8/10
BRISBANE
The bus driver is sooo nice, he allows me to bring on board all my snacks, he does not chase me when I come to sit in the front row to enjoy the view, and does not rebuke me when I crumble my blueberry muffins on the seat.
Brisbane seems to me a very nice city. Parks full of flowers
where a lot of young people camp out listening to music, playing rugby and taking sun, families stroll, the climate is enviable, there is a river, the sea, the skyscrapers have something graceful that does not clash with the surrounding landscape, it gives the impression of being a place where it is easy to live. A certain sloppiness typical of the tropics adds to the North American style skyline
It’s possible to see some dudes dressed in the latest fashions, and then guys who come out from the car on barefoot to go shopping, or the teen-agers who travels on City Cat with their surfboards … The center has a couple of streets overflowing with shops, but, they say that at evenings gets very quiet, because here the true life is in the suburbs, especially in New Farm and Fortitude Valley.
We find accommodation in New Farm, quite close to the stop of the City Cat. This is the name of the ferry that makes service along the riverbanks. Edward Lodge, a nice place, a room with a modern bathroom just renovated at a cost of 60 Aud. The area, Sydney Street, is really very pretty. All houses made of wood, in Queensland style, very cured gardens, perfectly mowed grass like golf course. In the evening, we go to see the Fortitude Valley, we walk for about 15-20 minutes, until we reach the pedestrian zone with so many people, and some really great bars, regarding design, lights and environments.
We notice that in the neighborhood there are a lot of hair salons, chiropractors, and refined ethnic décor shops. This is not the boor Queensland we found in Rockhampton !!
8/11
BRISBANE – MELBOURNE – GEELONG
Most of the day is spent walking in city parks. Yesterday, which was Sunday, along the banks of the river we saw a lot of people in the surroundings of Kangaroo Point, and numerous free climbers practicing on the rocks. We go back in the area but unfortunately today is almost deserted.
Tonight, we separate. I leave for Melbourne by plane. Hannu, who does not want to come with me because it says that the south is too cold, has not yet precise plans, but will go from Brisbane to Sydney by bus, stopping somewhere in the middle. I intend to visit with a car the Great Ocean Road in two days, and then reach Sydney by night bus. The rendez-vous is fixed on August 14 at 8.00, at the central station, Sydney.
In the afternoon we do some shopping in Rome Str., the main street.
Meanwhile, I am trying to organize my life in the next two days. I’m leaving tonight at 19.15, arrive in Melbourne at 21.45, and want to get right away to Geelong with the last train at 23.35.