Arrived at Bris Airport on 10th Oct and made our way via rail and road to Grand Chancellor hotel in Surfers Paradise.
Surfers is the Blackpool of the Antipodes, or perhaps somewhere between Blackpool and Vegas, with more hepatitis than Blackpool but less than Vegas. The beach is great, our hotel was nice and we had the best meal of the trip so far at the local Teppanyaki place. We ended up at the Hilton Hotel Fix bar, drinking liquid nitrogen-laden punch courtesy of Phil & Sarah from South Australia. We were careful to let the nitro burn off first as we like our stomachs on the inside of our anatomy. Had some very interesting conversations that night with Phil, who could be described as a post modern existential determinist thinker. Certainly had some interesting and entertaining opinions: Maybe we'll continue that debate over a few more Tennessy Honey JD's in Adelaide one day Phil?
That 4am finish meant we were fresh as a daisy for the drive to Brisbane to meet up with Hughesy, our Richard's mate from back home - a Lancastrian emmigrant who first defected to Yorkshire and then to Queensland.
Thanks to Haley, Hughesy, Jen, Maddy and Barney for letting us stay with them and looking after us.
Once we landed and had the house tour Hughesy pensively looked at his watch and said he wanted to give us a tour around his neighbourhood of Wynnam and environs. We concurred and after a whistle stop tour, ended up in his local at 4pm sharp. By a completely incidental happenstance 4pm was the time the topless barmaids began their "tips for something or other " shift . This truly is a great country. Once we'd got abreast of the situation and Hughey has demisted his specs we journey back to Chez Hughes.