Blogs from Indooroopilly, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, Oceania

Everyone should have a bucket list. A list of things you swear to do before you die. #2 on my bucket list is hugging a Koala. To do this I would have to head to Queensland state in Australia. Most other states in Australia allow you to see Koalas and get close but not touch them. So I did some research and located Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary near Brisbane. They allow you to hug them but keep strict limits on how long the Koalas do this in a day. So the key is to get there early so you don't miss your opportunity. The hostel has free breakfast so I helped myself to some toast and jam. I was planning on taking a bus to the sanctuary and the train to the Gold Coast. After some ... read more

I really could have done with some southern fried chicken seeing that today was American Independence Day, but Graeme and I settled for Indooroopilly’s Coffee Club for a greasy breakfast. 2 days in a row I am hungover and eating dirty food, I guess I have to get used to this. “Red Dog” made sure I got on the right train and it was good that he lived near the Ipswich line. I caught a train on this line many times before, but no train trip beats the one Robbie and I had that with the awesome train guard from Caboolture to Booval, way back in 2003. I Sherwood have wanted to see the Ippy Girls again but they have come down with the flu, so bowling didn’t take place last night. I’ll have to make ... read more

The day after the sail boat races I jumped on a Greyhound bus to head up to Brisbane to visit my old VOC friend Kim and my new friends Sophie, Ro, and Pete from the Tasmanian track. This was a pretty epic bus ride. It was supposed to be 14.5 hrs long. Unfortunately the bus broke down twice in the night and we had to switch buses at like 4am. I still have no idea where I was when we switched buses. I ended up getting into Brisbane after almost 21 hours. I was lucky that Kim was also done school and between jobs, so she was able to show me around Brisbane. I didn't really do any research, she just took me to wicked cool spots. My favorite was definitely Stradbroke Island. It has amazing ... read more

Sa snosasongen tog slut och snon smalte och inge mer jobb dar nere... ett oundvikligt slut, sarskilt har i Australien. I var fall sa avslutade vi sasongen med en del festande och BBQ's och signerande av staffhoodies, innan vi for vidare. Ja eller jag borde vall beratta lite mer om Falls innan jag lamnar amnet... Jag jobbade dar i hmmm, 4 (?) manader som housekeeper, dvs stada lagenheter i ett lagenhetshotell. Vilket inte alls var sa dumt, stada en 20 timmar i veckan, schysta chefer, massa sno, och massa bradakning! Ahh, eller inte alls dumt och inte alls sa dumt, det var underbart! Jag hoppade en massa stora hopp (jaja, stort for att vara jag, hoppde inte pa monster hoppen precis...) gjorde boxar och raceade ner for backar, stort kul, behovde inte betala hyra pa hela ... read more

Here is a little run through of my day (and I still havent gotten pics up yet). Wake up at 5:30am, go do farm chores for 6am. 1st you go to the cows and milk them...then you go the pigs - clean (ew) and feed them, then the goats, sheep and chickens. I'm such a farm girl :) lol, its pretty fun...except the pigs - they smell like shit. So, things are good...hope everyone is good there. We have quite a lot of time because kids don't come until april... I am starting to feel a little lonely- missing home a little, but its great here. We are just trying to keep busy. Anyway - thanks to everyone for the messages :) Talk to you all soon. Love Steph xoxox... read more