When in Adelaide

Kangaroo Island, our next major stop, is 8 miles off Adelaide. The planes leave at 9am and 6pm. But the plane from Cairns to Adelaide lands at 10am. So, we have an afternoon in scenic Adelaide, whether we wanted it or not.

Everyone tells us to go to the zoo, which is expensive, old hat, and it's raining. No, for us Ivy Leaguers it's the free Musuem of South Australia, a recently renovated natural history extravaganza. They have real scientists in the front lobby sorting the contents of owl stomachs, a huge survey of Aboriginal history and art, lots of stuffed animals, and of course dinosaurs.

By the time we got to Kangaroo Island it was bedtime, but Jess took C. out anyway for something special--the evening walk of the penguins.

While naturalists pointed red flashlights at them, we watched the moms walk the little fuzz balls out of their boxy burrows down to the water for a swim.

It was the first taste of the epic wildlife experience we were about to have.