Australia

[Sundae]

Mum's going to Brisbane!

She'll be there the first two weeks in June - leaving England on 3rd and coming back on the 20th.

She'll be staying at Uncle Jim's in Hendra, Brisbane 4011.
She's been before and is not there to do touristy things, but if anyone would be around to meet up for a cup of tea I know she'd love it. She's there to visit the family; what with Grandad dying last year and Jimmy having a health scare this month I think they both need to touch base. Jim will be working at least part of that fortnight, Hannah's at Uni and Glenys works full time, so she will have some time free. She doesn't drive and will have limited spending capacity, but I know she'll be getting the bus into Brisbane.

There's only so much time she can spend cleaning their house and doing their ironing after all.

I know you're all busy (and/ or pregnant) or live a million miles away. I just thought I would put this out there because it's a long way to go and not have a chance to meet up with someone.

I doubt she'll get the chance to go again. She's cashing in a previously untouchable savings bond to do this and once it's spent it's spent. But it's easier for her to go than Jim to come over here.

Wish I was going too!

[Aliantha]

Do you still have my number Sundae? If not let me know, and give it to her and tell her to give me a ring when she's got some free time. Me and Max will meet her in the city for a cuppa.

I could also give your Mum that little present I have for you which I STILL have not posted. lol

[Sundae]

Cheers, chick!
I'm not sure I do have your telephone number, so PM me it anyway.
She seems really up for meeting you.

She's a good old bird when it comes down to it.
Just hard to live with - like most mothers once you've reached puberty!

When's your b-day?
Can she bring something over or will I miss it that way?
Again, I know the info is around here, I'm just being a lazy-bones.

[Aliantha]

My birthday is in early June, so chances are your Mum will be here when it's on. Unfortunately, there's not going to be a party since I'll be about 6 months preggers.

I'll PM you my number so you've got it anyway.

I'm sure it'd be lovely to meet your Mum. We can gossip about you for ages. I'll get all the dirt! hehehe

[Sundae]

I will post more as I get round to it.
This one just appealed to me instantly as it was food.
Until I found out what a dirty birdie Mum was.

This open sandwich comprises bacon, cheese, chicken and banana.

[BigV]

Originally Posted by Sundae

I will post more as I get round to it.
This one just appealed to me instantly as it was food.
Until I found out what a dirty birdie Mum was.

This open sandwich comprises bacon, cheese, chicken and banana.

When life gives you lemons....

When life gives you bacon, chicken, cheese and bananas....

[Sundae]

Ali & mate in the Royal masks I sent as a joke gift.
Suits them.

[DanaC]

Banananananananas

[Sundae]

Okay, Ali will have to help me out on these.
I say "Will have to" but I really mean is I will type what I remember Mum telling me and she can correct me/ fill in the gaps if she chooses.

Fairly typical Aussie house. Queenslander style I think.
Front and back.

Parking under the house, laundry room also. Having the house on stilts keeps it cooler. Inside all the rooms radiate off the living room, again to keep it away from the blazing sun. They had a veranda but enclosed it to get extra indoor space.

It was in the process of having the paint stripped and being repainted. Excuse the advert on the truck - other home improvement firms are available. This is not an elaborate spam attack.

[Sundae]

Repainted house to give you an idea. Some work left to do when she left.
Mum and Uncle Jim ?somewhere on the river? in Brisbane.
I think she said Kangaroo Point, but that could be a completely different photo.

[Aliantha]

Originally Posted by Sundae

Repainted house to give you an idea. Some work left to do when she left.
Mum and Uncle Jim ?somewhere on the river? in Brisbane.
I think she said Kangaroo Point, but that could be a completely different photo.

This is definitely Kangaroo Point. People do rock climbing and abseiling here. It's also a nice picnic spot with gas BBQ's available. Every year in Brisbane we have an event call the River Festival, and the conclusion of that event is RiverFire, which is a huge fireworks display. Kangaroo Point is one of the best vantage points because you can view all the way round the bend in the river, so you don't miss anything. They used to have F111 fly overs, but sadly, they've been decommissioned, so that era is gone.

If you look down into the river behind where Sundae's Mum is standing, that's where Southbank starts, just on the other side of the bridge in the background, which is where the artifical beach is. When Brisbane hosted Expo '88 (Australia's Bicentenial year), Southbank was the location. After expo, the area was turned into a park land with restaraunts and boardwalks, creating a meeting area for the people of Brisbane for times of celebration. It really is quite lovely what they accomplished.

[Sundae]

Hmmmm, this might be Kangaroo Point!
Nice shot, Mum.

Food in a Turkish restaurant they visited.

[Aliantha]

Originally Posted by Sundae

Hmmmm, this might be Kangaroo Point!
Nice shot, Mum.

Food in a Turkish restaurant they visited.

That would probably be Highgate Hill I think, or close to it. About 4 or 5km out of the city.

[Sundae]

Cold Winters night in Australia.
Mum, Hannah and my Auntie Glenys. She's a Kiwi and feels the cold badly. She hated London and would huddle by my Nan and Grandad's electric fire, swaddled in jumpers and scarves.

Uncle Jim still retains an English sense of temperature, as you can see here.
It's not Winter, it's shirtsleeve weather!
ETA he does have two arms in real life.

[Sundae]

They drove Mum out for miles to show her some of the places they love in the country.
On one day Glenys drove the equivilant of London-Paris, whereas Mum thinks it's dangerous driving to and from London in a day (round trip less than 120 miles).

Mum said the towns are sometimes just wide places in the road.
If they have a general store and a pub they draw people from many miles around.

Mum showing she has no reason to fear the traffic in onesuch "town".

One of the places they visited. It has a truly prosaic settler name of Bald Hill (although Stony Batter is nearby). It does look like an extraordinary place, but sadly many of her photos here were blurry.