Sunday 24th March

I had a great nights sleep, hardly stirred in the night and just woke a few times before my alarm. Two of the girls and a lad were up before me, so I didn't feel too bad when I got up at 7.30am to have my shower and pack my bag. I then went to make my lunch (banana, apple, fruit bar and 1 1/2 cream cheese and ham sandwiches) and then settled down to have my cereal and toast for breakfast. I turned on the TV on and watched the news over breakfast. It was a lazy breakfast which was nice. Around 8.30am I headed down to reception, checked my emails, picked up a map and headed out into Brisbane. I had the plan to do the South Bank in the morning, have lunch in the gardens and walk around town in the afternoon. I headed off down the road and soon crossed the river. There were a lot of cyclists about, I soon realised there was some form of race on, I was jealous, I wanted to get on a bike and join them. It was a lovely sunny morning. I first arrived at the Contemporary Art Gallery. I walked into this vast glass building and handed over my bag. I walked around the gallery for over an hour. There were models, creations, films, sculptures and paintings in there. Some of it found interesting to look at, where as other bits I couldn't quite understand. I really enjoyed a musical and light piece, as the piano music played the lights moved over sand and objects, from scales, to a family of meerkats, to fans and suitcases. Half way around the museum my camera stopped working, it would not open the lens and would have a message on the screen and it would turn itself off. I knew I had some sand in the lens from Fraser and sand boarding but as it had been working fine until today I thought I was in the clear, but alas now. I'm not going to lie, I wasn't happy in the slightest. I tried cleaning it and forcing the lens out, but nothing. It also reoccupied me for half of the gallery. I was so annoyed with myself I let this happen. Luckily I could preview the photos already taken, so I knew these were not lost. Once I had looked around all the sections, well what I assumed was all the section as there was no map or guide anywhere. Another favourite display was one of hundreds of small glass animals all lines up in a massive wave. Each so delicate, I took a photo with my phone (it was my new camera) although I feel this does not do it justice.
As I left I ate half of my sandwich and my banana, although I wasn't hungry as such I thought eating at intervals would get me around the galleries and museums as I couldn't eat in them. It was still a lovely day outside which helped push the thought of my camera out of my head. As I headed to the next gallery I went past the library, I had a gander inside and at some information. I saw there was an exhibition '???', it looked interesting and because it was still early I decided to have a look. The library itself made me miss my lean ring days as I saw students working at desks. The exhibition was interesting although again my mind wasn't really there. It contained images, painting, photos, diaries and objects from when wealthy families owned large states in Queensland. It was interesting to see the tokens and read about how the estates changed. I feel I needed to know a bit more about the history of Queensland to gain the full advantage of the exhibition.
Once leaving the library, I headed to the Art Gallery. Again it was an impressive glass building which looked new. I don't know of they are new or not, but compared to the museums and galleries I had been to in London they were. I was hoping this gallery would be more of a traditional gallery, but alas no. There were more painting, some slightly odd and weird, but there were some traditional paintings which are what I prefer. There was an impressive metal sculpture, of a serpent. It liked like it belonged in Harry Potter. As you walked in there was a collection of painting, photos of some conflict between Malaysia and Indonesia, it felt like it was more of a museum collection and I couldn't quite understand it. This museum felt a lot like the first, just with a handful more paintings and it was a lot smaller. I still enjoyed see the displays and some of the painting were amazing, just so delicate and intricate.
It was afternoon noon when I left the second gallery, and I had another part of my sandwich and a cereal bar. I then went to head for the museum, I was still sticking to plan, I just wouldn't eat my lunch in the park.
The museum was right next door to the gallery. You walked down an covered area which had 3 massive whales hanging from the ceiling. As I walked in there was an option to buy tickets, there was the science centre and then a dinosaur exhibition. I decided that I'd go just to the dinosaur part, there were also parts of the museum that were free. I went to buy my tickets, the young man on the ticket office told me the exhibition was really aimed at children, I decided not to waste pennies on this and instead just walked around the free bits. Again there was no map or guide so I assumed I visited all the sections. On the first level there was a section all about Queensland and how the area, communities developed, what made this state different and how the economy was developed. I learnt amount other things that houses were often built on stilts in Queensland. There was also a section on marine life, focusing on the turtles, sea snakes and crocodiles and empathising their decline. The next section was decorated to three Australians who were awarded the Victoria Cross for their military actions. This was interesting as it gave a background of the soldiers and then the story behind their medals being awarded. There was also a video showing clips of the war. It was a nice exhibition as definitely produced a few goose bumps occasionally. As it was a Sunday the museum was heaving with children (there were a view in the gallery but the museum was vast), they were also noisy and running around the place. In the war section, one child got upset and told their parents they didn't like war, this sweet innocence made me smile. From this section I went to the discovery section, which had models and animals, insects, fish and lizards. They also had things like old microscopes and old pieces of equipment. There was a few stick insects and snakes in tanks. It was similar to the SMS section in Perth museum. I then moved up a section. There was an exhibition about aboriginals and those from the Torres Strait, again it was similar to Perth's museum but I found it more condensed and it didn't take long to read the information. I still found it interesting to read all the info. There was also a collection of objects used by there groups. Once I had been through all the sections I could, I made my way back out the museum. I looked through the shops like I did at the museum, it made me laugh as children would buy small, mainly pointless souvenirs.
As I left the museum it was still at hot afternoon, it was around 2.30pm. I ate my lady sandwich and apple on the to. I had decided to make a quick walk down the South Bank and to the gardens. It was busy with people of all ages. It was a lovely walk under a metal arch with purple flowers and vines covering it. I also passed an artificial beach, it made me laugh they even if a city wasn't on the beach it had created its own one. It was very busy, mainly with young children running around, but also with some older (travellers) in the water.
As I walked across the bridge back over the river I decided to jump pass the garden and that I would come back to it after I'd been in town to try and fix my camera, I was unsure what time shops closed on a Sunday. I walked quickly and straight for the Mall. I asked the information desk if there was an electrical or camera shop as I hadn't seen any. She pointed me in the right direction. I went to a shop JB HI-FI, I explained my situation to the camera guy and be showed me a lens cleaner for $10 and said it was a 50% chance of working. I also asked about the cheapest camera, it as $98 and it would take my memory cards. I was so unsure what to do. I left the shop and emailed dad, I knew he would be up, I had 90mins before the shop shut. I went and brought a sushi roll and sat down to think. Was it worth buying the cleaner and it not working and could I afford a new camera. I was leaning towards the new camera option, as I still had 3 months left and my phone camera wouldn't be good enough. I went back to the shop and as I examined the lens cleaner another worker asked if I was ok, I explained my situation and what the other man had said, this man gave the cleaner a 30% chance of working, just then I got a message from dad and he said to get a new camera and they would help with a loan if needed, and that it wasn't worth my old camera breaking again on me. That tipped me over the edge and I brought the camera, the man even took $2.50 off the price. I was upset I had to buy a new one, but was relieved the problem was solved. I went and had a soft cone ice-cream, where I watched people walk past and thought about my purchases. I also checked my memory card fitted in and to my relief it did. Once this was all over, I headed back towards the garden, it was around 4.20pm. On the way I brought some postcards and I also brought a chocolate chip oat bake. I wasn't hungry but had a craving for something, I hoped this would suffice. The walk to the park seemed a lot quicker than the one from the park. As I entered it was a large area of grass with trees and plants all around, it was so peaceful and tranquil, you would never know you were in a city, or the state capital. I walked around for a while, I looked at my new camera and wished it was charged as the pictures I took in the fading light on my phone didn't give the gardens justice. I walked down through a wooded area and came out into a grass, there were some birds, some white and black ones which were all around the place and some small black ones with some chicks. I went to take a picture of the former but was faced with a squawking little black bird running at me, obviously protecting their chick. The size of the bird was small, but I retreated very quickly and found a few path. I walked along the river in the park on my way home. It had been a long day of walking. The gardens amazed me, so silent in the middle of a city. But in general the city was quite, like Perth, not as much noise or sirens like in England. I headed back as dusk was falling. I headed straight back to the hostel, as I was nearing it started raining. I called into a few of the travel agents near the hostel to ask about booing a night a Byron Bay, as I was still without a room for the following night. None of them could help, either not doing Byron or being full, apparently there was a festival and was all booked up, this worried me (I later found out it was on after I left). When I got back to the hostel I checked my emails and Hostelworld, there was rooms still available and I decided to book first thing in the morning. I went to my room and went about trying to arrange me bags for the morning. I then laid on my bed reading my book, others were in the room chatting and drinking, they were going out dancing, if I wasn't leaving at 7am I would have joined them. After a while and struggling to read without listening and joining in the conversations, I went to make dinner (or heat up). The kitchen was busy along with the common room. The TV was on some home design, things to do for Easter show. I reheated my dinner and I had lots of pasta. I ate the first lot and went back to finish it off. After washing up and finishing my squash I sat down and wore in my diary as I watched the show. It wasn't long before I decided ok go back to my room, the next programme was on and I wasn't I interested in watching it. When I got to my room, I sorted my bags and got ready for bed, the dancers had left. There were a few in the room, some in bed. Two Asian people spoke to me (they were not travelling together). The girl from South Korea was there working and we tried to have a conversation about work and travel (I am clueless of what job she did). She also congratulated me on leaving tomorrow morning. I then snuggled down into bed and hoped for a good nights sleep.