Adelaide is officially one of my favourite Australian cities. We biked from Gilberton to Glenelg, usually a trip we would relegate to public transport or Uber.

Last night when we were planning our trip out to Glenelg, the St. Kilda of Adelaide, we factored in having to spend a few bucks catching the tram out there. Springing it on Hayley this morning that I thought it would be fun and adventurous to bike it, she almost whacked me across the head with my helmet.

Hayley's bike seemed to be in on the sabotage.

When we got outside to leave, I noticed Hayley's bike had a damn flat tyre! What the actual fuck? She must have picked up a puncture on yesterday's travels. No matter. I spent a sum total of about seven or eight times during the course of our day reinflating her front tyre. A small price to pay to enjoy the clearest (not necessarily the best) weather we've seen since we arrived. I have a very soft spot for rainy days. But I prefer them when I'm home and I don't feel compelled to explore a foreign city.

I got my way and managed to coax Hayley onto her bike with the allure of stopping halfway to catch the tram. That was never my intention. This city is one of the flatest around. I'm talking Berlin flat. The only ups and downs occur along the river as you climb and descend the riverbank on the path which can be entirely avoided if you stay on the road. So, difficulty of the ride can never be used as an excuse not to bike it. The city is a freaking delight and I would come back again just to ride around the place.

Glenelg in the sunshine is uplifting. There weren't hordes of people and the township was planned beautifully.

The jetty juts out of the shoreline offering a vantage point looking back at the city from about fifty to one hundred metres out to sea. There were a few people fishing, but why expose these animals to a hook to the mouth when you could just spend that time going for a walk, a ride or smashing down a juicy mango?

The Organik Store and Cafe, Glenelg.

The beety salad on rye will provide you with plenty of vitamins and minerals and delicious carbs to keep you fuelled up.

We arrived in Glenelg hungry. After some consultation with our vegan buddies on Facebook, a few recommended The Organik Store and Cafe. While the ambiance was nice, the temperature inside the cafe was suffocating. We were happy to spend time outside in the shade amidst a regular cool breeze to gobble up some expensive food.

Our two lunches and thickshake set us back $44. That's Matcha Mylkbar pricing right there.

If you're a vegan visiting Glenelg and you're travelling cheaply, I would recommend the grocery store for some fresh produce and a bag of nuts and seeds. There is a Lord of the Fries, which I occasionally enjoy while I'm in Sydney, but their burgers are expensive for fast food, coming in at around ten bucks a pop.

I didn't learn my lesson from Matcha Mylkbar. Why don't I learn??? I ordered a thickshake. It had to be veganized, as there were only two menu items that were labelled as vegan and none of the smoothies/shakes were labelled. I chose the Yogi Bear, and had to sub out chocolate, honey and dairy.

Truth be told, I keep looking for places that make the smoothie I make myself at home. And all have been failing. FML. There is one special ingredient that MUST be in every cafe's freezer - overripe bananas. After you have those, you can mess with that base ingredient how you wish. Simply having this (plus ice), will ensure you can make delicious thick smoothies with the foundation to rock your freaking socks off.

Organik's veganized Yogi Bear was small (for $9), didn't taste much like chocolate (or banana for that matter) and was watery for a thickshake.

At least the toilet hand basin had a mixer! There's a bonus point! (Upvote that post here.)

The food at Organik was pricey, but put together well, was obviously organic and came out quickly. The only downer was the price, and that's subjective. (The thickshake was shyt, though.)

Cherry Darlings Bakehouse, Forestville.

Thankfully, our way back to Gilberton involved passing through the suburb of Forestville, which also happens to be right where Hayley's workmate's sister lives! Neato! Not that we know her. However, had we turned up to her place bearing any one of the tasty treats locked behind the glass cabinets at Cherry Darlings, we would be besties.

According to the young lady we spoke with, CD has been around for a few years. The cafe is an appropriate size for what you'll be doing: eating sweets, drinking a coffee or snacking on a pastie or pie. We definitely spent longer in the bakehouse than one would usually spend. I was watching the endless stream of customers come in, happily chat with the young owner, Tim Salmon and exit with a wide smile. These people were regulars and for good reason. The food was otherworldly.

I loved the distinctive coloured plastic cups for water and the huge mural of what I believe may have been a co-owner. The whole place had the feeling like you were eating naughty food but you were contributing to something very powerful.

Holy shyt, the sweets were freaking amazing.

Hayley ordered the vegan tiramisu and I ordered the vegan peanut butter cheesecake. We both shared a chocolate shake that was $1.50 cheaper than the one from Organik and was markedly larger, colder and thicker. This thickshake was the WINNER if you were playing along!

Adelaide Central Market.

We were headed back to Adelaide when Hayley realised that it was our last full day here and we hadn't even been to Adelaide Central Market! Luckily, we still had some time on our hands for exploration so we drifted into town almost effortlessly on Adelaide's planar geography into the heart of the city to the market.

We wandered through the market and I couldn't help but be reminded of St. Lawrence market in Toronto, Canada, a previous visit of ours. There's something about permanent indoor markets that they all share- asphalt flooring, open space and all those dreaded cured meat vendors.

With all of our sugar and refined fat intake over the last few days, we were both in desperate need for fresh produce en masse. We bought green leafies, broccoli, chat potatoes, capsicum, tomato and some premade veggie and lentil soup.

The markets are a great place to find fresh flowers. Being the end of trading for the day, the best flowers were all gone, but there were a few standouts remaining.

Cycling home through the city.

St. Peter's cathedral overlooks the Adelaide Oval and is a fine example of gothic revival architecture brought to Adelaide's shores.

I really don't want to leave.

It is inevitable that one must depart, but I really don't want it to be twenty years before I return to this gorgeous city. I love the Torrens' snake-like constriction of the city and the 'Malls-ballers' who call this far off place their home.

You're a lucky bunch (and know how to keep this place a secret).

All the best,

Nick.

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