The Thursday, 20th of September, after one month in New Caledonia, I flight from Tontouta airport in Noumea which was two hours late. And after three flight hours, I arrive in Brisbane. Mark, Sarah, Giselle and Eagan came to pick me up. It’s Dean’s brother, my boss in New Zealand. I met the, last July, it’s a very pleasure to see them again ! They live in Brisbane and I am staying with them five days – it was too short !!
Brisbane
I discover Brisbane by night, its buildings, its highway, the traffic, all look oversize after New Caledonia. They live out of the city. That night will be quiet because the next day, there is school for Eagan. Last day before school holidays. So Friday morning, we drop him to the school, I discover how the school run works in Australia. We participate in the Assembly – like american’s movie, it doesn’t exit in France. After that it’s girl’s time. Sarah, Giselle and me are doing shopping and manicure (I surprised everybody when I say it’s my first time in a manicure salon – for a French girl is strange). And at the evening, we are going to the “Eat Street”, the paradise of food. But mostly to see Giselle to dance hip hop. I will even have the right to have pictures with (maybe) the futures celebrities.
The 2nd day in Brisbane, I met the Sarah’s family whose Jim & Carmel. I see for the first time koalas, in a park close to their house “Koala Bushland Coordinated Conservation Area”. A koala is not very bright but it’s so cute ! And after, we dress up (I borrow clothes/shoes/straightener from Sarah), it’s going to be one year, I didn’t be pretty. They drop me to the Gold Coast, in South of Brisbane – famous for is long beaches and surfing with lots of modern buildings on the coast. We walk on the streets before to have an awesome dinner in a 360͒ restaurant.
Tenterfield
And now it’s holiday time ! Nine of us, with friends of Sarah, are going to the farm of Jim & Carmel, three hours to drive (when everything is going well). I discover the Australia countryside, lots of sight, dry and brown. I saw my first kangourous .. died, there are a lot on a road. Sarah shares with me her souvenirs, she knows very well this region. But like every departure for holidays, we have a mechanic problem with the 4×4 of Sarah. We are stuck on the roadside. The opportunity for me to see cockatoos and sunset. After a couple of hours, the 4×4 works, we cross the border between Queensland & New South Wales and we arrive finally six hours late in Tenterfield where a charming farm wait us. They are staying here two weeks, me just two days. But two gorgeous days with them. We don’t have time to be bored with Sarah. She shows us Tenterfield and its treasures (an old station, an old cork tree from 1861) and we enjoy the farm and the huge land to play outside and ride a quad (an other first time for me). The freshness is coming back in the end of the day, we do a fire in the garden. Back to childhood : we grill marshmallow on fire ! And Sarah also cooks a pot on the fire. We treat for dinner with this mix of beef/vegetables/red wine/cheese bread.
My trip in Australia is almost done. One more huge breakfast, bacon & egg, we finally eat in the veranda. Sarah picked us to the Mount Mackenzy, early this morning but the fog was very thick. At the end of the morning, Jim & Sarah picked me to the bus station, sad not finish holidays with them, so many thing to do and see with Sarah and kids !
I say to them À bientôt, I hope I come back soon in Australia, more than five days, especially when you see the size of the country ! I take the bus to Brisbane, I flight to New Zealand in the evening.
