Christmas in Brisbane

---

Well what can I say while I haven’t stopped thinking about home and the children , I have missed them desperately , my first Christmas away, has turned out to be a stunner . Mark and Tania have been super stars , they have been so kind and welcoming and Tania’s mum and dad entertained us royally on Christmas day. They are a family like ours, and Gail and John wanted Jules Sue , Hannah and me to feel comfortable and at home which we certainly did . But I am jumping the gun so let me go back to when I arrived over a week ago in fact I should have left on Sunday but Mark and Tans have made us feel so at home (indeed even the name is the same!) we have all stayed a few more days , Poor them- I should think they will be very glad to get their house back and both Josh and Gemma can slip out of their parents bedroom back into their own!!


I arrived in Brisbane on December 19th after travelling from Noosa by Greyhound bus a short 2 hour hop It was my first greyhound journey and it was full of backpackers sleeping, eating, listening to music and I have to say, just a little smelly!
Still a good experience and mark and tans were texting me to say they had spotted the bus and would be just behind it to pick me up. How lovely was that and what a grand welcome

The rest pf the afternoon was spent getting reacquainted with Josh and Gemma and sharing news, feelings and experiences with Mark and Tans. Friends were coming round in the early evening for a traditional Oz barbi and Mark cooked the most tasty fillet steak I have eaten for a long while . Not much wine and beer were drunk that night!!

The Phillips's have a fifth member of the family Louis the cat - a rather large black and white moggy whose gender is under some scrutiny - but that's another story! . He/she made him/herself known to me at 3.30 in the morning when sleeping soundly due to excess of drink , my sleep was shattered by a huge furry thing landing very near my face , it frightened the living day lights out of me if i wanted something warm and large sleeping with me in my bed it wouldn't be a bleedin cat!!! Suffice to say that after the 2nd time this happened, I slept with my door firmly shut and Josh's chair wedged up against the door - this is one very resourceful cat!

We all have swam in the pool keeping cool and Mark has taken me with Tans and the kids on a mini tour of Brisbane going to the high look out which gives a fantastic vista of the city though the weather was misty with rain on the horizon.. We had a drink at the power house a converted power station which was now a cultural centre a place where Brisbaiians come to watch avant garde theatre , listen to jazz watch unusual dance and have a meal and the occassional drink.

I have felt very comfortable and cooked a paella and stir fries for supper and tans and I have chatted the night away dancing to my favourite Neil D and drinking wine, liquors and baileys , You have guessed it , the following days have been a bit of a disaster!

Christmas was just 4 days away , Jules Sue and Hannah were due in a couple of days and Tans and I needed to do some last minute shopping. I discovered that my camera’s blob was terminal I had to buy a new one - that was a huge bummer and not something I had planned for but it had to be done . So now I am the proud owner of a new canon see what you think!

I wanted to take them both out for dins so Tans and I started with cocktails at home while waiting for the babysitter. After a rather hairy taxi ride in torrents of tropical rain, which flooded roads brought down trees and was front page news the following day, we met Mark up in the city where he worked . The rain abated and We had a couple of drinks along the riverside which is the trendy place where all the city folk go . We had dinner in a newish fish restaurant in the same area overlooking the river and Brisbane’s bridge, not quite Sydney harbour but never the less very lovely!

And then the Graffs arrived!!!! Blimey pimey how wonderful to see them especially Hannah who has been travelling for 15 months and had just finished a 12 week stint in the outback for her second year visa.. We had a fab evening catching up listening to Jules tell us of their adventures in their camper van they had covered over 3000 kms in 5 Days and had a few tales to tell. We ate drank danced and paid for it the next morning!!!!

Christmas, was upon us, presents to wrap, puddings to be made and drink to be drunk. On reading this it sounds like all we have done is drink - well yes the cellar has been depleted!! But hey ho its that time of year.

SO as I began, Christmas day was different , I couldn't’t get my head round the fact that I had little to do ,no peeling of pots or slicing of Brussels, no laying the table ,no gravy making- I was at a bit of a loss. All I could do was drink Johns wonderful wine which was constantly topped up, chat to tans interesting family and friends, swim in John and Gail’s pool which had a fab view over Brisbane and eat an Ozzie Christmas lunch and grand it was too. We played cricket and the poms won!, we swam in the pool, played silly games, exercised our brains with Gail's puzzles and marvelled at David's( Tania's brother) magic tricks

WE have spent the last couple of days recuperating talking endlessly about family history , politics business and the world in general. We have eaten and drunk lots listened to music and danced about in gay abandon. The weather has been changeable very humid and tropical rain.

I have forgotten to say that I have taken the lead - yes taken the lead - and Hannah ,Tans and I have exercised most mornings at 8.00am, we have toned groaned and moaned But we have done it so well done girls! lets keep it up though we wont be together.

On Tuesday we all leave ,we will say goodbye to our nephew and his wife who have been such generous hosts and to their kids who have given up their rooms for us and who have been open hearted with their kisses and hugs, their laughter and trust. I think we have had a taster of the Australian dream and what has lured mark to stay on these shores. it has been a priveledge to be part of that and for me ( and Jules too I think) I would like to return to Ozland and chew the bits I havent been able to sample this time round. But dont worry Mark and Tans not for a year or too yet!!! Mark Tans Josh and Gemma I will miss you and thank you for making my very first Christmas away such a memorable one - love you all

Jules, Sue ,Hannah and I will fly to Sydney together for our next adventure -TO BE CONTINUED!

LOVE
CARO
XXXXX

---

Photos

Cocktails at home
picture taken by Josh

Comments

[Emma and Nings]

Hey carrie. Looks like you've had a fab time... very jealous.