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Published: December 23rd 2008
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I have arrived in Brisbane! Brisbane is a nice big city centralized on the East Coast of Australia. I will remember it for its plethora of free museums (every backpackers dream - loads of free things to do!) and one of the biggest shopping malls in Australia. I walked around the city window shopping all the way. Only 13 sleeps til Christmas when I was there saw everyone out doing their last minute shopping and carolers singing on the sidewalks.
Spent my days exploring the local art musueums. You may think Brisbane is not a hub for good art but I was suprised to see a few works by Pissaro, Toulouse LaTrec and Van Gogh. The museum also housed lots of Australian art which was nice to see as you don't get much of it outside of OZ. From there I headed to the Modern Museum of Art for a headtrip and a half. I am growing to appreciate such art but it's a slow go I must say. Slovenly men dancing, sleeping, sitting etc in tank tops on video screens around the gallery are not really what I like to call art. But hey it was free. I also
got some free internet time in the best library I have seen so far (albeit in 20 minute blocks).
I also had a chance to explore the south parklands along the river. A lovely place for an afternoon stroll before walking across the river and getting stuck wandering around a university looking for my way home!
From Brisbane I caught my Greyhound to Byron Bay and was pleased to find Ev and I (although Ev is not here) had our first seats together all trip.. that is until a local promptly asked me for his spot. Will I ever get my own space on a Greyhound bus!
Arrived in Byron and found this small town littered with shops (very expensive shops.. no new clothes for me then!) and fronted by a lovely stretch of sand overlooked by a headland. A place to truly slow down and catch up on my reading (those 7 books in my bag are really starting to weigh me down!). So I did just that. Each day I found my favorite tree or hammock or rock and sat for hours reading. I made it to the beach every day to enjoy the ocean
breeze and a quick dip in the cold waters (brr... but refreshing). I even took out one of the free (very square looking) bikes from the hostel and rode up to the lighthouse on the most eastern point of Australia for a good view over the bay.
From Byron I am heading south again to Coffs Harbour- famous for its big banana! Australia is home to many abnormally large things. So far I have seen the huge mango and massive prawn and now am pensively waiting my chance to see the "big banana". They have huge fruits, veg, animals and more dotted all over this country... one only finds themselves asking why? I don't even think the Aussies know...strange country!
Arrived to Coffs Harbor over an hour late on the bus but gloriously I had my own 2 seats for the 4 turned 5 hour journey. Bliss! Coffs was beautiful as we arrived. Sweeping views over the bay, banana trees littering the landscape and happily we drove straight past the "big banana". Sadly the big banana is so far from my hostel I will not get any pictures of it.. but at least I saw it! I spent
my time in Coffs taking walks on the local nature trails along the creek and out to the harbor and Mutton Bird Island. Another nice place too kick back and relax. Heading for Port Macquarie, Newcastle and then Sydney!!!
"Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by things you didn't do, not what you did. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbour, catch the wind in your sails, explore, dream, discover." Mark Twain
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