Keeping busy in Brissie

We had never been to Brisbane before – and it certainly is a very cosmopolitan and vibrant city.  Here we are way up, staying in a central city apartment 22 floors high.  It was a good position to watch the Saturday evening firework display from the Brisbane River.  Our apartment is very nice, and has a lovely dining room with glass windows on three sides – rather like eating our breakfast in the clouds.

Sitting room and dining room

Hidden behind a door in the bathroom was my very own laundry – happy days!

We have been riding around on the free red ferry which criss-crosses the river from Victoria Bridge, around Kangaroo Point and all the way up-river to Sydney Street.  The journey took us past some very expensive real estate, lots of rather posh waterside restaurants, a museum, and a hospital, and under several bridges.  It was a lovely way to spend a sunny afternoon.

City Hopper Red Ferry

The next morning we purchased tickets for the Brisbane Explorer bus.  And yes, they had concession prices for a couple of oldies like us – at a saving of $10 each it was well worth asking the question.  To make things even better, our tickets took us on two different  tours around the city.  We love this sort of tour, the commentary points out all sorts of interesting sights and buildings, and gives us a good overview of the city.

Brisbane Explorer, and looking over Brisbane City

And today we went into the Hinterland and walked along the Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk.  This is set in 30 pristine acres of rainforest beside tumbling creeks and rock pools.  The rainforest smelt so fresh and clean, birds fluttered by, and crowds of people slowly walked along, admiring the views.

On the Skywalk

After a casual lunch in the Skywalk Café, I had a quick look around their gift shop, not really meaning to buy anything.  But sometimes something just jumps out and says “take me home”.  We have discovered that you really should buy a particular item which takes your fancy when you are away somewhere on holiday, because if you put it off, you will never find it anywhere, ever again!  So this is what I purchased – a new bag and wallet, in my favourite colour blue, of course.  Most of the indigenous items I have seen in shops are usually in browns, reds, and oranges, the colours of the outback but not my colours at all.  So I just had to buy it when I saw it, didn’t I?

My unexpected purchases.

If readers would like to keep up with our travels in more detail, do pop over to our other blog, which gives a much fuller account of our Aussie Adventures.
You can find it on www.romanyrambler.blogspot.com