Brisbane

My weekend in Brisbane  was very similar to many weekends back home. During the day on Saturday we headed to the shops where I was introduced to the wonder that is Sumo Salad and we had some horrendously expensive but tasty (but expensive) cake. We then headed back to the hostel via a bottle shop to pick up some wine. Back at the hostel it was time to cook a dinner, open the wine and get ready for a night on the town. All I will say is that vodka after wine is bad. Very bad. I was quite drunk and therefore on Sunday I felt very sorry for myself. We’d ended up in a backpacker place which though not fabulous was cheap with good music so it was totally worth the hangover but there was no way I was leaving the hostel the next day. In fact I only ate when my friend tempted my downstairs to the cafe with the promise of a burger and chips and more cake. Fortunately the next day was a bank holiday over here so we made up for our laziness by walking up to the Fortitude Valley and down to the botanic gardens to enjoy some sunshine and ice-cream, well one cannot have cake all the time!

Tuesday and I was back in tourist mode. I visited two art galleries, the modern one where I had yet more cake and saw an interesting surrealist exhibition before enjoying the permanent pieces on display at the Art Gallery. Like many thing in Australia the cinema can be quite expensive but my friend found one which was cheap by Aussie standards so we headed back out to the cinema to catch an early showing of X-Men: First Class before heading back to the hostel for an early night. The next day was my last in Brisbane and by this point I think I had had a bit of a city overload therefore as I was leaving the next day I decided to take it easy. I did my washing and read a book in the morning before heading to the tour operator to book a red centre tour for myself and my friend in October. After lunch I had intended to go to the museum but instead I headed back to the hostel for an unhurried lunch and to start packing my bags in preparation for my early start the next day. My main bag packed up I just had time to finish my book before leaving to meet my friend for dinner at a local ‘all you can eat’ vegetarian restaurant. Well it wasn’t all you can eat but it was veggie and though the food could have been warmer it was quite tasty and filling. I even enjoyed the strange sponge pudding and custard at the end and I’m not usually a custard person. Strange meal over and it was time to head back and for me to finish the dreaded packing. I swear as I am only in Canberra for 3 days I am not unpacking. I was sad to leave my newest friend and Brisbane behind but I’m starting to look forward to my new job and am excited about what will happen once I get to Jindabyne on Sunday.

 

Arthur Loureiro: The Spirit of the New Moon