Saturday 11th June

Writing this post from the hotel bar, waiting for the taxi and watching the rugby on the TV.....well, the hubby is watching - he's a little bit sad as the match is just been played down the road and he wanted to watch it at the stadium! However we heard that the tickets were "extortionate " , so maybe it's just as well .

I have had such an amazing week, and can't begin to write down all the adventures I've had, and a lot of what I've done has been free ( thanks Brisbane!)

I did a four hour guided walk on Monday with a lovely lady called Jude and learnt heaps about the city, ( photos to follow no doubt) .

Visited the museum of modern art, and again caught up with a free guide, informative insight into the aboriginal art, ( and how badly we treated these indigenous people, although every Australian I've spoken with feels the same) .

I've been on a free 'city hopper' ferry down the river, the weather was beautiful, in fact it's been very good since we got here.

My friends sister (!) very kindly took me out for a coffee to the top of Mount Coot-tha, about 20 minutes away, where there are fabulous views over the whole of Brisbane.

I've looked at monuments sculptures and historic buildings, been in the QUT ( Queensland University of Technology ) and had a cup of tea in a powerhouse on Newfarm park ....

I've taken a bus to Lone Pine Kola sanctuary and seen kangaroos, duck billed platypus, and the Tasmanian devil, amongst other species that they are helping to conserve. ( Although the kangaroos are an attraction they are more of a pest out in the wild, than a conservation project) .

On Thursday Steve finished 'work' a bit earlier so I dragged him to the City Hall where you can go up in a lift to the bell tower , before the CBD ( Central Business District ) got so full of skyscrapers you had amazing views!! The lift itself could only hold a maximum of 8 people so you booked a slot, and it was an updated original version , which was quaint . Plus they had a museum, well worth a visit, and a huge auditorium which had just been renovated, took them three years maybe(?) and a cost of over 312million.

Just boarded the flight, and the captain has just introduced himself as Jack Frost ....

A very kind lady has just swapped seats with me, in order for me to sit next to my husband ( as opposed to across the aisle ) , I think it was for my benefit but Steve is pretty sure that she didn't want to be squashed next to a large sweaty English /Jerseyman for a whole nine hours ( and possibly a snoring one too!)

Talking of which , one of the Adelaide politicians was a young Scotsman , still with an accent, a bit bizarre to say the least.

We have arrived in Hong Kong, it is 28 degrees, 7am and raining !!!!

I buried my lightweight waterproof jacket haven't never used it in Brisbane and didn't expect to have to use it in HK, so as the taxi is now stationary as there seems to be either roadworks or an accident I thought I could finish this and hopefully post when I have wifi.

The hotel is absolutely lush, and despite the weather ( and our tiredness ) we have been out and about catching ferries across from Kowloon to Hong Kong and watching dragon boat racing, big carnival been here this weekend and lots and lots of Chinese enjoying their time off from work .

Walked quite a lot sightseeing ( I've been dragged away from shops!) and sampled some of the local cuisine, eaten some delicious noodles and dim sum, and now back relaxing and catching up with emails.

Only a full day tomorrow and then we fly home on Tuesday .... 😎






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Location:Brisbane