Published on 31st January 2015
Monday 5th January 2015
I think there's something magical about flying and the ability to see our surroundings from a different perspective. I like to book a window seat for short flights so that I can see beautiful scenes like these billowing clouds...
...as well as cityscapes from above.
Arriving back at the Byrnes house, I was greeted to a card and school photo from Jamie which unfortunately hadn't made it before Christmas.
Tuesday 6th January 2015
When I visited Movieworld back in July, I made the decision between theme parks based on distance and accessibility from Surfers Paradise. Now I had the time and a car at my disposal, I made a trip to Dreamworld, another cartoon based park with a large Dreamworks area. Throughout the day, I went on several rides - Escape to Madagascar, Shockwave, Cyclone, Pandeminium, Motocoaster, and The Big Drop - and had photos taken with: Alex, Gloria and King Julian from Madagascar; the Penguins from Madagascar; and Shrek and Puss in Boots. I also saw the Madagascar show in which King Julian (along with the other characters) performed his trademark 'l Like To Move It' dance. Although overall the rides were more exhilarating at Movie World, I think Dreamworld may be more memorable in terms of atmoshphere - the shops and general facades were more memorable and I preferred the characters here.
At the edge of Dreamworld there is Tiger Island where I think 13 tigers live. Several have mesmerising white fur and one, because of its parents, is 50/50 in its colouring. In one part the ceiling in thick plastic/glass and there was a tiger sleeping peacefully!
A short walk from the centre of Dreamworld is the Australian Big Brother house and while it was interesting to look around, they sneakily lured you in with the promise of a photo in the diary room chair. When you arrive, however, they charge you a ridiculous amount of money for the privilege! I should've known!
Wednesday 7th January 2015
I finally made it over to Bribie Island but the weather was bad so I just had a drive around and spent the afternoon with my nose in a Famous Five book. Can you believe I've never read an Enid Blyton book?! They're so easy to read I was halfway through in a couple of hours!
Thursday 8th January 2015
As with the Movie World group, Dreamworld and White Water World are linked and so I'd a bought a 3 day pass which gave me access to both parks. Making the most of the ticket I made the 75 minute trip down the M1 to White Water World.
Without kids to worry about I could please myself, spending lots of time in the wave pool. Having said that, several of the rides/shoots were for more than one person so I could've done with some conpany. I did however make it onto a couple of slides both of which freaked me out a little.
At the bottom of the first you were given a mat with handles at the front. Then at the top of a tall staircase you launched yourself head first on your belly down the shoot. Despite the initial nerves of catapulting head first, it was great fun, especially as I discovered being a little heavier meant that at the end I launched into the air and travelled further down the bumpy slide.
The second slide took me completely by surprise. I'd assessed it from the bottom and although I was aware it had a vertical drop, I naively assumed that you started lying down. How wrong I was! It wasn't until I'd waited in line up the stairs and was around 4th or 5th in line that I realised that the attendant at the top shut you into a capsule where you stood, legs crossed, hands behind your head and then the trap door below you opened, sending you free falling with spray from your feet covering your face. My tummy flutters now just thinking about it!
It was another fun day which ended quite early as there weren't as many slides which took my fancy as expected.
Friday 9th January 2015
Today brought a city day with a journey along the river from Brett's Wharf, Hamilton to the Southbank. En route we passed under the Storey Bridge which, with my day trips to the Gold Coast, I'd found was spectacular to drive across. I spent time in the State Library of Queensland and reading in a deckchair on the Southbank.
While I was there I came across a lizard licking ice cream from the pavement - a solid reminder that I wasn't in my home country!
Travelling back to Hamilton on the river, I was reminded of my trip out on Gilly and Carl's boat when we admired the riverside houses of Stratford.
Back at the car I drove to the Eat Street Markets which are creatively based in freight containers. It was the perfect place to spent a weekend evening in the sun, eating pizza and listening to live music.
It's still strange at the beginning of January to need a cold shower to cool off before bed time!
Saturday 10th January 2015
As this was my last day before the family came home from their holiday, I spent most of it doing jobs. I did however try to read my book on the beach but found it was raining on the coast so had to do a u-turn and return home. It wasn't a completely wasted journey though as I went kangaroo spotting and found several in a few different places.
The excitement of the evening was finding a cockroach, managing to trap it but not release it, then taking an age to get to sleep because it was freaking me out!
Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quiestest chambers. The mind can never break off from the journey. — Pat Conroy
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