Another sunny day in Brisbane, Australia

I woke up this morning bright, early and with a willingness to venture a bit further than I had in recent days, now that I had clean and flea free clothes once more.

With the trusty map that the hostel handed out, suitably ripped and oregami folded to rid myself of the hassle of the useless adverts that surrounded it on all sides, I was ready and able to see what lay beyond the CBD ( central business district ). It took me almost the whole of my time here before I realised that QLD was the local abbreviation for Queensland, and so once I saw that on adverts and fliers I realised that it was not much of a help in finding anything so began to ignore it.

My friend A' who I met up with in Sydney had told me that I really had to check out the south bank in the main city centre, and so with her recommendation I went walkabout in search of what was so amazing there and if in the process I could find a place to serve me a decent breakfast then so much the better.

Taking the direct route was much quicker than I thought it would be and even before I reached the bridge that led over to the south bank I noticed that Brisbane has its own Eye, much like the London Eye, and it too is on the river bank offering a very great view of the entire area, especially the south banks museum and art gallery.

There are so many strange and weird sculptures and statues all over the centre of Brisbane that you could probably dedicate an entire book to showing them all and detailing their history, but not having that much time to devote on the subject let me just say that you should always keep your camera handy and fully charges as if you keep your eyes open and look around you they are round every corner and in every nook and crany.

As I saw in Sydney, the whole of Australia appears to be gearing up for Australia day on 26th January, and here in Brisbanes south bank they are already pretty much ready and have their banners flying, sign boards up and pre-celebration mood is everywhere.

Although you cant actually see them from the CBD, there is actually a special man made beach and twin outdoor swimming pool areas on the south bank, mostly hidden from view by palm trees and with enough overlooking cafes, restaurants and seats to accommodate a few hundred with ease.

The whole area also was well set out with the street stalls and markets not even a stones throw away from the beaches, and the walkways have been perfectly frames with huge open air arches lined and strung with sweet smelling purple and lilac flowers that are all blossoming in perfect time for the celebrations.

Just outside of these flowered archways I found a little restaurant that served a tasty ( if a little bit expensive ) classic fried breakfast and washed it all down with a fresh orange juice and water, mainly because I was so thirsty I didnt want to dehydrate but I wanted to taste the orange juice!

After breakfast I went down and did a little bit of sunbathing on the grass overlooking the mini beach, but I had not really come prepared and had nothing to change into or adequate suncream protection to do it properly, so after a few minutes of enjoying the glorious sunny rays of Brisbanes 32 degrees, I headed off back into the shade and found the worlds largest cinema screen.

As it happened there was a new Mickey Rourke film out that started in just a few minutes, and still being morning I decided that it wouldnt hurt to escape the hottest part of the day by watching it, and was glad that I did, although I wont give away anything about the time, just go see it if you like either him or wrestling. The actual wrestling action is limited to the films background and is somehow manages to come across as both very real and equally well stages at the same time, you really have to see it to understand why, and the only reason in my view why it had a more mature rating is that it had a few spots of nudity here or there including seing Mickeys bum ( unless perhaps it was a stunt bum of course ).

Leaving the cinema ( which was only AUD $6.50 during the day, thus becoming the first properly priced thing I found in Australia ) I headed back to the CBD where my mini tour booklet told me that there was a great Irish Bar where things were always happening day or night.

On the way back I passed the Maritime museum that looked pretty neat, if a little small, and then headed through the Botanical gardens which seemed to be more a open air park than anything else, but then I admit to not walking over all of it so perhaps I just was in the wrong zone. It was great to relax and sit on a park bench without the sounds of the city getting to me, and I wasnt the only one as I could see couples stroll arm in arm through along the paths, and even an old man playing chess with himself on a nearby table.

I swung through the park and reached the Irish bar, had the steak and chips which was great if a tiny bit underdone for my liking, and then decided that it was dead except for a couple of guys talking about how the local mechanics don't know shit about classic bikes and why is it that Italians prefer to sell you the lates model while the Brits like to properly restore them.

Next on the agenda was a casual stroll right across to the Sit Down Comedy Club, where my booklet promised me a great bellyache of laughter, and as I hadn't been to a proper comedy night in ages it might be good to see what the local circuit for Brisbane was like. When I got there, after passing the other backpackers district and the local sports stadium I found that the ticket office was not at the venue, but was 800 meters along the road.

I have always had my douts about Aussie humour, but their latest effort was far from funny to me. It was advertised as "just 800 meters along the road" but that must have been as the crow flew and what was worse is tha tit meant going up and down some very steep hills, which in this heat was enough to make me puff and pant a bit, especially after the hour walk just to get there. Once I got there I couldnt see any bulding that looked like a box office, but I saw a car with advertising for the venue so I called it up only to find that my brouchure had the wrong dates and it wasn't open on Wednesday's. Comedy ... it was bloody hysterical, I don't think.

Wandering back to the bar I found that they were advertising Pig Racing for charity, though how they plan to get the little squeelers running I have no idea, but it the heat was enough for me to stop and grab a coke and rest my feet for a few minutes.

I noticed that there were some nice looking empty pool tables in the place, so I asked how much they were and was told AUD $4 each, which for a game of pool is criminal. However they final joke was on them, as there was something wrong with the table I chose and it refused to take any coins and yet let me play an endless amount of games for free. The cue's were not the best but I played a good few games and it was only my great desire for a freezing cold shower to cool me off that made me leave it and head on back to my hostel.

I passed a strip joint on the way back, and my thoughts went back to the film I saw this morning and I was half tempted on going in, but it was too early and I had already spent enough for one day, so instead I gave it just a nodding smile, came back to my hostel room and had the shower that had my name all over it. The hostel I am staying in did not offer freely any towels, as as I think i left my own microfibre towel back in South America I just used an old tshirt to wipe me down, listened to some good old 80's music ( again another thing that the film made me want to do ) and then went to bed.

A few more photos of Brisbane, Australia

Australian city Brisbane seems to be the home for crazy looking masonry, weird and wonderful sculptures and top heavy tourist and locals alike.

Where ever you are wandering in this city that never sleeps ( though often it dozes quite heavily ) you are never too far from a foreign backpacker, a masseuse offering a variety of services, a palm tree and at least two or three buildings of architectural fabulousness that rival many a european cities.

Despite already posting a few photos of my four days in Brisbane I could not help adding a few more as they are just too pretty not to.

Happy once again

The last few days have been a bit of a downer I will admit but today
things got back on the happy trail and now I'm ready for my next great
adventure.
I may have been bitten by a zillion fleas and clothes bugs but I think
I killed them all today when I super hot washed my clothes, jacket and
hat included.
I may owe more people than I can count, but I transfered from one
credit card to the ones I have on me to keep me going as long as I
don't do anything else super stupid.
It may be raining in the place I have just come from and where I will
be going to in a couple more days but today while the sun is shining I
was out in the sun, eating ice creams, exploring, played a couple of
games of ten pin bowling and watched the world go by.
I even managed to find a place to get my watch restrapped which means
that I am not relying on my camera or cellphone with which to keep
time anymore.
Last night I watched a fun feel-good movie, took some great night time
shots and so far today is going great guns as well, so I've nothing
but happiness and contentment in my heart.
With a little more than a week left of my time here in Australia I
will soon be entering the final stage of my trip, but I still have far
to go and am looking forward to visiting places like Thailand,
Cambodia and Japan as much as ever.
It is a pity that the weather forecast for Cairns and Darwin are a bit
gloomy, so chances are I will be hostel bound again but it's all just
part of the ride.

Nighttime Photos of Brisbane, Australia

Arriving in Brisbane, Australia

The train arrived at Brisbane on time, but the thoughful train crew put the lights back on and announced this over the tanoy almost an hour before we actually pulled in, which further ate into my sleep time ( and may be why I am in such a grouchy mood this morning ).

With the time difference of one hour it was 5am when I reached the station and I was more than ready to go right to the hostel and crash for a few more hours sleep, but sadly this was not on the agenda. DEspite advertising itself as a great place for International travelleers to stay, they didnt have a free shuttle to the hostel until 8am and so I had to kill a couple more hours just in the terminal or risk the cost of a taxi and then hoping that I can check in early.

Waiting for the shuttle to arrive I got chatting to a fellow Brit, one of only four backpackers who were due to check into my hostel, and it infurtiated both of us that not only was Australia much more expensive than we first thought, but also that the shuttle did not arrive until 8:55, despite it being only a fifteen minute ride to the hostel from the station and it lef there at 8am, apparently.

But what totally killed it for me was being informed that I could not check in until after 1pm and that the wifi access was a wapping AUD $10 per hour because they did not run it themselves! Well I had just one thing to say about that, and I dont think that it went down too well, but then after the week that I am having I really couldnt care less.

Loafing around the hostel reception for a few hours was not my idea of fun, but then I couldnt check in, and as they already had my money so I was stuffed five ways from Sunday so all I could do was head on over to the tv room and kick back til they would finally allow me to check in. All I can say is that if any Australian hostel is expecting a good review from me then they are going the wrong way about it, cos right now I am regretting every coming to Australia and I see nothing on the horizon that can change that impression.

One thing that I hadn't given proper consideration to my mood was the many tiny insect bites that I had received over the last few days and it was only when I could finally get into my room and have a little privacy that I realised that my clothes and jacket must be infested as just about every part of me was covered and bitten, but especially my arms and legs. Realising that I had already spent money cleaning my jacket in Central America I must have picked them up somewhere between Mexico and Australia but as it had been too hot for long jackets and jeans I had not really worn either in the last few weeks, rain or not, and thus couldn't put my finger on where it was.

My left arm is worst and it looks as if fleas or whatever were having an eating race up the outside of my upper arm, which makes me think that my tshirt offered some protection, but then as my legs got savaged as well they are into my jeans and trousers too and I will most likely have to rewash everything in order to get them out, which is a pain and an added expense I could do without.

At 1pm I was told my room still was not ready, which only added to my black mood and when I finally could check in I found that the rooms had no lockers to mention, which was arghhhhhhh. I actually went back down to the receptoin to ask what wa I meant to do with my laptop and valuables and they told me I could use a lockper in the laundry room, at AUD $6 each time I wanted to open it, as the money inserted was not returned and all I could think of is that this place is just one huge money trap and the sooner I was out of here the better.

It is a shame really, as I have always imagined myself in Australia, with the Koalas and Kangaroos, finding a quiet little backwater place like out of Crocodile Dundee and being able to be the only stranger in a tavern full of locals with thei thick Aussie accents, but the harsh reality was that so far as I can see Sydney and Brisbane are about as far removed from that as the moon is, and the only way to experience even a semi-authentic Australia is to grab a sleeping bag, map, compass, hire a battered but long running jeep and just head on into the bush and away from the coast for a couple of hundred miles or so.

After checking out my bites I decided that the last thing I wanted to do was hang around the hostel any more, so the first thing I did was swipe a map from the information desk at the reception and then just went for a walk to see what I could find. Despite being an International hostel the location was smack bang in the middle or China Town, which meant that there was plenty of places to grab a cheap bite to eat and even try and relax with a massage before continuing on.

The massage girl was not quite what I expected as the oil she used evaporated almost instantly but never the less it was nice to forget all the stress, expense and bites and just allow practised hands to kneed away the knots that tied up my back.

After an hours pampering I found a restaurant that served some great boiled dumplings and Udon noodles, except they were extra slippery, long and all messed up and so it took me an eternity to eat them with chopsticks as my technique is far from perfect and certainly not up to taking the weight of half a plate of noodles in one go.

With the day still being fairly hot and sunny I decided that it would be good to go for a walk down by the dockside and see what view and restaurants were down by the Quay.

It was around here that I started to almost forgive Brisbane, as there was some truly wonderful old buildings and the views of the river, bridge and reconditioned steam paddlers moored up and used as floating restaurants and such was great to see.

After a couple of hours of wandering around I started to come back along a different route and spotted a shopping cinema complex and as I had not been to the Cinema for a few weeks I thought this would be a great chance to grab a movie and if it could be a good comedy then all the better. What was on show was not the best showing, but then just after New Year is never a good time, but it was cool to see the new Jim Carey flick 'Yes Man' was up there so that is what I chose to watch, for AUD $15.

I had to wait for about an hour before it started and for a new movie I was surprised that there was only about 5 people in the audience, but there you go. What did puzzle me more was that I asked for a seat that was middle of the middle yet what I got was a seat two rows from the back of the auditorium!

The film was a bit clique at times, had some truly unbelievable characters, ( or at least I hope they are! ) but then it was one of those feel good movies that leaves you feeling in high spirits and I was almost skipping out again it had buoyed me up so much.

The walk back to my hostel was made more fun by the fact that I started taking some nighttime photos, not all of which came out, but a few were worth the effort and when I finally got back to my room I was able to get an early nights sleep and try to catch up on the lost sleep of the last few nights.