Holed up in Brisbane

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Haven't written for a little while. My apologies.

I am still in Brisbane, though not for long. I am looking at doing a wwoofing assignment in Maleny for the second half of October, and in November doing some sort of remote nursing contract. I can earn reasonable money and have free accommodation, so it is worthwhile, and after all, it is all new experience and should be fun. I am tossing up at present between Kingaroy and some remote NSW towns, where I am sure there would be challenge in abundance!!
The Maleny visit should be fun. It is a lovely area north of Brissy, with a strong music and arts community. I am staying and working with a woman who is trying to regenerate a previous dairy pasture, and as she is involved in meditation it should be good for me. I am sure you will all agree!
Kate has been visiting for a couple of weeks. She has stayed partly with me in Brisbane and partly with Beth and Bonnie in Byron Bay. All three girls are totally enamoured with Byron...no surprises there! Bonnie and Beth are wwoofing there and show no sign of ever wanting to leave. Think surf, beach, dreads, music, and hippies and you are partly there. I am off to visit them tomorrow and will probably spend some time around the hinterland.Just a few days cruising.
While in Byron I will catch up again with my friend Charlie. He has been instrumental (no pun!) in organising the visit of Prem Rawat in Brisbane and is now performing at a post Event event in Byron tomorrow night. I have played some music with him whilst in Castlemaine, and have caught up with him here in Brisbane over the last couple of days.
Have also met up with my first husband (the rest of you may have had serial relationships, I have had serial husbands, so no comments necessary!). It has been good to meet with him and his partner, Robyn, and to stay with a long time friend from overseas motorbike trips, Bob.

I must say though that Brisbane doesn't do a lot for me. It is lovely and warm, but a city nonetheless, and I look forward to escaping tomorrow. It is also smoggy and congested. I did enjoy going up to Eumundi markets (the hippy in me) but there isn't a lot else that attracts me really. I guess I have lived out of big cities for too long to find them appealing these days.

Am keeping up with my running, and swimming and feel really good. So all is going well. I am looking forward to seeing Beth and Bonnie tomorrow, and it is sad to see Kate go home. She cried on leaving Byron, she says. Mind you, I find it too busy, but I see the attraction.

I do hope you are all well. Feel free to write! my [e-mail] address is still valid.

Gillian

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