A few weeks ago I found myself in Adelaide.
I didn’t expect to be there, but I was there.
It had been over 20 years since I had last visited, but in that time, its ‘unique’ reputation had remained intact.
A city of churches.
A city of serial killers.
A city that had a timezone 20 years behind society.
OK, so the ’20 years behind’ is unfair … but that’s not from me, it’s what the rest of Australia used to say when I lived there and I’ve not heard anyone change their tune since.
In fact a Qantas steward once got fired for saying this when their plane landed there:
“Ladies and gentleman, welcome to Adelaide. Please put your watches back 20 years”
Now you’d imagine Adelaide citizens would be up in arms with this sort of shit but they’re not.
The reason I was always told was because it means people stay away and they can enjoy their piece of paradise in peace.
And maybe that is exactly the reason.
But there may be another motivation … and that is the people of Adelaide are more ‘unique’ than anyone thought and just don’t want to draw attention to themselves.
What am I going on about?
This …
That photograph is from a bathroom inside the Adelaide airport.
I’ve spent a lot of my life in airports.
I’ve spent a lot of my life in toilets.
And I’ve never seen anything like that in my life.
Which brings me to my opinion on Adelaide and it’s cultural reputation outside of the city.
Because when you need a sign next to a urinal that states, DO NOT DRINK, that’s weird.
But when you need a sign next to a urinal that states DO NOT DRINK because it’s RECYCLED WATER – which suggests it would be perfectly acceptable to be drinking directly from a toilet if it wasn’t … that’s Adelaide weird.
No wonder I like this city.