Around the World (Again) Ashes First Test match in Brisbane

The Quest continues.

Brisbane 21^st November

Having dropped Linda off I then headed back to the cloud 9 Backpackers Hostel on Roma Street, Roma street is where the backpacker hostels have gathered and there is quite a gaggle of them, all within easy walking distance of the Brisbane travel centre on Roma St. I went to the reception and the young lady remembered my straight away, she booked me in, gave me an electronic key and my bedding, fitted sheet, sheet and pillow case, you really don’t need anything else in this weather. I was told that there was a good shopping centre just across the road (beware use the crossings, the road is very busy) once in I found a very well stocked Coles Supermarket (I think they cater a lot for backpackers, small quantities, lots of Asian, and other ethnic foods, as well as everything a person on the move would require (they sure don’t want to be toting a load of fresh products with them). I bought myself some salad, a bit of pre-packed ham and chicken, a small padlock for my room locker, 6 eggs, a pack of cheese, a packet of wholemeal pitta pockets, a bottle of chilli and mango sauce, that would do me for the next couple of days.

I returned to my room (a four man one) to meet Scott, who actually lived there, I had the upper bunk, well I am still fit enough to climb up there despite my 65 years of age. He was a nice chap and had got used to living with ever moving room buddies, we got on very well. I had come to Brisbane not only to see the sights of the Queensland capital, but also a great sporting event was taking place during the next couple of months in Australia, the Ashes. The first one was starting that day at the Gabba, what a coincidence (Gabba is an area of South Brisbane shortened from the Aboriginal name Woolloongabba).

I went down stairs to be greeted by one of the staff, an Indian, who was very much into cricket and was very much into supporting England, we got on like a house on fire. We watched the afternoon session together and all was going to plan, England on top and scuttling the Aussies out, alas Hussey and Johnson had not read the script.

After the cricket, I made myself a salad and sat and ate it with gusto, a few of us (mixed ages, genders and interests) watched a bit of tele (Big Bang Theory of course). I walked a couple of blocks down the road and had a pint in a pub securely in the hands of the Barmy Army.

I was quite shattered, so went back to cloud 9, up to my room, Scott was already in his bunk but the other two must have been out revelling. (More of that later). I awoke early and looked across one of the room occupants was already awake, he got up and went to the bathroom, for the next 90 minutes all that we heard was a muttering and the running of water, it turned out he was Persian and a devout Muslim, Scott actually told him that it was not on to block the shower and toilet from the rest of us and that if he wanted to do his religious ablutions could he please carry them out in the communal ones down the hall, fair enough thought I, that was the last that we saw of him.

Friday 22nd

I decided to go to the Gabba and watch a good days cricket, so much for expectations. I thought that I would walk to the Gabba as it was a nice day, by lunch time the Australians would be all out (Correct) and England would have a massive lead (Wrong).

I walked down to the Botanical gardens again and crossed the river at the goodwill bridge, this brings you out at the Griffith Uni and Old Maritime museum Up a fairly steep incline and you are on Vulture street (did I see a few circling overhead?), from there it is but a short walk to the Gabba. I was astonished at the news that greeted me on the score board outside of the stadium!

 

One good thing I got my photo taken with the cup (for next years cricket world cup)

 

I went to the ticket office and bought a day ticket, the guy behind the counter said “sure you wanna come in matey, it aint goin’ gud for you Pomes” and it got worse. England had made short work of the remaining wicket and came out to bat, it went quite well for a couple of overs, then Cook got himself caught, then came Trott and things went terribly not to plan, they fell like flies PK, Root and all the rest followed in quick succession.

These Lads had also had enough

 

By 4 O’clock, I had had enough, though the Aussies next to me certainly hadn’t, so I upped sticks and decided to get the bus back to the QAG (Queensland Art Gallery). I spent a very nice hour or so there, very interesting, also these places have free WiFi, us backpackers know these type of things.

 

I also noticed that the Next door Gallery of Modern Art was having an opening exhibition the next day called Falling to Earth, this looked very inviting. So this meant the Gabba was off and Art was on!

I read my e-mails, had a look at a couple of boards that I am a member of, I then walked back across the bridge and went into the backpackers, now I wouldn’t say that I had to take a bit of flack, those that know the Aussies will know, it was a whole load of everything they could throw at me. 

Sat 23rd

PHOTO'S WILL FOLLOW WHEN I HAVE DOWN SIZED THEM SO SORRY

I had seen that the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art had what looked like an interesting opening show on and it opened on Saturday, so I booked out of Cloud 9 and walked up the incline to the YHA, once you enter the doors you realise this is run on very professional lines with a proper staffed counter, everything is clean and glistening, I suppose everything has its price, but this is not overly more expensive.  I was booked in but was told the room wouldn’t be ready for another 4 hours, I decided on a flat white got my kit stowed in a locker (it costs you A§6 though) and went to the QGOMA, it is one of many museums libraries and galleries within the South Bank Cultural centre. It was a very worthwhile 6 hours that I spent in there, entrance fee was A$15,-but that was only for the none permanent exhibition, the rest was free. At about 14:00 a didgeridoo started up, now this exponent was a real expert (not your Rolf Harris type) he made that thing sing, there was then a fantastic Children’s Choir, their young voices sounded like a band of angels, this was then joined with Oriental Music, it really was magical. I was so glad I had not gone to the Gabba.

I then walked through the exhibition halls, taking photos and admiring the modern Aborigine art, they have always been able to turn anything into art, but with modern “scrap” at their disposal it was truly admirable what they had achieved.

I then went back across to the YHA, got my immaculately clean room, quite an eye opener and all for A$26,- a night.

I decided to book the next leg of my journey to Adelaide; it was just as well as I am now having to split my time in South Australia, between the Capital and the coastal resort of Port Elliot, it is only about 80km distance so an hour or so on the bus when changing hostels. I will then be able to do some serious fishing.  I thought wait on out Smith what if you cannot get a flight, so I hot legged it across the road to a cheap flight ticket desk and booked an afternoon flight on 30^th November. So it could be that Christmas will be celebrated on the beaches of South Australia. I am looking forward to this part of my Journey very much as I have been through the Great Australian Bite many times but have never been on land. When complete the only part of Australia not done will be the Perth to Darwin stretch, it wouldn’t have been possible at this time of the year in any case (wet season, roads become torrential rivers).

So it was back up to my room to meet a roommate a young Swiss lad, who is traveling round on the monies that he earned last year. Good sensible lad. It was then happy hour so we went and got happy.

There was a massive electrical storm over Brisbane it started at about 19:00 and lasted until after 22:00, it was very pretty, but a lightning strike about 1km away was a bit close for comfort. Pity it couldn’t have happened a few hours earlier it would have saved the Ashes embarrassment.

Sunday is free pancake day at the YHA,  You get the first one free and then pay A$1 for each one after that, I got 3 free ones, I think the young lass either took a fancy to my Geordie charm or it was the beard that done it!

I then went to The Library to do a bit of research (the History of the place that you have read about above), this also has free WiFi connections, so that killed 2 birds with one stone. I then walked through the South Bank Parklands, there had been a hefty storm while I had been in the Library, and the sky still looked very menacing, lots of large Cumulus Nimbus piled high, in fact towering. There is a free ferry that criss-crosses the Brisbane River from Queens street to a point on Kangaroo Point and I had planned to take this, but luckily I thought better and decided to head back across the bridge, into town and then do some shopping for my evening meal.

The heavens opened, it was quite a deluge, not cold and wet like a November down pour back home, but warm and wet like is its want in the tropics, I took refuge in a travel shop (Brisbane like all backpacker destinations in Oz are full of them). I used the time to enquire about getting from Adelaide to Perth along the Great Southern Highway, stopping off along the way, it would seem that no bus plies this route, so it will either be get a cheap flight, or the train, but with so much time on my hands I do not want to do that, it would mean I would be in Perth for about a month and I wasn’t aiming on that. I had visited Esperance, Albany and Bunbury as well as Freemantle when at sea and I would like to revisit these places, this being one of the objects of this trip.  I will either have to take a tour that does this rout or hire on a ship, now where did I put my Engineers papers?

By this time it had stopped raining, I thanked the two young (they all are in these ticket shops), and with I shall return tomorrow (which of course I will not) and check out what they had found for me, I took my leave.

I then went and done a shop at Coles, this is the Supermarket just across the road from the Backpackers that I told you about (you are listening aren’t you?). I went to the meat section and bought myself a nice looking piece of rump steak, it weighed in at 500g and cost A$ 5.60, not bad. I also bought some mushrooms and red onions a bulb of garlic, a bottle of Teriyaki marinade, some butter, spray oil and stock cubes (oxo if you must know).

Back at the hostel I had the kitchen almost to myself; most of the tours and day outers had not yet returned from their scuba diving, sky diving, bungee jumping or koala cuddling. The kitchen is very well equipped, it has all amenities unlike cloud 9, there are 10 cooking positions each with a 4 burner gas hob, sink, boiling water point. There are sufficient chopping boards and reasonably sharp knives for all. A very good professional equipped kitchen.