CBD

Thankfully waking with minimal side effects from our night at the Jazz night, on Saturday Mike and I decided to go into the CBD’s shopping district which is also home to the cities very own botanical gardens too. It had dawned on me how close to home time was, I vowed to make the most of the weekend.

The gardens had been flooded in January like the rest of Brisbane, so some areas where taped off, but what we did see was beautiful! Huge tree’s that were so big the branches had grown “legs” down into the ground to support them, there were lots of little pathways and nooks lined with the occasional picnic area and gazebos.

One thing I have noticed since being on OZ is that everyone’s so healthy! We were constantly in the path of runners and cyclists, their new year’s resolutions are sticking it seems lol! We also bumped into a training class for Seeing Eye dogs for the blind a dozen or so puppy Golden Retrievers had me pining for Pyro (my Jack Russell who we had to re-home last summer).

After our trek, we headed into the town for some souvenir shopping; there are many Australia themed shops ready for sentimental and somewhat tacky fools like myself. We sat and listened to various buskers who coincidently sound better than half the finalists from any TV talent shows, in fact we ended buying one of their CD’s – a duo called the The Firetree – think Adele crossed with James Morrison.

We got home just after 4 and headed for the apartments pool and spa, Mike then attempted to get a tan since he only had what he called a farmers one, but he can’t sit still for long and gave up after half an hour. I have loved the heat in OZ, I’ve had to take around half of the medication I was at home and because of the lowered pain I’ve been in, I'm sleeping so much better without rude spasms disturbing my beauty sleep! I wonder what the cold UK will do to me.

L x

Jazz baby!

Wednesday and Thursday were quiet and chilled in the apartment, we cooked dinner and watched season three of How I met your Mother – legend… wait for it…. dary!

I had started to notice a significant reduction in well… fat on my butt and cellulite and an increase in tan! There will be no picture’s to prove any of this, but I’m definitely going to have to either earn a bucket load and buy and new house with pool, move to Australia or join a local water aerobics class…. The latter I feel would be most appropriate at this moment in time… I feel living out here in a serviced apartment has given me a sense of unfounded grandeur lol!

Friday evening was so much fun. I was quite nervous as we were going out with Mike’s work mates, the other half of them that I hadn’t met on my first day here.

We met in a bar/restaurant called Freestyle in Fortitude Valley, we’d had dinner before we arrived so why the other noshed on mezze platters and tapas I enjoyed an Apple Mojito, only one mind, the aforementioned lack of gall bladder and my hurling capacity had already been tested I wasn’t about to embarrass myself in front of a collective I.Q of a million… (probably!). The inevitable geological chat came up (really should take a short course or read a Dummies guide so I know what Mike does!) but I wasn’t made to feel stupid or boring. I always apologies for not having a job, regardless if I have a valid reason or not…. Self confidence issues I feel!

After cocktails we went to the Australian Legions club for a jazz evening. We were seeing the Caxton Street Jazz band. They usually play on the South bank… i.e. flooded!

The Caxton’s are a 7 piece band formed in 1977 (Karen – they know of Digby and Tony!). Mike not being a jazz fan at all (his only experience of live jazz was on a ferry from France – enough said!) I was worried he would suffer and bleed from his ears. I on the other had had googled and youtubed the band and couldn’t wait – right up my street. My granddad and Nan (Dad’s) where both jazz fans I have listened to Louis, Billie and Miles since I was young through their influence.

The band where fantastic! Even Mike enjoyed it! I was chilled beyond belief by the end. There was a moment of clarity when I realized I was in Oz, listening to jazz, beer in hand surrounded by Geologists and thought it was one of my more random evenings!

The gig finished and I went to meet the band and mention the Piano Pavilion and my Jazz related contacts at home, I bought one of their CD’s and refrained from asking them to sign it, I’m always such a groupie without the sex!

Thinking we would all go home at this point, Mike followed the group (and I not having the faintest idea which direction home was!) and we were again outside Freestyle, this time for desert! Huge ice creams and baked goods laidened the table I had to stop myself from passing round my camera so that they could all take photos of these sugared artworks.

We made it home around midnight – not drunk, food still inside my stomach and for once only three pictures taken… I think I was just happy keeping this random night to myself!

L x

Oh the shame!

I didn't think I’d have much to report this week. Again I have been proven wrong! Monday I was recovering from the day trips to the Sunshine and Gold Coasts.  When Mike got home from work he suggested we went to have a mosey around the city and see some of the sights.

This started at the river and Story Bridge, took some very “artistic” photo’s of the night time skyline and some of the damage caused by the floods. We walked in the center of town to attempt to find a Mexican restaurant that Mike had been to on his last trip here. This turned into a 2 hour marathon, as Mike hates not finding places and values his inner map or pigeon’s instinct as we call it. In the end my ratty mood indicated that I couldn’t care less about the Mexican and just wanted food – damn it!

Story Bridge

In the end we found a Mexican take away, where I had the best Tacos I’d ever eaten, sod the fancy restaurant when I could have steak, beauties for $7!

To this day… a week on from then we still haven’t found that restaurant!

Tuesday Mike’s University friends that I mentioned on Aussie Day took us to Kangaroo Point where barbeques line the streets as casually as the tree’s do at home! We’d funny enough bought Kangaroo to try amongst chicken and steaks. Skippy meat is a richer version of beef steaks, I recommend only eating very small amounts at a time! We tried to have it for dinner a few days later only to feel very sick!

Anyway, Jenna and Brian had bought their friend Jono. Since I had now met the Jen and Brian a couple of times before I was beginning to relaxed around them, chatting, eating, watching the bats stretch their wings over the river, when laughing became my down fall.

Having cleared up, finishing our drinks, Mike started impersonating a limp sounding police siren… I being the ever cool, proceeded to comically spray my drink over him, started to choke on what had made it down my windpipe and throw up leaning over the side of my wheelchair – oh the shame! It may not have the best impression but I made one never the less!

When we hadn’t heard from them till a lot later in the week, I was beginning to suspected I had offend them with my uncouth act, when Mike reminded me that he had seen them and visa versa in states a million times worse at Uni!

L  x