6.03am Adelaide airport

It's very early in the morning and I've just heard my flight is delayed and I'm deeply, deeply exhausted.

We flew in just 48 hours ago and we seem to have packed in as much as is humanly possible in two days. From running my little legs off to make it to the flight (closest i've ever come to missing a plane, longest distance I've ever run in my adult life) out of Canberra, we then got a taxi driver in Adelaide who asked us for directions to our destination.

Taxi drivers at airports should not be asking their passengers for directions - we knew there was a real problem when I noticed that there was $30 on the meter and we were circling back past the airport. Needless to say some vigourous discussion ensued and when we finally got the the suburb we were heading I asked cabbie to pull over thinking we could jump out and call our friends to come and collect us. He insisted on finding the place and after going 'round in a few more circles got us to our destination. Cabbie did offer to give us the ride for free in the end.

We then decended on the home of Barrelhouse Bessie - star jammer of the Adeladies - roller derby team. (I'm not at all biased when I say this) We did a bit of work on Bessie's outfit for the bout and the dropped her off at the showgrounds for a pre-match practice. While Bessie was doin' derby busniess myself, Mr T and Mr W did a spot of op shopping at an excellent men's op shop. Mr W found a fab tiki shirt and Mr T a superb brown 70's suit. I picked up a coupla nice men's shirts for myself.

More costume sewing was followed by a walk to Bracegirdle's choclate shop to purchase some tasty supplies and then an afternoon nap to recover from the early morning flight.

The pre-bout dinner with some of the Adeladies and partners threatened to get raucous but was kept under control by much loud shushing and stage whispers reminding everyone we were IN A BISTRO.

(Oh I'm overhearing a loud 'phone conversation by the lady in the next booth she's telling someone about some fella in her house who was dancing in a pub with his pants off - when kicked out by the security he smashed a window and ended up arrested - apparently she wants him outta the house...)

Saturday night we headed into town to check out the Adelaide Fringe - we found some friends in the park and, on the spur of the moment went to see the Porno Puppets from Prague - Mr T saw them a few years ago and said they were great. Sadly Mr T was deeply embarrassed - the show was crap - not a scintillating or erudite critique by any means - but accurate nonetheless - Crap.

Walking back up to Rundle Mall we ran into a guy handing out fliers advertising discount tickets to the late show of La Clique at the Masonic hall. Another spur of the moment decision found us inside this gorgeous old deco style building watching some of the best circus performance I've ever seen. Completely turned our night around and had us bawling with laughter, holding our breaths with suspense and gasping at the performers' virtuosity. Sound's like I'm writing a media release I know, but it's true! Captain Frodo the contortionist was ouchy impressive, the two English Gents doing acrobalance like I've never seen before and Amy G doing ukulele slapstick comedy on rollerskates had us in tears. It was a lovely surprise to see Mikelangelo - of the Blacksea Gentlemen doing an intense version of his song Formidable Marinade.

I'll write a roller derby report in a separate post as that deserves not only a post on it's own, but some pics and a bit of video footage and I'll need to get home and download it all.