24/12/2011 The River Torrens is amazing and I think is the…read moresingle most beautiful thing about Adelaide. You can only just look at my choice of my display photo for my Yelp profile, to understand why it's on top of my list of 5-star places to go to in Adelaide. No words will come close to describing it. But if I had to choose a phrase of my own, it would be "lovers' and joggers' paradise in the heart of Adelaide". Who comes here, you might ask? The joggers, young lovers cuddling up, wedding couples all nicely dressed, older adult couples just wanting some quality time walking together, bike riders, more serious-looking cyclists, exhausted students in need of a break, nappers, rowers, sexy sportspeople working out, boxers, bike riders, book readers, geeks, and tourists galore spend time around the river on a daily basis. I just wish they cleaned up or prevented the pollution of this once-pristine River. I personally find a personal escape from all the hard work of life, jogging around River Torrens via a warm early afternoon, with my handy towel and water bottle. It's the most inexpensive way to be one with nature and to get fit at the same time.

I've started walking along the River Torrens, and every time I find something new to smile about…read more It's such a gorgeous place with trees, wide river banks, and plenty of wildlife. It's got a great walking/riding track, if you walk further up closer to North Adelaide it's pretty hard to believe you're so close to the city. I've even been walking back and seen a giraffe poking up from the Adelaide Zoo. There aren't many walking paths that feature their own giraffes. Along the Torrens there are barbecues and picnic spots, and if you're near Elder Park you can enjoy the paddle-boats or the newer Adelaide Ballzup. I love this place, I really, really do. So why is it missing that extra star? Sometimes the River Torrens is a bit like Lilly Allen's LDN. Everything appears all lovely, and gorgeous, and wonderful. But then you look carefully and you notice it's not all roses. The river can stink, especially if you're out on a paddleboat and you get a little too close to the large fountain. You'll also notice various things floating in the river from time to time, that surely shouldn't be there. Walking at night doesn't always feel like the safest thing in the world, with a few too many secluded spots. Overall this picturesque spot deserves more attention from everyone, but gee wouldn't it be great if they could sort out the water issue. P.s. I'm still not entirely convinced that there isn't a lake monster of some description living in the River Torrens...

I swear these boats were 10 times bigger when I was a tyke but to be honest they still haven't lost…read moretheir charm. The "Popeye" (or all 3 of them) are still part of the patchwork grid quilt that is Adelaide. Yes, Adelaide only has about 1km of river that you can boat cruise down; Yes, the boats still look like they did when Queen Elizabeth first rode on them back in 1977; and Yes, sometimes the Torrens is the same green as a kid on a roller coaster... But who gives a ship? The Popeye's have been steered into the 2000's and are now a great venue that you can charter up and down the Torrens at night or during the day with white chairs, tables, fairy lights, a projector screen, live music, BYO booze and food and even their own solar panels! That's more fancy than any boat I've been on recently... Although these boats still do day tours for the kiddliwinks and gummy ones (which any true Adelaidian has to experience at least once to call themselves one) the highlight for me is that they have now been brought into the 21st century in elegant style while retaining a sense of their old-worldliness. If I was going to hold my next quirky event, hen's night or birthday party I want to do it on a boat like the Old Spice commercial. Cause boats are fricken cool and so is Popeye.

I have to admit that these were one of the highlights of my trips to the zoo when I was a kid. Hey,…read morewe didn't even have to go to the zoo to go for a ride of the Popeye, we just went for a good old trip around the Torrens Lake and as a kid it was always fun. The problem was that I grew up which meant that I haven't been on these for ages, so when I came back to Adelaide for a holiday I knew I had to rectify it, and rectify it I certainly did. Basically it goes for a trip around the torrens and the captain gives you a running commentary on all the sites. If you really want to you can jump off at the zoo, or you can stay on and head back to Elder Park. It's pretty fun, especially if you want to awaken that kid in you.