Hello Again,

So my family was here for the past two weeks and it was really nice to see them and show them around Brisbane. We also went up to Cairns for a weekend where we went to the rainforest one day and out to the reef the other day. We also took a day trip out to the Gold Coast to swim and hang out on the beach. As I promised here is a list of my top 3 favorite places in Brisbane (so far) This list will certainly grow as it has only been a few weeks.

1. South Bank: On our first night here we walked across the river to a place called South Bank. At South Bank you’ll find museums, several restaurants, shopping, bars and pubs, a large Ferris wheel I have yet to try, parklands, markets on the weekends., etc. Basically, it’s just a really lively place with heaps (popular Aussie word) to do. There used to be a city beach there right by the river but is now under construction due to the floods.

2. Queen Street Mall: Just about an 8 minute walk away is Queen Street Mall where I do all my grocery shopping at Coles or get basic necessities at Target. At this outside mall there are also several restaurants and shops (a lot of great clothes) and there is generally some sort of band or individual musician playing somewhere within the mall. It’s just a fun place to walk around and explore on any given day or night.

3. Bicentennial Bikeway and Bike/Pedestrian Paths in General: This is something that I really love about Brisbane but unfortunately was hit pretty hard by the floods. There are numerous bike/pedestrian pathways right by the river stretching around the city and around the South Bank area. There are also bridges that cross the river meant solely for pedestrians. Quite a few of the paths are under construction at the moment but there is still enough open for a nice run by the river.

Alright…now my top spots at UQ…

1. The Lakes: UQ has an area called “The Lakes” consisting of beautiful greenery and 3 little lakes. Perfect quiet reading/studying spot.

2. The Union Complex: This is a really cool place to just chill before/after/during classes. Not good for homework because it’s always full of people and quite loud, but good for a bite to eat or socializing. There are numerous restaurants, a lolly shop, book shop, and even a bar.

3. The Great Court: It’s a large grassy area encapsulated by a semi-circle of beautiful sandstone buildings with gorgeous architecture and pillars (lecture halls and such). Great place for lying in the grass to study/picnic/nap in between classes. This is where Market Day was mostly held as clubs and societies had stands on the border of the semicircle.

Sorry this is such a short post with no pictures. I actually have quite a bit of homework to catch up on this weekend since I didn’t get much done with my family here. I’ll write again soon!