Snap and Scribble

 

I got to Brisbane nearly two weeks ago now, and i don’t seem to have had enough spare time to write since then.

Last Thursday, two weeks of being in three different cities started to do my head in and i ended up hiring a car and driving up to Maleny, which is a couple of hours drive north of Brisbane, out the back of the Sunshine Coast, to visit Chelsea. When i went to pick up the car, they told me it was a year to the day since the last time i hired one from them! It was good to get out of the city and into the hills – and see some green instead of just grey concrete everywhere. I stayed there that night and then drove to Caloundra for a swim in the ocean before going back to Brisbane.

When i got into the city again, i really didn’t want to be there, so i decided to just keep on going and drive down to Lismore that afternoon, instead of the following morning as i’d planned. I wasn’t going to have long down there, so the extra time would be good and hopefully it would mean my visit wouldn’t be quite so frantic!

An old friend, Shaun, had just bought a house and he was doing some moving over the weekend. He was going to have to rush around the whole time i was there, so i offered to give him a hand. I ended up staying in his new house, which was completely empty. I spent a few hours on Saturday pulling up carpets and underlay and pulling out staples and those horrible wood strips with spikes sticking out of them – which was entertaining. I think the temperature got up to about 34 that day, and sweat was pouring off me as i worked.

That evening was the opening of an art exhibition by graduating students at Southern Cross university. I went along with Heather and ran into a few other friends there. It was really bucketing down with rain that evening, which was pleasant – i love heavy tropical and sub-tropical rain storms. The art in the exhibition was a bit of a mixed batch, but there was lots of it and some pieces i really liked. It had been a long time since i’d been to an art exhibition and i enjoyed walking around and looking at everything.

On Sunday morning, i’d arranged to meet a couple of friends at the Channon Market to save myself the extra driving of visiting them at home in Nimbin. The market was the same as ever – and i think i like the idea of it more than actually being there. There are so many people and it makes my head spin after a while! I caught up with several other friends while i was there though, which was good.

On Monday, i met up with Emily, who works as a web designer, and we talked about ways we can work together in future. With a bit of luck she’ll be able to put a bit of work my way, which will be nice as i’m going to need it. And then it was time to head back to Brisbane. I wanted to go for a swim on the way, but i didn’t leave Lismore till about three o’clock and it was a bit rainy and not very warm, so i ended up just having a walk on the beach at Suffolk Park and then continuing on my way.

I’d arranged to meet three friends at a Vietnamese restaurant in West End that evening and i had about an hour to spare by the time i got back to Brisbane. It was just about enough time to relax and check my email – and then i had to rush out again. The restaurant was packed and we had to wait for a table – which was surprising on a Monday evening!

On Tuesday, i went to Caboolture and visit my aunt Terry and Mary, Frances, and Jo – three of my cousins – who live around there. We were meeting at Jo’s place and she picked me up from the train station. It was good to see them again, as it had been quite a while. I saw Jo in 05, when my niece Anna was over here, but i hadn’t seen Terry and the other two since 99, when mum had visited last. They’d all been to England last year, only a few weeks after i’d left to come back to Australia, so i’d missed them there.

I got back to Brisbane at about half past six, caught a bus to West End and got a falafel roll for tea, from King Ahiram on Vulture Street. Then i called in to say a quick hello to Fiona before heading back to Woolloongabba, where i was staying. I was exhausted!

On Wednesday, i met up with a friend for lunch. She works in the CBD and we ate in a Korean restaurant in Elizabeth Arcade. In the evening i met up with a couple more friends and their partners at Birkdale, about forty five minutes by train to the east of Brisbane, out near Moreton Bay. We had a meal at an Indian “Balti” restaurant there.

Today will be a bit more relaxed, hopefully, with less running around – which is a good thing, as it’s pouring with rain at the moment! Tomorrow evening i’m flying back to Darwin.

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