LATER THURSDAY
We had a beer and some wine (one each) and managed to fall asleep on bed while reading, so now we are trying to stay awake as long as we can to make sure we don’t wake at
Plans for tomorrow, going to sort out renting a car in the morning then driving to Morooka to
We are also hoping to book in to stay until Tue at the place we are now as we will need to stay to get bank cards and hopefully a car!? It seems a waste of time while we are trying to get to see as much of Oz as we can so, strangely what time we had that we thought would feel like a holiday does not at all, it feels like we have hit the ground running as regards work and getting settled.
Tried to phone home to M&D but my mobile wont let me, then went out to buy a phone card, spent 20 mins trying to get it to work and gave up stomping up the stairs to the room, cussing and hissing as I had used all the loose change to try. Gave up and txt
FRIDAY
Woke early again and sorted out staying in Kookabura hostel until Tues night so that we are around to collect our bank cards, a pain having to hang around Brissy but necessary as we cant do anything without them.
Down to CBD (central business district) to see if we can find free wifi as Tim did search on internet and found and area hot-spot, so we trotted off and sat and had coffee in an Ozzy coffee shop, hot with wifi but all locked out. Coffee was so strong it would have got dad doing little brown fishes before he even knew what was happening! So back to the internet café to pay for internet access, to see if money from house had cleared and if any jobs were around in areas within an hour of Brissy. Sort out emails to friends and family and then off to get breaky!
We had to head to bank as we did not have enough money for breaky, it was shut not open until 9.30am so Tim hit his bank account in the UK for enough for food J
Found a place that did double egg and bacon toasted sandwich which chunky bread! Not the healthiest but tasty Tim needless to say had double bacon from my sarnie!
We worked out today that “Pokies” a sign that seems to be everywhere is like a betting/gambling room. All these strange colloquiums that we have to get used to, even debit cards are called credit cards!!! Tim kept saying no it’s a bank debt card, but eventually he clocked on, I realised as soon as they said it as it happened when I was working here a few years ago (which only seems like yesterday).
After food, headed to sort out a car, disappointed as we could not get one today to look for cars at Mooruka on Ipswich road, the guy said its school holidays so everywhere was booked out! Doh! Again it’s the small things that’s upsetting, so again plans were altered and we booked one for Sat so we can check out all the cars in the paper, apparently they are crammed full and the government sell some off really cheep so keep fingers crossed.
We headed back to the hostel and changed to clothes that were suitable for walking around looking at cars, taking loads of water and a few toffee éclairs which we bought from the
An adventure on the train then ensued which was easy, finding the station was the hardest part, every time the owner gives us directions we never find it, not sure if it is us or him!!?? We got to
Must have viewed a million cars as we were not sure what we wanted, all it had to be able to do is carry all the bags, the dog and be able to go slightly off road as some roads are bumpy. We have decided on a 4x4 (which name I cant remember now as it is 5am and as normal I cant sleep!) this one is 1992 and is the most expensive car I have ever looked at buying as I normally don’t spend more than £1k on a car as they are just there to get me from A-B, but this time we need something reliable as we will be travelling around and have to collect the dog from Sydney!
The car we like is suitable as the interior is quite comfy which is what we were looking at as when M&D come over dad will need comfy seats as it will hurt him otherwise. Tim took the two cars out on a test and found it a nice easy drive. The first guy trying to sell was a scary guy, telling us about how his dog bites his arms showing us all the scars, he got very stroppy with Tim when we said that we were testing out other cars. But that one had oil gauge not working, alternator not working and a number of other things quite nicely disguised!
They have a system here where the car has to be approved for sale buy the government, blue ticket, which means they cant sell you a car that is un-roadworthy, which is a great help to us and they also do RACQ checks just like the AA.
Fed up of looking at cars from about 11am – 4pmish we headed back, stopping on the way to buy bunderburg ginger beer………….yum!! then on the train back to the hostel.
Shower and out to the Chinese area for dinner, there are so many we could not decide again, so I just stopped at one that looked packed and we ate outside, needless to say I had picked one that was a bit more expensive than we wanted, but when the food came out the platters were huge! Tim managed to finish his lamb, but we could not finish my prawn satay and veggie rice, all washed down with orange jucie and jasmine tea.
Strangely the restaurant was directly opposite a dancing club!! Tim could not take his eyes off the girls strutting their thing in the shop doorway trying to entice men in to pay to watch them dance! It was funny watching all the guys take a wide birth around the front of the shop!
We headed back to hostel as we could hardly keep our eyes open, a read in bed and then we were both asleep before we could blink!
I woke again at about 3am QLD time needing to loose some little brown fishes, fell back to sleep until
So in while I will head to paper shop and get the courier mail QLD and go through the ads for cars, we will collect the hire car and hopefully sort out a car today some how!
Miss you all
Y
Xx
Saturday 30th September
Early trip to the 7-11 for bits for brekkie and the paper with the car ads in. Saturday is also the day for real estate and jobs so that was a bonus. Car ads were a bit of a waste of time, although it did have an ad for the government car sales. So after eating we headed to the car hire place to pick up our steed.
En route we stopped at a coulpe of car dealers, one had a terrano for 10K which looked OK but need to do a bit of research on them – they look more 4x4 than a RAV4 but not as substantial as a Pajero. Cars were a bit new and thus expensive, there was a nice land cruiser but at $31K was a tad pricey.
Stopped off at the Ducati dealers on the way back to Brissie, a bit disappointing but new bikes were cheap, so hopefully should pick up a monster to keep us going for a year (ummm! us?? who!!?? ......... added by Y).
Put in the address of a street on Bribie island and headed out of the city. Not too bad a drive but for a roadwork delay which slowed the traffic for 5 mins.
Spotted an agent, so stopped the car and looked in the window. Mad hair woman came out and listed a few properties. Picked up a brochure which opened on the page with dugongs – they live in the passage between the island and the mainland – spooky hey. Anyway, crossed the road to look in another window and greeted by another agent. He then gave us a complete tour of the island and houses which took several hours, only managed to get into one property, was nice and bigger than we expected for a 600 m block, although not really enough garden and a bit crammed in. Y was struggling to stay awake in back of car.
The island has potential, lots of nature reserve, dugongs and dolphins in the channel, lots of cycle tracks, good beaches, but we will see what happens. Had cricket, tennis and golf with a gym as well so T will be ok !!
The trek for cars has taken its toll on Ys feet (blisters all over!) , first thing on Sunday is to get some joggers once the shops open. No food since couldn’t find a take away, so glass of wine and off to bed.
Sunday Morning 1st Oct - We get there b4 you!!! :)
Well sorted out the room as we could not move for estate agent papers, bank papers, maps, dinning out mags and loads more!
Headed to CBD for internet and breakky, Tim has just finished steak, scrambled eggs, tomatoe, toast and toffee milkshake, i have had orange, cappachino, orange and smoked salmon eggs benedict our treat as we never ate dinner last night as i could not keep my eyes open. Had to txt B&T this morning to tell them! Bob was asking why we were having food this tim e of night! well it is 9 HOURS DIFFERENCE AND WE ARE AHEAD :) so you can read about our day b4 you have even had yours!! how spooky!
Happened to me last time i was here fine the first day and then after that i kept waking at 3am and wanting to go to bed at 9pm!
Busy day today!Off to sort out a car as Tim and i are fed up of looking at cars ! so we are just going to see one we like today while they are all shut and go and make an offer tomorrow and buy it then and there!
having mad dreams, as we were after a curry last night and they do not have any in brissy!!! only on the outer subs. So last night i dreamt that i bought a cafe, did lunches and cakes in day and mum cooked curry in evening!! Tim is on the rampage for curry!!! Mum pack your bags and get dad ready!! you are booked on the next plane out!!! :)
Today more cars! then a few houses! we are looking at some with granny annexes on so that we can get M&D out here for 6 mths at a time as they are allowed to stay that long. The house we had a look in yesterday had a really nice guest room with a shower and toliet in it which was suitable for Dad as it had no steps and the shower could fit M&D in so she could wash his back at the same time !!!
Looking forward to having visitors for long stays!
We have not had any news on Roxy so i have been very stressed about that, and have left a few messages on their answering machine! I even sent message to the shippers to contact them and get them to ring us to make sure she is ok but hopfully will hear tomorrow.
B&T have been looking after Shirley, which has made Tim very happy, and looks like their house move with be on friday 13th!!! gulp!!! Tracy take dad out for the day!!
will tell you more about how are day goes later
love
Y&T
x
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