Brisbane week 5

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You will probably realise now why we havent been blogging, as it gets a bit boring hearing that we have eaten breakfast, gone to work, come home from work, eaten tea, slept, eaten breakfast and then started the whole thing over again, Monday to Friday!!!!

But we will persevere!!!!

This week, surprisingly enough was more of the same!

Saturday we caught the train down to Surfers Paradise, to go to the beach. Surfers is about 1.5 hrs from where we are, and is so easy to get to, even by public transport. You can catch a train most of the way, and they have a connecting bus service from the station in Nerang which drops you at the beach. It's really good.
Surfers is really just what we imagined, and had been told it was like. Loads of high rise blocks of accomodation and hotels, but not as tacky as we thought. There is quite a big shopping area, with some okay shops, although there are also lots of irish and English Bars, great for backpackers!!

The beach was lovely but we only lasted about an hour lay there, as it was really windy and we got pure sand burn. By the time we got up, we were both literally covered in sand from head to toe. So we gave in and went and sun bathed (or shade bathed in my case) on some grass next to the beach. Wouldnt necessarily rush back there, but its okay for a day out.

On Saturday night we went out to a local Turkish restaurant just down the road from us. Great food and great entertainment, although we were a little surprised when the music started and a belly dancer appeared. She was really good though.

During one of Steve's many stints surfing the net (and there are many) he had found a site called BBC (wait for it) the British Brisbane Club. This is a club that has been started by an English couple. Basically all the Brits who have emigrated get together around once a month for a chat and a drink and to discuss life in Oz. They were meeting this Sunday, so we decided to go along and see what it was all about (even though we are not true migrants).

It was good to meet other Brits, and discuss life here. Everyone seemed really nice, although it was surprising to hear just how difficult people are still finding it, even after 5/6 years. It seems that some are really torn between life here and life back home and that must be hard when you have left your old life behind. It was good to discuss those little differences between the way we do things and the way they do things here, and that we are not the only ones to experience difficulties with simple things, like connecting your gas supply!!!

By the way, update on that, after about a million more phone calls to the gas company, trying to complain, I finally spoke to a really great member of staff. However, whilst I had found my assertive streak again, I also was far too emotional to be dealing with this matter and I cried, yes I actually cried on the phone to a call centre!!!! It did do some good though as the girl waived about $100 worth of connection charges for me...result!!! Steve was most embarrased and is a bit scared about saying anything to me, just in case I burst into tears!

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Photos

What is that??
Promoting the Co-op all over the world

What a view
View of the city from Mt Cootha

Comments

[suzanne]

tears jenni?actual tears??!you are related to us then!