Afiq and ANZAC Day

Afiq rushed his assignments so that he could fly up from Sydney to visit me! I hope he doesn't (not that I think he will hehee) flunk!

I showed him around UQ campus in the morning and in the after I had planned for us to take a walk in the Botanic Gardens and see the Sir Thomas Planetarium, ending the evening with a view from the top of Mt Coot-tha of the city lights.

Unfortunately, he was extremely hard to wake up from his short nap (we came home for about 45mins). Understandably he hadn't had a good sleep in more than 24 hours because he spent the whole night before finishing off his assignments and only packed his backpack 30 mins prior to the arrival of his taxi to catch his early morning flight at 6.30am.

So we missed the bus and didn't get to do the Mt Coot-tha summit lookout which was what I was really looking forward to showing him. The Sir Thomas Planetarium was still under refurbishment :(

We just walked in the gardens. There was a look out, but it wasn't as nice a view. The full moon could be seen even in the late afternoon over the city. It would have been MUCH nicer to see it from the summit lookout. Something I didn't let Afiq forget over the next hour haha

Finally! Someone to take pictures with:

hahahahha And OF:

So sporting of him!

We then had dinner in the city and went home after that, both extremely tired from lack of sleep.

A church. Need to find out what it's called.

That was yesterday, Wednesday. Today's a public holiday. ANZAC day! So we went down to the city to see the parade. As it turned out, we both wouldn't have bothered with waking up early for it if we didn't have each other for company. HAHA oh well. A worthwhile experience nonetheless.

So many people! I've never been in a train packed so full before!! It wasn't too crowded when I got on, but as the train stopped at stations and picked up passengers, it was soon so full everyone was shoulder to shoulder. A little weird to have kids at your crotch, but at least facing the other way.

People waiting for the parade to start:

The crowd was in high spirits and everyone was cheering the whole time for the war heroes and veterans. You could feel the people's pride that is just not as great back home. 

The parade went on for much longer than we expected so after about an hour and a half, we decided that we had had enough and went off to find some food.

Somewhere in the city. So pretty!

After that we took a bus to Fortitude Valley (the locals call it Valley).

My first time to China Town!

Chinese foooooooooddd. I couldn't think of what to buy though, so I didn't :(

Went home after that and SLEPT. Catching up on much needed sleep.

I had dinner at home while Afiq went out with his friends for halal food. It's not that I'm mean! Just that I didn't have halal meat at home and he doesn't eat vegetables AT ALL.

I'm really really glad the guys all came to hang out after their dinner. Four of them including Afiq. Hadn't had such nice company in a really long time haha so sad.

Will post up tmrw's if I'm not too tired.

Wish me luck & send me love! <3

Collectomania and the South Bank

Cultural Centre Station at the South Bank.

If you walk along that road ahead, it's actually a bridge over Brisbane River. Takes you into the city.

I went to Queensland Museum again today, and I'm glad I did! They had a new display up :D "Collectomania"

I think that is self explanatory.

The owner of the number plate collection said that his wife approved of his hobby because it didn't take up any floor space. They weren't funny though. Which reminds me: when I was on a bus in Melbourne, I saw a printer's company car with the number plates KKCLAY (Kopy, K-something, Clay for clayton). 

 Another collector had found and primped up about 200 tractors.

There were lots of displays up in this section of many different interests, but I only took pictures of those that were especially fascinating to me.

Brisbane's Regent Theatre in Queen Street - stage curtains, ceiling chandelier, dress-circle seating.

Postcards! I think these must be one of the most common things that people collect.

Hat with cityscape of Paris:

Miniature pianos. The woman started her collection with a blown piano glass that her parents had gotten her for her 18th birthday. Now she's a music teacher.

I love stationery! I know you can't really see, but the pictures in the pens were really intriguing. Tilt pens:

Recognise them? Made me LOL when I walked pass. Old school. Pepsi Items:

Arnotts tins

Evolution of the egg/cream beater:

Snow Domes. But I thought they mixed in some paperweights too.

Trying to pick out one that I liked best

Model Soldiers. WILL YOU LOOK AT ALL THE DETAILS? It's amazing!! The soldiers are tiny!!

Be a Museum Curator. The frames at  the end of the room are for you to arrange items from the containers in the center of the room. Though most people didn't notice, I think even the stools are a collection!

Decided to walk along the riverside of the South Bank to lose all that weight I gained in Melbourne.

From A, Queensland Museum, I walked along Clem Jones Promenade, B. At C, there was the Maritime Museum that I will perhaps visit another day. I meant to walk to Kangaroo Point. I was looking out for signs, so I didn't check Google Maps until I realised that I had been walking for quite a long time... At D, the Thronton Street Ferry Terminal, I took the City Hopper which is a free ferry, back down to South Bank 3, somewhere between B and C. I then walked back to Cultural Center Station, A.

According to Google Maps, walking distance from A to D is approximately 3.5km. Meaning I walked about 4.5km! Doesn't sound like much, but my feet are hurting :{

There were people rock-climbing all along River Tce (River Terrace), which I just realised is after Kangaroo Point.


The artificial beach (near B):

Fountains to cool off in:

The Memorial Park was misleading and a disappointment. There was nothing at the top of those steps. Just the road.

Somewhere on my walk towards Kangaroo Point:

Near D :

Took my first ferry! back to South Bank because I was too tired to walk.

I'm not sure the walk worked in reducing any weight because I came home super hungry and proceeded to cook myself a large portion of ramen. And I am still hungry.

I wish I had a new camera :(

Wish me luck & send me lots of love <3