In Which Amy Makes Friends

[highlyeccentric]

With a new place. My new friend Brisbane is pretty. It has shops and cafes and Borders and gourmet chocolate shops like a city is supposed to, some very nice botanic gardens and an acceptable population of sandstone buildings. However, it also has SPACE. (And a pancake restaurant in an old church.) It is highly unlikely that all the buildings are going to gang up on you and squish you between their brick thighs. Furthermore, Brisbane at 5.30pm on a Wednesday is about as frantic as Sydney at 2pm on a Saturday.

I like this kind of city. I wish to come back here someday. It likes me. I think I might be able to love it, and I CERTAINLY could have a lovely affair with it given the opportunity.

In addition, I love planes! Have I told you how much I love planes? Sadly, due to disorganisation, I didn't get a window seat. Sigh. Also it is possibly a sign of insanity that upon boarding the train to the city I took one look at the rail line and could actually SEE the difference in rail gauge.

In Queensland, they do things differently. You know those buttons on traffic light poles that you press to cross the pedestrian crossing? In Queensland, these are placed 90 degrees left around the pole when compared to those in NSW. For some reason this disconcerts me. Also apparently either a) people in Brisbane have more trouble with concepts like pedestrian crossings or b) they have the same amount of trouble as everyone else, but their City Council is more solicitous of citizen welfare, because all the traffic light poles have stickers explaining red man green man flashy red man. And there are BIIIG signs explaining the same thing, and noting the sad number of pedestrian deaths, scattered around the city.

List of Things I Forgot:

*Deoderant (purchased)
*Socks (ditto)
*Phone charger. Also forgot to CHARGE phone before I left. I forsee alarm-clock deficiency in the near future. I may have to purchase a battery powered one, but where one buys them I don't know (I didn't see a Dick Smith's anywhere).

The conference (which, er, is the whole reason I'm here) is considerably swankier than last year. This, I suppose, is what happens when the Catholic Uni's Centre for Early Christian Studies is hosting something, rather than the USyd CMS. It also means there are only *two* Anglo-Saxonists on the programme, and only one Celticist, while there is an excess of scholars of late antiquity. However, I am not complaining, because they have a swanky Co-Op Bookshop stall and they gave out showbags. With a free book. It is The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary.

They also have the new Brepols book, on the Old English Homily, available for review. I am having to tell myself over and over that I'm a) not qualified and b) far too exhausted to do an academic review.

FINALLY: it's Tell Highly What To Do time! Tonight I sat in the Botanic Gardens and messed with my thesis a bit, and then had dinner in a sort of Chinese food court thing before going a-wandering and finally ending up back at the hostel. Tomorrow night is the Conference Dinner, so that's sorted.
But Friday, after I give the very last bloody paper of the conference, I will be at loose in Brisbane. Someone tell me an interesting place to eat food. Does Brisbane have a Chinatown? Or an equivalent of Newtown? And if so how do I get there? (For reference, my conference is on Charlotte St just down from the Pancake Manor, and my hostel is just up from Roma St Transit Centre, near William Jolly Bridge.)
Also, on Saturday my flight doesn't leave until 3.15. So assuming I check out at 9, I then have from 9 until almost two to play with my new friend Brisbane. Suggestions, anyone? I mean, I could sit around and, I dunno, write my fucking thesis, but why would I?

Comments

[owlfish]

You could visit my cousin-the-veterinarian! But I bet you didn't mean visiting other peoples' relatives when you asked for touristic advice.

[highlyeccentric.livejournal.com]

er, no, I didnt. But thanks for the useful input :P

[owlfish]

Hey, it's the only city in Australia where I have a relative. :)

[goblinpaladin.livejournal.com]

There is an equivalent to Newtown- it's the suburb of West End. It's near Southbank, which is also gorgeous- particularly at night when the lights of the corporations reflect off the water. You can get there pretty easy from Roma street, or from Queen Street Mall- Brisbane's not that big. You can walk from Queen St. down to Southbank/Roma Street: it's just over the bridge.

West End has some lovely restaraunts- the Three Monkeys cafe has a nice ambience, and there are others. Uh. I was going to recommend the Pancake Manor, honestly, but I imagine you've already done that.

I'm terrible at giving directions in text, incidentally, however much I miss that city.

Also you could ask ulfruna.

[highlyeccentric.livejournal.com]

Kylee just gave me helpful help with finding west end, and it turns out that's where we're going for the conference dinner. So I might go down to Fortitude Valley on friday instead.

No, haven't been to the Pancake Manor, just ogled it.

Thanks! (you have no contribute to Things To Do On Saturday?)

[goblinpaladin.livejournal.com]

The Valley? You should totally go goth clubbing. :P

The food is pretty great and it's a nice ambience. Say, are there any names at the conference I might know? Who is there from Brisbane?

Saturday... hum. Well, the OBVIOUS answer is the Zoo. The botanical gardens are really pretty and I think you would like to ogle them. There is Underwater World, but that's a fair train trip outta town, although it is hella fun.

What are you considering doing?

[highlyeccentric.livejournal.com]

Ahah. Someone else told me that... But i did not bring any goth attire.

Hardly anyone there from UQ but about an hour ago I had a conversation with one Marcus-I-forget-his-last-name who has beautiful hair. He speaks very highly of you and also sends his best regards.

I'm thinking Southbank Markets and the Museum of Queensland, actually.

[goblinpaladin.livejournal.com]

He does? Oh, I hope you told him that his course is STILL the best I have ever taken. He is amazing.

Also, every woman who ever meets him finds him attractive. I hope you didn't let the team down.

You should definitely visit the former, and the latter has an AMAZING science section. Go for it.

[highlyeccentric.livejournal.com]

He does. And no, I didn't, because I didn't know that.

Would I let the team down? Honestly?

The latter might be swapped for a visit to the Anglican cathedral. Apparently they have impressive cushions wot one cannot leave Brisbane without seeing.

[goblinpaladin.livejournal.com]

I left Brisbane without seeing them, but okay.

I'm pretty sure I've talked about Marcus "I would run all my courses like his" Harman before, but okay. I'm glad you didn't let the team down, there.

Is Alex Blakely there at all? He's an old friend. Tall skinny chap, might still have a goatee.

[highlyeccentric.livejournal.com]

I told him you spoke well of him, but if I knew it was the best course ever I had forgotten it.

No, the only UQ people were Marcus and Kay.

[goblinpaladin.livejournal.com]

It goes without saying that I return his regards with some of my own. That man was a great lecturer.

[ulfruna.livejournal.com]

YES. THE ZOO.

What you should do is take a trip up to AUSTRALIA ZOO. And hunt me down. Okay? And as an added bonus, if you're there on Saturday, you can also WISH ME A HAPPY BIRTHDAY and celebrate World Animal Day surrounded by lovely animals! WHAT ELSE COULD YOU EVER POSSIBLY WANT TO DO?!?

(But, seriously. If there's any chance at all you'd consider actually making the trip up- and it's a lovely train ride that'll take you right past the Glasshouse Mountains- let me know. I have a mobile number, which B is welcome to text you. I can definitely wrangle you discounted, if not free, entry. And extra definitely get you Free Exclusive Animal Cuddles and Very Cheap Photos With Other Animals.)

[goblinpaladin.livejournal.com]

Babs is pretty much one of the best people in the world, so it's worth considering. :)

[highlyeccentric.livejournal.com]

I would, but I don't think I have time on Saturday :( My plane leaves at 3.15 and the Aus. Zoo is quite some way out, yes?

[highlyeccentric.livejournal.com]

no, I've looked into it, and it's really too far out of the way to make it worthwhile for a half-day-trip. *pouts* this is a pity.

WHAT ELSE COULD YOU EVER POSSIBLY WANT TO DO?!?

I'm going to go and look at the cushions in the Anglican Cathedral? Because that's the sort of thing I do...

[ulfruna.livejournal.com]

Those better be some DAMNED SMASHING CURTAINS. I MEAN CUSHIONS. I've never seen them before.. well, actually, I'd never even heard of the things until now!

ANYWAY, a half-day at the zoo would be pretty rushed, that's true. Siiigh! You'll just have to save it for next time you're in Brisbane, yes??

[highlyeccentric.livejournal.com]

Apparently they are gorgeous and fabulous cushions. And the entire cathedral is nearly finished and all really lovely. So I've been ordered to observe its loveliness.

Yes, promise. Like I said, I think I might have crush on Brisbane, so I'll definitely be back on the slightest pretext.

[iremos.livejournal.com]

I breathlessly await your next installment!