Christmas Holidays Down Under

Its the Christmas weekend - Can't believe how time flies. We didn't do anything too exciting the last couple of weekends, just rented DVD's and went to the cinema to see the new James Bond film.

So on the Saturday before Christmas we just went down to Streets Beach in Southbank, came back to the apartment got showered and headed back down to Southbank to watch a beautiful fireworks display before eating some fish and chips whilst sitting on a picnic rug watching an openair movie - a really brilliant experience - except we didn't take any pictures.

On Sunday (Christmas Eve) we headed down the Gold Coast to Dream World where we spent a full day walking around the park, looking at the animals, watching some shows and going on some of the thrill rides - although I watched Niall on most of them!!!!! Great day













Christmas day!!! So strange it was about 27C and the sun was shinning - we headed down to the Gold Coast again but this time to Surfers Paradise!!!







After a picnic on the beach and a hard days sunbathing we headed back to Brisbane for a nearly traditional "Chicken" Dinner -



Definately a Christmas with a difference - but I would definately prefere a good old Northern Irish Christmas with my family any day!!!!

Boxing day was quiet - it rained all day!!!!

In Oz

We have finally arrived in Austalia. We were very kindly collected from the airport by John (Henry) who is a family friend - infact he was my Mum and Dads bestman!!! And we stayed with John for the first couple of weeks out at his house in the surburb of Birkdale.

On our first weekend we went up to Buderim with John and also met his partner Robyn, - we had a wonderful weekend and visited the beach at Noosa - beautiful. And a big thanks to John and Robyn for their hospitality. Although they haven't seen the last of us yet!!!!


One of the first big attractions we vistited was "Australia Zoo" What a fantastic place.













We are going to settle down in Brisbane until March and then we hope to spend 3/4 weeks exploring the East coast of Australia before we start our homeward bound journey.

So far we have been in Brisbane now for about a month and a half and we love it. The weather is fantastic always between 24-32C and it very rarley rains.

We have managed to find a reasonable priced small apartment based in central Brisbane just between the areas of Southbank and Westend. We are about a 5 minute walk from the bus and train station. We are about a 20min walk from Queens Street which is the cities main shopping street, and a15 min walk to Streets Beach which is a little man made lagoon and beach in the Parklands at Southbank. To sum it up we are within walking distance of all of the main city attractions and if its too far to walk, we just catch the bus or the train!!

This is just across the road from where we live and there is a french bakery, a fresh supermarket, a cafe, arestaurant and an off license in this little area.

We are both working - Hip Hip Horay!!! Niall is working in a little coffee shop from 7/8am - 2/3pm Mon to Fri and has also been doing a few evening shifts at an Italian restaurant. I am doing admin temping. So far it has worked out well for me and the jobs i get can range from a days too 2 weeks work and i could be on reception or doing general admin stuff, although there have been a few days when i haven't managed to get work. The picture below is both of Nialls jobs - the red building with the trees is Raw (the cafe) and the 2nd building is The Fox which is where the restaurant is. It is literally just around the corner from the apartment.

By chance one day when we were looking for jobs we discovered a FREE concert in Queens Street Mall by the Lovely Westlife. Well I could hardly sleep for excitment the night before. It was Fab (Niall loved them too!!!) They were so close and soooo lovely and I actually got to meet them!!!!!


One day i accidently fell down the step just outside our apartment - Don't know what happened to me because i am usually not accident prone!!!!!! But it was sore - i hurt my big toe and 3 days later after a visit to the doctor and a hell of a lot of pain and..........

No more big toe nail!!!


Last weekend (1-3 Dec) was the 1st weekend that we managed to start really looking at the city ( up to now its been finding our feet and getting settled)

So Saturday we went to the museum (Which is just a 5 min from our apartment) and had great day and we then went for a Turkish dinner in Southbank.

Sunday we hired some roller blades and headed off through Southbank over the Goodwill Bridge, through the Botanic Gardens and over the Storey Birdge before we made out way back into the city - It was such a laugh, and one stage we were both lying on pavement in the middle of the City because I had fallen and then Niall laughed that hard he fell too!!!