January 3, 2009: Rock on Brisbane!

We utilized our time in the Surfers Paradise Marriott to the fullest extent and slept in ‘til practically the very minute designated for checkout time. Revitalized from a good nights rest, we were again saying goodbye to another Australian city. But first, we stopped into the nearby post office to send off a huge stack of postcards to our friends and family. I didn’t even know that we knew so many people! As we left Surfers Paradise, the rain was pounding down with ferocity. It was then that it dawned on us how lucky we had been in regard to the weather we had experienced in Australia. Until this morning, we had had almost nothing but beautiful, sunny days all along the way. And the rain today didn’t particularly interfere with any of our plans. I had pondered trying to take a quick surf lesson before leaving. I had planned all along our journey in Australia to do it at some point. But, with the rain pouring, my decision was made for me as I realized that surfing would have to come another time.

The drive was only three hours or so to Brisbane. Along the way, we stopped in one little town to get gas and grab some lunch at an Australian chicken fast-food chain. It was actually quite good. After lunch, we grabbed a few snacks from a nearby grocery store. I spotted a giant block of cream cheese which, along with some crackers, I proceeded to eat in its entirety while I drove toward Brisbane.

When we arrived in Brisbane, we realized that this city at a much more somber atmosphere than any of the other places we had been. It was as if there was an intentional symbolism there indicating our last stop in Australia. It wasn’t depressing or anything, it was just that the weather was a little cooler and more overcast. And there weren’t really any tourists or crowds of people to be seen wondering the streets. It was just calm and quiet.

We checked into our accommodations at the very nice Holiday Inn downtown. After a much needed nap, we set out to walk around and check out the local scene. We agreed that a cup of coffee might be in order to help get us going again! After a short walk, we quickly found the town center where people and shops could be found. We located a Border’s bookstore and coffee shop. We each got a cup of coffee and shared a dessert as we relaxed in the comfy chairs and reminisced about our trip thus far. After coffee, we perused through some books upstairs. We were especially interested in the books about working abroad, since we were speculating as to what our next adventure would be after Japan.

Afterward, we did a little more walking and shopping until we happened upon the sounds of some lively music coming from an open balcony on the second floor of a nearby building. We decided to check it out. The place was called “The Beach House” and it was just what we were in the mood for. It was a bar and grill type place and it looked like the place to be. There were lots of people crowded around tables drinking beer, eating good food, and listening to a great band play covers of songs from bands like Matchbox 20, Radiohead and others. We grabbed a table, a pitcher of beer, and ordered a huge plate of chicken nachos which was more than enough to feed the both of us! Sarah took every opportunity to poke fun at me for continually making remarks like, “This band is amazing!” I guess a few beers and some good music had me in a good mood and made me prone to share my opinion of the band with her more than necessary!

We stayed at the bar until the band quit playing. Afterward, we made the short walk to the hotel in the pleasant warmth of the evening. Along the way, we took a few pictures of the picturesque courthouse and a church. They both stood out in stark contrast to the modern skyscrapers surrounding them.

Then we arrived at our hotel. We were hoping that the hot tub would still be open, but much to our dashed hopes, it was not. Instead we utilized the hot shower in our room to relax and get cleaned up before bed. Even at this point in the trip, we were still very grateful for a hot shower! Afterward, we climbed into bed and fell asleep to an old western playing on TV. Our trip was nearing an end, but we were still dreaming of what our last full day in Australia might hold for us.