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Published: December 30th 2010
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View from a bathroom
Ormeau, South of Brisbane Panorama -
Sunrise from Moffat Headland I can't believe that I've been out of travel action for 4 months! But then, I really haven't.
I have been questioned, by my brother, numerous times, why I don't write about Australia. I've returned home twice now since venturing out 2 1/2 years ago. I suppose when I'm back home, it's like a rest stop for me or I hadn't considered my visit home as part of my travels. Although it was a bit of a waiting game before I returned to Europe, I decided to still look at each day through the eyes of a traveller and I marvelled at how beautiful my home can be.
I ventured out each day like a tourist, with the bum bag or backpack. I looked at the sights with new eyes and wondered in the special beauty of the ocean, beach and people of the Sunshine Coast. I saw whales, dolphins and turtles in the water, hundreds of Rainbow Lorikeets in the trees each morning and evening and there are resident Osprey that come back to the same nest each year.
I walked everywhere, usually with music in my ears, singing and
dancing in the way that reminds me of the Camino in Spain. Such a feeling I keep trying to recall but the further away in time the deeper the memories go.
I needed to work, that was certain. And not really having recent experience in the job hunting market it was slow to start. I applied for and was offered a job at Bunnings. OMG! I know what you're thinking. Lynne working back in the power tool industry. Little did I know that it would be working for only 6 weeks. I was hoping to work a bit longer. The process to get started took longer than 6 weeks. I have to admit that the work was so enjoyable. The people, sorry, TEAM MEMBERS, at Bunnings Caloundra were so funny and great to work with, even for such a short time.
I also kept myself involved with the volunteer community and visited an Aged Care Facility, Waroona Gardens, each week. The residents were lively when we sang and danced. We'd played bingo and word games. I'd help with exercises, take them for a stroll in the garden or just talk. It was a very social setting and I
Simply Stunning
Seeing this every morning guarantees a great day. thoroughly enjoyed my time there.
What can I say about this little patch of paradise that hasn't been written about a thousand times over? I suppose for what it's worth, I can add that the best time for me to visit for the blue skies, cool nights and warm days is between August and November. Caloundra has been a popular holiday destination for decades and it still has the 'small beachside town' feel about it as when we visited here since we were a young family several times from the 70's. This is very different to the build up of Mooloolaba and Maroochydore and even Noosa. All these places seem to be overdone now and far too expensive. But if you're an early 20 something, Mooloolaba seems to be the place to be to find other early 20 somethings.
Transport is very efficient from Caloundra to Landsborough to Eumundi and Noosa and Maroochydore. The bus system is easy to navigate and the drivers are great ambassadors for the area. One time, I hopped on the wrong bus. The bus driver dropped me off at a point to meet another to take me back. I got on the second
bus and told him which bus I needed and that I might be late. He radio-ed the next bus for me. We met at an intersection and the 3rd driver waited for me to catch him up at the bus stop. Very helpful.
There are markets every Sunday on the closed Bulcock Street. A great time to sample some of the social life in Caloundra. I found many cafes and restaurants where the people are always friendly and the food was terrific. Breakfast at Crumbz, afternoon tea at Saltwater on Kings, breakfast at Sunny's or Cafe by the Beach at Moffat's Beach. The new place on Bulcock Beach, The Sand Bar, has some wicked homemade chips with chili salt and aioli. Obviously, I didn't visit all these places on the same day. And if you're one for op shopping, Caloundra has many little places tucked away where you can find some great bargains.
I hired a car a couple of times to venture further afield to visit friends and family. The roads are only getting worse and I felt the tension of this at the end of these days from the driving. I took the train in to
Brisbane City a couple of times. One was to finalise my application for UK Ancestry Visa and the other was to play tourist. Brisbane central has grown from a sleepy empty town on weekends before Expo 88, to a hustling, bustling mass of people all wanting to be somewhere in a hurry. In a way, Brisbane has grown up and I'm sorry to say has lost a little of it's innocence of younger days. It is now just another big city. There seems to always be roadworks or construction. Tunnels are being dug everywhere, massive road systems that will take years to complete. And all for what? To be like it's bigger brothers (Sydney and Melbourne)? I'm not sure that's a good thing.
Now that I've had my rant...here's the good stuff. For all this, Brisbane central has a wonderful array of things to see and do. From the Markets and Funky shops in Fortitude Valley on Saturday mornings and the restaurants of Chinatown to walking or climbing the Story Bridge; exploring SouthBank including the Museum and Art Gallery; enjoying a beer at the Story Bridge Hotel, The Regatta or numerous other older pubs of the inner circle; riding
Me and Rick
Brisbane. An earlier return to Australia than planned to be part of Rick's Retirement dinner. the City Cat to Lone Pine Sanctuary for the obligatory Aussie animal viewing or taking a lift up the City Hall tower which used to be the tallest building in town. New Farm Park and The Botanic Gardens are very old and both are worth a stroll or cycle through and West End is worth a visit for more funky shops, restaurants and cafes.
Now, a thank you to all my friends and family for the fun, laughs and love on this return trip to Oz. And because this is being published in the middle of the silly season, I'd like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a very happy and fulfilling New Year. Love you all. xx
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Martin and Nancy
non-member comment
Happy New Year!
I cannot believe that being my best girlfriend,outside of Nancy, that you have not posted more pics of the Aussie version of Brad Pitt. I am sure the rest of the world is waiting to discover Martin Peter Frank (Brad Pitt) Farmbrough. Now that we have the serious side of this discussion out of the way, F---ck it's good to hear from you. Your pic that I named " The hanging Tree" at Greg's backyard apptly named the photo from the bathroom brought many memories. You, Lynnie Lou, are a constant traveler (look it up) in a favorite book that I once read called The Road Less Traveled. It would appear in Lynnie Lou's life there is no road untraveled. We both miss you and cannot wait to see you on your next holiday home. The pics are wonderful, especially the clear pristine waters at Dickies. They sparked a memory from a long time ago. I recently had need of a dentist that spoke english and had a similar male anatomy to myself. The reasoning behind this was that I could grab his anatomy with my mouth open, look into his eyes, and utter the infamous words, "We are not going to hurt each other, are we?" Can you imagine my surprise that my dentist was not German, but Thaiwaniese, and had globs of love? She also had a sense of humour, thank God. Brisvegas as you will have seen globally is, weatherwise, an ongoing disaster. Swimming pool sales are down. It would appear that 98% of Queensland, both country and city, have been given one from Father Christmas free of charge. We think about you constantly and your name regularily comes up in conversations. We all wish you the best with your dentist and feel reassured by your blog that he will not hurt you. Lynnie Lou, may you and your partner have a happy and prosperous and mobile new year.