight into hotel quarantine. They deposited us and our bags into a hotel room and said “see you in two weeks.”

For the next two weeks, the only time we were allowed to open the door to our tiny hotel room was when food was dropped at our door. At first, we tried daily exercises (running laps around the room, pushups) but then abandoned that for laying in bed. Honestly, it was good we both had work to keep us occupied.

Finally, two weeks passed and we were let out into the world. And what a world it is. Australia has had almost no COVID cases for the last 6 months. With the border shut, life has resumed to pre-covid normality. No masks, no distancing. I’m hugging people and going to crowded indoor spaces. It took a while to process and feel ok with this sudden change. But now it seems normal.

We’ve been staying in North Adelaide, just steps from the parklands, the enormous green spaces that ring Adelaide’s downtown. For a city that (much to my dismay) sprawls in every direction, having abundant nature around is a very welcome sight.

The River Torrens Linear Trail cuts through the heart of the parklands spanning 35km from the hills to the coast. On the coastal side, it connects to the 70km Coast Park Path. On the hills side, it connects to countless hiking options. For urban walkers it’s a true paradise.

After a tumultuous 2020, I’m thankful to start 2021 off with a more sedate (and sunny!) atmosphere exploring all these new trails.

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