Snap and Scribble

 

Melbourne was ok, but there was nothing really notable about my stay there. The weather was better than i expected it to be. Although it was a bit chilly at times, i never really regretted my decision not to travel with long trousers or a jacket.

I caught up with a few old friends while i was there, some of whom i hadn’t seen for quite a long time. And i managed to spend a few hours in the state library doing a bit of research into the theatre that my grandfather’s grandfather allegedly built in Melbourne in the 1870s. I didn’t have time to find out anything really useful though.

On the Sunday, i got a call from Jetstar saying my flight from Sydney to Brisbane, the following Friday, had been cancelled. I had the choice of going the next day or flying to either the Sunsine Coast or the Gold Coast instead. I decided to fly to the Gold Coast, as it would mean i could have a swim and i could also catch up with Jowanna on my way to Brisbane.

On Monday, my flight to Sydney was due to leave at about 1pm, so i left where i was staying in Coburg at about ten o’clock and caught the train to Southern Cross station. It started raining as i left the house, so i was treated to some typical Melbourne weather to help me on my way!

I was amazed at how crappy the international terminal at Melbourne airport was. It was like a fancy version of a small town bus station. They obviously don’t have many international flights arriving or departing from there. Unlike Singapore, Darwin and Adelaide, of course, you had to pay to use the wireless internet at Melbourne airport. I don’t understand why, if small airports like Darwin and Adelaide can have free internet, bigger airports like Melbourne and Sydney can’t. Greed, i guess.

But i did need to use the internet while i was there, because the flight was delayed by an hour and a half and internet access meant i could do some work while i was waiting. I could certainly get used to this web design work, as i can do it anywhere in the world where i can get internet access. With a bit of luck i’ll be able to get enough of that sort of work, eventually, to allow me to travel around the world as i do it!

The plane i was catching was flying on to Honolulu after Sydney - which was why i had to catch it from the international terminal. It had previously arrived from Bangkok, apparently, with a mechanical fault - and the flight was delayed for an hour and a half while they fixed it.

I eventually arrived in Sydney at about four o’clock and caught the train to Central station and then the bus to Rozelle, where i was going to stay. I met Irene, who was one of the people i was staying with, on the bus, on her way home from work.

On Tuesday, i met up with Juls at Bondi and we walked along the cliffs from there to Bronte. The annual “Sculpture By The Sea” exhibition was on, with sculptures scattered along the cliffs the whole way. There were some really good ones and some that left me a bit bemused, and overall it was really great environment for a sculpture exhibition. Here’s a photo of some sculptures on the beach at Tamarama.

When we got to Bronte beach, we went for a swim in the seawater pool in the rocks at the south end of the beach. The water was a bit on the chilly side, but it was pleasant enough and we both enjoyed a reasonably long swim.

I stayed in Sydney till Friday and met up with several other friends during the three days i was there. Three days wasn’t really long enough, as there were a few other friends i would have liked to have seen - but they’re all scattered around outside of Sydney, making it impossible in such a short time. I like Sydney, but a visit there that’s too short is always preferable to one that’s too long!

The flight to Coolangatta left at ten o’clock on Friday morning, which meant i had to leave where i was staying at about seven to make sure i had plenty of time to spare. There were no delays this time and, at about an hour, the flight was pleasantly short. I’d never flown into Coolangatta before and i wasn’t really sure where the terminal was in relation to the Gold Coast highway at Bilinga, which is just north of Coolangatta. It turned out that the terminal’s only about ten minutes walk from the beach!

It was good flying into Coolangatta and in future i think i’ll always fly there rather than Brisbane when i’ve got the choice. I could have walked straight out of the airport and gone for a swim if i’d wanted to, but i was headed for Palm Beach, which is a short bus ride north of there, and i was going to have a swim when i got there.

It was really windy at Palm Beach, and sand was blowing over everything i put down - my towel, bags, and clothes all got covered in the stuff. But the tide was up and there was hardly anyone on the beach, so i could go into the water without having to worry about leaving my bags unattended on the sand, with my camera, laptop, passports, etc. That was my first beach swim in Australia this year and it was beautiful - the water was a lot warmer than Bronte. I stayed in quite a long time and then i found a sheltered spot in the dunes, where the sand wasn’t blowing and lay in the sun for a while. After that, i met up with Jow and we went and had some lunch.

I got to Brisbane about five o’clock that evening, after what was probably the most pleasant trip of the journey so far.

Tags: Travel and Places //