Out and About in Brissie

We have stayed close to home for the better part of August; we spent most of July traveling around and needed some time to slow down and connect with friends here in Brisbane. It was great. We started the month with two milestone birthdays - Dave turned 40 and Gemma turned 10! Both celebrations were filled with good food and new friends - a great way to mark two important occasions.

It is hard to believe that we are three quarters of the way through our time here - where does the time go! The more time I spend in Brisbane the more I love it. This city has a great feel and any potential edginess (as is often a part of big cities) is softened by flowers in perpetual bloom, the sun shining and its outdoor culture. The downtown (Central Business District as it is called here) is filled with outdoor malls, open cafes and people soaking up the sun during their lunch hour.

The Brisbane River meanders its way through the heart of the city. Someone had the wisdom to use the river as a transportation route and as a result you can see all the city has to offer by hopping on and off the CityCat. It was a great way to show our friends (fellow exchangees) from out of town some of the sights.

Kangaroo Point is a great place to watch climbers clamber up the deep red cliffs, play a game of soccer and watch the sun set over the city. Another of our favorite places to go to is New Farm park. It is a real gathering place right on the river and on weekends is often filled with picnicking families, friends playing footie and kids climbing up one of the many branches of the magnificent Fig trees.

As we head into our last few months here, we are eager to see as much as we can. We will definitely be heading off on the road again and as the days get warmer we will use our weekends to head to the beach - this means we will spend less time taking in the sights of the city.

love H, D, G and R