The Brisbane Adventures
Today is the end of our Brisbane Adventures, and seeing as I haven't really written anything yet, I'd better make sure that I write everything down while it's still fresh in my mind!
Wednesday: We slept LIKE LOGS the night before. As I think in my previous entry, Theo slept for about 13-14 hours. He was stuffed. Once everyone finally booted up, we walked up to the train station, a longer walk than I'd realised, and caught the train to Southbank. In perfect timing, when the train pulled into Norman Park, Jeremy, Nicole and Flecther got on the same carriage as us! It was very cool. We all got off at Southbank, where Pa was waiting for us. Perfect! We spent a nice afternoon walking around Southbank, took a ride on the Giant Ferris Wheel of Brisbane, before heading up to have a Pizza lunch. Yummo. After that we went to get an icecream, before heading home after a busy day.
Thursday: We got up early and caught the train (This time driving Jeremy's Car "Gabriella the Golf" to the station, dropping the kids off, finding a close park and jogging back) to Brisbane South station. From there we got off and walked to the Jetty where the Koala Boat was going to leave from. Waiting there was the gang, Pa, Jeremy, Nicole and Fletcher.
After a short wait, the Ferry let us board and off we set down the river towards the Lone Pine Koala sanctuary. It was a nice hour cruise down the river, with some commentary etc. We originally started upstairs outside, but the kids quickly got cold and were worried about the brand new Akubra's Granny gifted them blowing off and heading into the river. So we went and sat underneath instead, which was warmer and less windy.
Once we arrived we saw a snake (python) in a tree all wrapped up, that was pretty neat. And then as we walked up the path to the sanctuary there was a really huge lizard on the stairs that the kids got to see. The sanctuary itself was busy, but the perfect sort of place for children. As we arrived we pretty much got to pat and have a photo with a Koala straight away. Then we walked up into a large park and the kids got to see/pat an Emu, then a Kangaroo (or was it a Wallaby?), we saw a Wombat sleeping in its burrow etc. From there we just walked around looking at all the various animals, Theo loudly shouting about "ticking them off! Got him! TICK!" etc. He seemed to be more interested in shouting that he had seen X/Y/Z instead of the fact he'd actually seen it. Still, it was good fun, easy going and not TOO busy. I'd hate to go during the busy season.
We had some lunch, then walked around a bit more and saw Platypus and Tasmanian Devils, lots of lovely Australian birds and a whole bunch more Koala's. Then it was time to go and get back on the Ferry before it headed back to Brisbane without us. Once back to the Ferry terminal we all said goodbye and caught the train home.
Friday we had a cruisy morning, then caught the train into Southbank again, this time with our togs in the bag so the kids could go swimming at the fake beach. It was too cold for Beth, but Theo seemed to love it. You forget that 18c in the sun is here DAMN FREEZING for a Brisbane person. Theo certainly forgot, having a great old time. When we got him out though, he was actually quite cold, but still smiling ear to ear. While we were there, Mum's old friend Shanti arrived to say hi, meet us and meet the Children and Fletcher. It was lovely to catch up with her, even though it was only for 20 minutes and she and her kids were off again. It was a real fly-in-fly-off visit, but it was lovely to see her, it's been about ~20 years I think.
Once we'd said goodbye to Shanti we went off to get a bite to eat, then walked into the heart of Brisbane to do a bit of shoppingshoppingshopping. It was pretty busy for a Friday night, but it was still good fun. We bought some clothes etc for the kids, a couple of toys etc, then caught the train back home again. Sarah's friend Cass came over for dinner, lovely to see her too because it's been ~6 years or so since we saw her. Beth was ~1 and Theo wasn't born yet when we last saw her, she's a Dr now (PHD Dr)
Today we got up and went to the Brisbane Planetarium for a show called "The Little Star that Could". We drove out there, only taking one wrong turn onto a motorway instead of the small side road. ARGH! Nevermind, we still made it in time. The kids seemed to love the show too, which was good, it was designed for 3-5yos and was pretty boring for the parents. At least I was bored. But at the end of the movie they did a very small "This is the night sky look here's the Southern Cross, here's the pointers, here's the moon lets ZOOM IN" etc which the kids really loved too.
Then we grabbed a bite to eat at the Botanical Gardens Cafe and went to do a quick bit more of shopppingshoppingshopping for Sarah at her favourite shoe store she can only order online from in NZ.
And now we're packing up (well, mostly have) the AirBNB we're staying at. We're going to go out for dinner tonight with Pa/Jeremy/Nicole and then we're off back home early in the morning. What a trip!
Tim