G'day Sheila!

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Landed at Brisbane, got through immigration and baggage collection easily, not much waiting about. I'd text Charlie to say I had arrived and he text back to say he was waiting in the coffee shop opposite arrivals. I did wonder if he'd changed much, I didn't think so by his facebook pictures but you never do know in real life. Turns out he was just the same as always and greeted me with a big hug, it was great to see him after all this time ( I think it's been about 4 years since we last met up) he did say he thought he'd seen me at arrivals but this person was a bit taller than he remembered- obviously not me as I haven't grown an inch in about 15 years! Along with his greeting threw a sachets of vegemite and said ' welcome to 'strailia! 

We went to find his van in the multi story and he wasn't lying when he said, excuse the mess, it's got half beach half forest in the back! It was great chatting and catching up on the way to his house, even though he got totally lost and went on a bit of a detour. Some of Brisbane looks to be supported by scaffolding due to building works from the recent floods, and like I said to Charlie, I don't know how I imagined it, but I thought it would be a lot bigger and 'city' like. More built up I suppose. It seems quite a chilled little place, and charlies house is just a cool home with character. We had a brew on the porch and chatted about stuff before his housemate Will came home and we went to the supermarket for supplies ( & wine) and some kangaroo meat. (yum?)

I chilled out on the porch a bit, and fell asleep in the sun, I did put some sun cream on- luckily. The weather is on par with the recent sun back home, tho Charlie and his housemates are sat in hoodies and jeans saying just how freezing it is. Their house is in the west end of Brisbane which is a bit of a quirky little place. Charlie and I had a walk out for lunch and ended up having a mezze platter at a fab little Greek place. Very tasty, although I wasn't keen on these weird battered whitebait fish things ( complete with eyes ) the rest was lovely and I was quite full. ( the shorts I bought only 3 or so weeks ago are mega tight already on day 1- oh dear)
after a bimble back and a bit of a sit down, we were off again to see some Roos- thought it only fair before I eat some. A friend of charlies told him about a place near a golf course about 20 mins away which is great for seeing them all hopping about at sunset, and they weren't wrong. Saw loads, mainly small, and a couple of big Roos, and some with Joeys in their pouch- pics to follow. Only thing being was, right by the golf course was a secure prison and mental health facility- we didn't hang about long! On the way back we stopped at a spot which overlooks Brisbane city, it looked quite nice and lit up at night, and hard to believe it was flooded so badly only a few months ago. Tonight I think we're heading out for a couple of quiet drinks- I'm starting to feel the time difference a little bit now, and am looking forward to my bed seeing as the last time I was in 1 was Monday, and it is now Thursday here. A day of my life gone- on a qantas flight, but it's a fair swap for the time I get over here.   

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