Brrrrrrisbane

So, as Princess detailed, we spent a couple of days in Auckland hanging out with her family there. Chris (Princess' Dad) had his fuel pump die and the ADSL stop going in one day - it seemed like I brought trouble with me... I didn't mean to Chris!

I think I might have brought that cold weather up from Welly, and over to Brisbane too... though I see on stuff that Otago is snowed under!





Or first day in Brisbane was cold! We spent the morning wandering around the central city looking at the shops (And being silly with the local artwork..). Its no surprise that all malls look the same, but we were both surprised at how many shops in NZ are actually Aus shops! Brumbys, cash converters, woolworths, DSE, Ma Higgins, Hogsbreath cafe.. there are heaps more, but I can't think of them ATM.

I expected it to warm up, but my lunchtime it was obvious that it wasn't going to, so we went down to a bargain clothes shop and got princess a $30 jacket.... mm much warmer. Everyone said that that the river banks were beautiful, so I suggested we hire a tandem (super tourist-y) and so we cycled a figure of 8 over the 3 big bridges and along the banks.. very nice!



Stopped our tandem down South Bank and had a look at this Tibetan (hand carved) wooden building made for the '88 expo in Brisbane. It was beautifully intricate -the pics dont do it justice.



Saw the (mechano) Storey bridge up close - very pretty, but don't look down! I can't do heights very well, and it wasn't till I suggested we stop for a picture that I realised how high that bridge is! It has a huge runup on the 'kangaroo point' side, because the other side of the river is has a cliff with the connecting road on top, so the bridge has to be quite high.

I think the EnergyIntellect office was on Kangaroo Point - not sure? Couldn't find it anyway..




After a hard days excercise (11 km ton the bike the brochure said) We went back to the YHA and just blobbed in front of the TV for a while before crashing out for the night.

Next day, we got up early and headed out to Lone Pines Koala Sanctuary. I'll let a picture speak first..



We walked around looking at a whole range of fluro colored birds, then listened to the story of koalas - how their numbers are dwindling due to predators, urbanisation and bushfires etc. Very sad. They are very picky about what gumtree varieties they eat, and their bums have unique white markings which is apparently so that when viewed from below, it looks like sun thru the trees...



Of course princess wanted to cuddle them, but they were gouging more cash for an actual hold, so we instead just went and patted them. very soft. Very cute. Very relaxed. Contrary to popular belief, they dont get stoned from gumleaves, its just that there is bugger all energy in gum leaves so they have to sleep 20 hours a day, and so are generally chill/asleep animals.





The koalas are soooooo cute! You can see the mums and their young in the pic above.



There were heaps of cute animals, if you click on one of the pics, you can go to all our pics, including the aforementioned fluro birds etc.. We werre surprised at how calm and gentle the 'roos were too - you culd just walk up and feed them! I guess they get used to it after the first hundred busloads of Japanese tourists...

Afterwards, we took the bus back to the YHA and had an afternoon nap - we aren't used to all this exercise! The next day (now for me) we checked out of the YHA and we are about to pick up our wicked campervan... wooo roadtrip! Its a diesel, and will be covered in graffiti. Pics will come. Not sure if Princess can drive it as shes still on her NZ restricted... I think she wants to do the final test up in Kaitaia where there is like 1 set of traffic lights and 1 roundabout... rush hour is when 2 cars go the same way down a street...

Love you all, Toolman