Just a quick note, that we did not ask Alyse to write this, and she insisted we publish it.

‘But why are you going to Adelaide, the city of churches?’ was the somewhat incredulous response I received as I told friends about my planned adventure to Australia’s south.

My response always stemmed along the lines of ‘to write; to volunteer; to help out with a news site called Our World Today (OWT)’, which often generated a furrowed brows and a swift change of conversation from my Queensland counterparts.

As a tourist destination, Adelaide gets a hard wrap, if anywrap from the Sunshine State.

If it weren’t for my university internship program, I would have boarded a plane to Argentina or Kolkata in a heartbeat, before even thinking about forking out fares for South Australia.

But after spending a week ‘down under’, and tasting the local life, I find myself in wonder that such a gem has escaped the gluttonous claws of the tourism industry.

If asked the same question again, I would sing Adelaide’s praises from the rooftops.

I met Mike Worsman, editor of OWT at a group dinner in Brisbane. His passion and genuine belief in the goodness of people, reminded me of the reason I had chosen journalism- to tell the world inspiring stories... an aspiration that had unfortunately been knocked out of me by the sensationalised media monster. 

So when the university semester finished, I bought a ticket and packed my bags for Adelaide, with no idea of what to expect when I arrived... evidenced by my inappropriate selection of clothing for the weather.

Driving from the airport, the sight of Jacarandas lined streets, and picket-fenced houses bursting with flowers, was a breathtaking comparison to Queensland’s aridity.

The next surprise was the OWT office, an art gallery nestled in the heart of Rundle Street; overflowing with eclectic European-style cafes and funky boutiques. The word ‘cool’ was tailor-made for this city. 

Well they say it’s not where you are, but who you are with, and I couldn’t have been luckier than to stumble upon the OWT crew. I can tell you firsthand that OWT is so much more than a ‘positive’ news site... it’s about the power of spreading positive energy to the world.

As Mike led me into the office I was introduced to a vibrant Kenyan girl Wawira, with the biggest smile I’ve ever seen, who made me tea and would become my ‘holla girl’ for the rest of the week. I sat down at my desk and young journalist Jess buzzed in, offering round a box of chocolates. Emily, another journalist, and I bounced around ideas for an uplifting story she was covering, and co-founder of the business Chris Campbell sung while he worked at his computer. It was a scene that would make any commercial journalist smile.

As any savvy business person would tell you, teams that play together work hard together, and during the week it was this philosophy that shone through. I couldn’t have asked for better tour guides.

Despite what I thought was ‘freezing’ weather (20 degrees), we took an afternoon splash along the stretching coast of Brighton, and munched on salt and pepper squid for dinner at the Esplanade Hotel as we watched the sunset.  As we crossed the road back to the car, a dancing couple invited us to join them and I experienced the true meaning of ‘dance like nobody’s watching’... Adelaide style.

The adventures kept on rolling as we piled into the car on the weekend, with Michael Jackson pumping, for a road trip into the hills. The first stop was Hahndorf, Australia’s oldest surviving German Settlement, a quaint hinterland town with scrumptious breakfast and a delectable fudge shop.

Next we headed through Goolwa, let air out of the tyres and drove along the beach towards the Murray River mouth where we braved the choppy swell, jumped down the dunes and kicked around a football on the vast expanse of sand.

The exercise was a great excuse to stop at the renowned Port Elliot bakery on the way home and take in the view of the bay. A day of exquisite eating and fun was capped off by an exuberant dinner with staff and friends at Jah’z Lounge bar, the restaurant adjoining the OWT office.

At every turn, there was something beautiful, exhilarating, catching me off guard and throwing preconceived ideas about Adelaide down the gurgler. There were volleyball matches, hidden cafes, cosmopolitan markets, wind-swept beaches, botanical havens in the heart of the city, and wide suburban streets.

But it was the beautiful people I met and spent the week getting to know, who are the reason I will not think twice about coming back.

And next time people ask me why anyone would ever venture to Adelaide... Well I’ll tell them they’re missing out on one of Australia’s best kept secrets if they don’t.