Queensland

I've been meaning to do this for almost a week now.  I was sitting in my room Sunday night, thinking I should update, but then deciding that I was too tired to do it then.  And every other day of this past week, the only times that I've thought about writing an update, I have about a half hour to an hour-ish until I have to be somewhere.

Anyways, enough of my ramplings.  You're not here for them, you're here because you want to know about my adventures.  Here goes:

I spent about 14 days in Queensland.  I wasn't just in your typical destination places (capital: Brisbane) or Queensland places (the Great Barrier Reef).  Yes, I visited those, too, but just for a couple of days each.

My trip started around 5AM on the Saturday, as I had to get up to get to catch my bus to Sydney just before 7AM and I had to repack a little and catch a taxi to get there.  It was a pretty cold morning, and while I was on the bus, I wished I had of brought a blanket since it was so cold and there didn't seem to be any heat on the bus (air con, yes, heat, no.  geez, and it's still winter!).  (While I was waiting for the bus, which was late (I'll explain this in a moment), I wished I had my mittens, and my fingers were starting to go numb.)  You know, it doesn't feel like winter, no matter how cold it is, until there's snow, on the ground or in the air, doesn't matter.  This is why the bus was later.  Aussies don't know what to do when they get about one to two centimetres of the fluffy white stuff.  haha, of course, the main highway (The Great Western Highway) was covered in slush, but still!  Anyways, that was quite a sight to see.  (All of the area had snow in the forecast, and it actually came.  Canberra had snow the day before, and Sydney got unexceptionally cold, too.)

Anyways, when I got to Sydney, I explored a bit, as my flight wasn't for a few hours (I would have taken something a little later, except there wasn't anything).  Then, I caught my flight to Brisbane at 2PM.  By the time I landed in Brisbane, collected my bag and got to the hostel, it was almost three hours later.

I explored Brisbane a bit that night.  Had a random conversation with someone who was headed in the same direction as me about my choice of shirt (I was wearing my All Time Low one), and that moved on to Soundwave, which he was looking forward to.  (All Time Low are going to be at Soundwave next year! yey! Can't wait!)  I ended up finding out where everything was, but couldn't find anywhere I wanted to eat (and there were a lot of options, too), so I just headed back to where I was staying to look for something around there.  I settled on a place called "Pie Face" (Letterman had them on his show once, when they were opening a location in New York City, if the name rings a bell?), and was rather satisfied with my choice.

Anyways, that night I kind of planned out my next day.  And then, when it came around, I went to Fortitude Valley and Chinatown, where a market was to be starting around 9AM.  I bought some earrings.  (One of the pairs I'm planning on using for Cindy Ball at the end of the month.)  And then I headed to South Bank, planning on going to the beach.  Except, the beach was closed when I got there.  Which was just so pleasant, as it was the perfect day for the beach and a dip in the water.  Anyways, I checked out the market there, too, as it was another reason for my going.  I also got lunch, got scared by the big freaky birds (damn kids wouldn't stop scaring them even though their parents told them not to, goes to show you just how much the parents were paying attention. <_<), and had an all around good day.  I also crossed the Story Bridge (not knowing you could climb it like you can climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge) and walked back to South Bank and then back to the hostel (nice long walk... but was beautiful!).

I also planned on going on a walking tour of the city, but that didn't work out.  I was thinking of doing it the next day, but I just explored the area a bit by myself.  I also got myself lost, too, but I found where I was going and how to get out of the gardens I had wandered into.

I did a bit of shopping at Queen St. Mall, too.  Mostly browsing, actually, but I did get Mom a nice birthday present (a key ring).  And then, when I was bored of Brisbane, I boarded a train southbound and arrived in the Gold Coast, Surfer's Paradise to be exact.  All I can say about that place is that it's really pretty, beach-wise, and it's definitely a tourist trap.  It's also a party place.  I enjoyed spending some time on the beach, and shopping, where I found my Cindy Ball dress (but didn't buy it out of fear I wouldn't have space for it in my bags while I travelled, telling myself that if it was meant to be, then it would be in Cairns or Sydney), and some postcards.

The next day, I took a tour where the bus can go into the water, too.  A Ducks tour.  I don't know.  It was kind of boring, and would have been better if 1) they had of actually talked about what was around us as we passed more than the cost of it, and 2) it hadn't been so kid-oriented.  Sure it's something for parents to take their kids on, but the kids aren't the only ones on the tour, guys.

Anyways, I also met up with my tour while I was in the GC, and we went bowling and for dinner before going to a bar and then to a nightclub.  The bowling was pretty fun, and I got to meet a whole bunch of people whose names baffled me at the time.  haha, dinner was good and I met even more of the people there.  We played a game at the bar, in which you had to drink the drink and if you finished it, the person before you had to buy the next drink.  We were drinking beer, which I really don't like, so that was just pleasant.  haha, besides the beer, it was pretty fun.

We then headed down the street to the nightclub, Sin City, where it was ladies night, so we got our first cocktail free and all the others after it for $2.50, as long as we brought our glass back with us when we went.  And that was nice, trying a few of the drinks.

It was a nice night, too.  And the view from our room was just incredible!  I love balconies.  Only thing that could have made the hotel any better was if it was on the ocean and not just the river.  But it was awesome either way!

And I'm going to continue this tomorrow.  It's fourteen days, so it'll take me a while.  And I'm really getting tired...and I've already been writing for a hour. >.<  Anyways, good night (for now)! xx