It’s been three weeks since Shane last updated the blog. We’ve got a yacht, but we haven’t…… Let me explain! We have paid for the yacht, but unfortunately it is still in NZ. The current owner was getting the life raft serviced last week just prior to leaving NZ, when he discovered a problem. A part needed replacing, and it had to be sent over from France. The part arrived, that problem was fixed; and then something else was found to be wrong. So another phone call to France, and yet another part is on its way over, so hopefully the boat will be en route to us here in Brisbane by the middle of next week. Shane is starting to get a little restless – he just wants to get on the boat. At least with the delays I have had time to catch up on research and reading about life onboard a yacht.

With the delay in the boat arriving, it has given us time to get out and about and enjoy Brisbane. On Anzac Day we went down to the local ‘beach’, which is called Streets Beach. It is not a traditional beach as we Kiwis know it; Streets Beach is a man-made beach on the Brisbane River, on the site where Expo was held in 1988. As we sat on the beach on Anzac Day, I said to Shane “I wonder how many people are on the beach at Oriental Bay” (in Wellington) …..

This is Streets Beach – as you can see, not a bad spot.















Most days of the week, and especially at the weekends, the beach is packed. There is lovely white sand, but I found the water a little cool! I must be getting old as it is warm tropical waters, or the Rotorua hot pools for me these days.

We are living just down the road from the official Brisbane ‘lookout’. This is where all the tour buses stop for their customers to view Brisbane River and the CBD. This is the view they get.















Just below the lookout, to the right, is the location of the famous rock-climbing cliffs at Kangaroo Point (not that I’ll be giving it a go - I’m not good on heights).

Another landmark here is the Storey Bridge. It is one of the oldest bridges in Brisbane (if not the oldest) and you can do bridge climbs like those done on the Sydney and Auckland Harbour Bridges. The bridge looks nice at night, all lit up.















Further along the river is the Riverside Outdoor Centre. The centre runs nighttime kayak trips along the river and we are going to give that a go next week. This is the view we will get of the city.















As of yesterday, we are officially paid-up members of the Easts League Club. For the princely sum of two whole dollars each, we could join for the next year. We can enjoy all the club’s facilities, including subsidised meals and drinks in the restaurants and bars. But more importantly, we can watch the rugby (league and union) on the big plasma TV screens, while relaxing in nice comfy chairs. Particularly good timing with the Super 14 semis coming up! The League Clubs here are fantastic, the facilities leave most pubs for dead. The Easts League Club has over 20,000 members, and it certainly wouldn’t be one of the biggest ones around.

So as you can see, we are making the most of our time in Brisbane, and enjoying everything that life here has to offer. Hopefully our next blog will be written from the comfort of ‘enzwell’ – in 2-3 weeks time.