Fairy Lisa from Adelaide

The state of mind matters most in life

The journey to Adelaide is marvelous. Alistar brings us to Auburn town (20 km south of Clare), where shadow, cookies, and bananas keep us happy in the midday heat. Soon we are off to Gawler (50 km north of Adelaide), right opposite a shopping mall. Huge traffic and oven baking temperatures make it tricky to catch a right, until a former hitchhiker brings us 2 miles ahead to a perfect spot outside town. While waving good-bye an old man pulls over, smiling at us brightly. This enchanting young-spirited 75 year old shows clearly that the state of mind is what matters most in life. Every word he speaks is full of gratitude, an honest Thank You! to the Universe, the deep trust in God. Regular exercise for mind and body, voluntary work for elderly and disabled people, flying remote control airplanes, and a yearly visit to his remaining relatives in England keep him agile. After the death of his beloved wife he moved into a house in an area where they had lived when young. In doing so, his loss turned into joy for he finds here the memories of happiness they have shared together in the past.

Welcome to Adelaide

As if waiting for a hot pizza delivery Lisa welcomes us right on the street in front of her house, where she is surrounded by her thousands of cactuses and succulents. Upon entering her tiny little apartment I fall in love. This is how I imagine my own place to be. Graceful and cozy, full of literature, art, memories, and comfort. Lisa knows exactly what we need: freedom to do whatever we like. We choose the bed first, sleep a round, and in the evening refresh, play, and snack on the beach together with Lisa, her twin sister, niece, and other friends. Suddenly, I realize how fast our realities have changed. Just 24 hours ago Alistar’s sudden change of plans blew our minds. Sitting in the dusty wine cellar at Blenheim we had no glue of where to go and what to do. And now we are here in Adelaide, hosted by a marvelous fairy, surrounded by hippie spirited people, munching organic apricots on a beautiful beach, experiencing a sunset with magical rainbow-colored clouds. Life is an amazing gift!

Lisa leaves her whole apartment to us, while spending the weekend at her partners Markus place. We feel like in a dream. Laying lazily on the bed, reading newspapers, and watching a documentary about India – is that really true? Unbelievably, it is. What a joy to be alone! Walking undressed after the shower with no-one to bother about makes us feel ultimately free.

Goodwood is enchanting

In the morning we explore Goodwood, the area surrounding Lisa’s house. The atmosphere in Goodwood is astounding. I feel home. It makes me wallow in memories about Berlin. The street is sown with pretty houses and tiny churches from the 19th century. All look so different and blend in so harmoniously. The shops we encounter carry everything we need, even a gluten-free bakery – the only one in Adelaide – is just 10 minutes walk away.

Breakfast shopping, air crackling hot temperatures, and a belly full of delicacies makes us soon end up in bed again. Lisa joins us in the afternoon, going about her own things. Our freedom in the house continues until we set off to meet Lisa’s friend Dave, getting to know the warehouse we are going to stay from thereon.

A weekend in Victor Harbor

The one month in Adelaide is filled by Lisa’s presence, may it be helping or entertaining us in all ways possible. She even invites us on a journey to Victor Harbor, where she and Markus rented a weekend house. Described to us previously as little hut, the weekend house offers a proud 5 rooms, living room, well-equipped kitchen, and hot-shower just one minute from the beach. When visiting a further up beach, a walk meant to last for hours, we get into a stormy rain. The pouring rain makes running back useless. We are soaked in a couple of minutes, and once reaching the car decide to undress what possible. On the way back Lisa is keen on picking some red flowers from a native tree. She simply jumps out of the car in her tiny wet t-shirt pulling it down to cover her bottom. When she reaches for the flowers, though, the bottom is seen anyway. Back in the car she is shining with pure joy. Her readiness for anything coming along inspires me a lot, and her laugh and humor reach far behind my heart and mind. After a cosy evening in the weekend house, we spend the Sunday exploring the forests and a nursery around Victor Harbor area. What a delight to find delicious blackberries jutting out from the rose bushes!

Twins Lisa and Kim spoil us

Lisa supplies us with a huge sunflower and tomatoes from her school garden, and even invites us to a special vegetarian lunch in a cozy Indian style restaurant. Here we delve into the lucrous green soup, the gluten-free wraps filled with three vegan pates and three types of salads, and a famous Indian curry dish. On top we feast on two big pieces of yummy vegan raspberry cheesecake, the first one for more than 6 years!

Before we leave Adelaide Lisa’s sister Kim turns up unexpectedly, bringing garden fresh grapes and figs along as well as a precious little Ganesha statue. I have always been attracted to Buddha and Hindu statues, so this birthday present really touches me deeply.

The day comes when we leave Adelaide, and Lisa is so kind to pick us up at 9 a.m. on a Sunday morning, driving 170 km out of Adelaide to make our hitch-hiking towards Melbourne an easy one. It’s hard to find proper words to express our gratitude for having met and spend time with Lisa. She is a true blessing to this world, a wonderful friend and a mother at the same time. Thank You, Lisa, you are our precious!