Part
5 - AUSTRALIA
11.3.07
The Hilton International, Brisbane
,
Australia
is the smartest I think we’ve ever stayed in, a business hotel so we
have a glass desk and leather revolving chair in our contemporary room.
The rooms are set round a massive central well, there must be 30 floors.
On the inside wall are glass lifts which are only accessible with a pass
key. Good security.
It’s my ambition, sad I know, to watch Neighbours on Australian TV,
but when we eventually find which channel it’s on, it’s showing at
6.30pm here, when we’ll be out eating or exploring. I have to settle
for walking round a few shopping streets [it's a hard life] until it’s time for dinner,
which we eat in one of the many street cafes. I think you could eat any
kind of food you choose here. For our first night in
Australia
ahead of going to Singapore, I have Singapore Noodles. Well, I bet you can’t get them in
Singapore , it’s probably another of those invented dishes like Chop Souey.
The room is like a fridge when we go in, they keep the air conditioning
so very cold. I switch it off, but each time house keeping comes to the
room, they turn it on again. We sleep under duvets, even though we
arrive on the hottest day of the year, 38 degrees.
12.3.07
Slept 11 hours last night, still signs of fatigue with aching joints
etc. Done pretty well so far, don’t want to blow it now. Had a strange
dream about buying a Scottish property involving the name Islebeck.
Decide to google it when I get home in case it’s a premonition.
It’s too hot to do much. We settle on a river cruise, but the starting
point is changed from our side of the river to the other side, a walk of
maybe 20 minutes with absolutely no shade. Our wet clothes cling to us
by the time we arrive at the little jetty. Turns out to be worth it, the
Brisbane
river is quite a sight.
All the development we see has taken place in the last 20-30 years, and
it is stunning. Huge glittering high rise blocks in the commercial part,
with the odd older building such as the customs house and old wool
stores. As we go round great loops in the river, the development changes
to homes, mostly very attractive. No one is allowed to build right down
to the river to give the public access to the riverside, so there are
walkways and parks everywhere. Some grand houses were obviously built
before this rule came in, and the walkway is built in the river like a
long pontoon, in front of their houses. I bet those rich folk were
not best pleased at that solution. Many houses have their own pontoons
and jetties, boats tied up there. It’s all peaceful looking and quite
unexpectedly lovely.
We’re on the south bank again when we finish the trip, and as part of
the new development contains dozens of eateries, we stay there for lunch. We
buy fresh fruit salad with icecream topping and carrot cake, plus water,
and sit on the grass in the shade to eat it. We are soon surrounded by
ibis. They are too wary to actually share our picnic, but it’s nice
having them around.
Intended walking back, but almost too hot and humid to breathe. Harvey wants to see the Botanical Gardens, so he wanders off on his own and I
take a taxi back to the hotel. The cost is $6. I have $4 something in
change and a $50 note. The driver refuses to give me change, saying it
would take all he’d got for the afternoon. I didn’t have the
gumption to say well it’s either give me change or take the $4, and
the doorman at the hotel who had come to open the car door for me kindly
takes the note and gets it changed in the hotel café. Since ATM’s
give out only $50 dollar notes, I would have thought the taxi driver was
used to it, but I am annoyed with myself for not thinking quickly enough
and for being a wimp.
Harvey
comes back with his shirt wringing wet. We lounge and read in the cool
of our room until dinner time. Apparently the temperature has
dropped when we emerge, but not so you’d notice. Harvey wants a steak,
so we find another street café, the Pig ‘n’ Whistle, which do it
and I have the innocuous sounding lemon chicken risotto – this is so
garlicky I smell all next day too. Won’t be sorry to leave this
temperature. Next stop Singapore
– and Raffles!
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Old Customs House
Old wool store, now apartments
the old and the new
new homes with pontoons
Commercial centre
Brisbane Park, sharing our picnic
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