The Wandering Chocoholic

Goodbye NSW, hello Queensland. I’m in the state’s capital now, Brisbane, which is the last major city I’ll probably see until I get to Europe. At the moment I’m staying with Maddy, a friend I made in Sydney who is – like me, short, Jewish, left-handed, and really awesome. (You’re reading this right now, Maddy, aren’t you?) Anyway, she’s studying in Brisbane for the semester, and she and her roomie offered me their couch for a couple of nights. It’s been really great taking a break from hostels for a bit.

But first, as predicted, Byron Bay’s dawn was slept through by yours truly. I did make it to the lighthouse, albeit later in the morning. I also spent some time browsing around town before heading to the really nice beach there to chill out for most of Sunday afternoon.

Yesterday, I headed up the coast by bus. First we stopped in Nimbin, which is basically a third-generation hippie town dedicated almost entirely to the cause of legalizing a certain herb. Say what you will about it, but they were very creative with their slogans and shop names. We stopped in at the Nimbin candle factory, which advertised that it has been “keeping hippies out of the dark since 1987”. Other landmarks were the hemp embassy, the Bringabong shop, and the “museum” featuring old painted vans and lots of tie-dye and graffiti. The hippies seem pretty mellow, all things considered.

After Nimbin, we cruised on up to the Gold Coast, which is about as opposite as it gets from hippie havens. Surfer’s Paradise (or, as it is better known, Sufferer’s Parasite) is Australia’s number-one vacation spot, and it has all the trappings. High-rises, crowded beaches, fast-food joints, casinos, and lots of tackiness. I found it oppressive after a couple of hours, so I’m not sure how people stay for weeks. The surfing isn’t even all that good, I’m told. Go figure.

From Surfer’s, we went… zorbing. Yes, again. Not content to roll down a hill in a giant plastic ball just once (see the entry for Rotorua, New Zealand), I decided to do it again. Well, mainly cause it was included in the trip. It was fun the second time around too.

I arrived in Brisbane last night, and went with Maddy for some excellent Indian food for dinner. Today is Anzac Day, one of Australia’s most important public holidays. It’s a remembrance day for all those who fought in Australia’s various wars, and Brisbane has the biggest ceremonies of anywhere in the country. I walked off the ferry this morning literally into the middle of the Anzac Day parade. It was a very large, very moving event, and all day afterwards, people were walking around in service uniforms of various kinds. I also visited the shrine at Anzac Square where I and met and spoke briefly to a veteran. He was with his granddaughter, who he takes to the parade every year.

An awful lot was closed in Brisbane because of Anzac Day, but I still had a very full day, packing in the Parliament House (state, for those who will ask), the Botanical Gardens, South Bank, the Queensland Museum, and the Art Gallery, among other things. I also saw the lagoon, which is sort of a poor excuse for a beach for a city that isn’t actually on the ocean (shocking for Australia, I know).

Tomorrow, we’re heading to a koala sanctuary, which should be fun. The weather’s getting hotter and stickier as I head further north. Brisbane is still more or less comfortable in the evenings, but during the day it’s very humid. Ironically, the whole area has a massive water shortage due to lack of rain. Ah well, better that than the cyclones they’re getting up north, I guess.

I’m having a great time so far in Australia, but it’s tough being here at playoff time. I was happy to learn about our double-overtime victory. Heading home up 2-0 in the series is a very nice place to be. Let’s hope we can keep it up. Go Habs!