Travelogue: Brisbane

Located on the east coast of Australia, in the heart of the country’s fastest growing region, Brisbane stands as the capital of Queensland.

My day trip will keep me within the downtown core while a bus-load of colleagues opt for an afternoon with Koalas (at Brisbane’s Marsupial sanctuary). If not for prior commitments, I too would have found myself snuggling up to a fuzzy mammal. My plans? I’m going to meet up with my cousin, Andy Herod, which has been miraculously arranged through my limited wi-fi resources (a scarce commodity for cruise employees).

Andy, who lives only an hour away in the Gold Coast (abroad for schooling), agreed that it was a fine chance to meet. Even if only for a few hours. To think, rendezvousing with a close relative in a city, let alone country, you have just begun to explore is a remarkable feat.

When we meet at the intersection of King George Square – it’s as if the city opens up. I now have a familiar face to enjoy Brisbane’s delights. Moreover, it will serve as a shared memory, one to refer back to as, “Hey remember in Australia…”

AndyBris

We have fish, chips, and beers at a local eatery called Jo-jo’s. Seizing upon the uniqueness of the situation, I purchase a postcard, coming up with the idea where we both would sign it (me mailing it back to Canada as a symbolic gesture). Nothing particularly funny was written. Nothing had to be. The mailbox, where I deliver the postcard, sits outside an arcade where we decide to conclude our time. One of Brisbane’s many trendy enclaves.

Heading Back to the Ship

We part ways back where we had first met. “Well, I guess I’ll see you at Christmas” I remark. “That sounds about right.” Andy replies with a smirk. The doors of the bus close in front of me afterwards.

I am back with my colleagues, beaming from their time with the Kangaroos. To the corner of my eye, through the tinted yellow window, I catch a final fleeting glance of Andy. His back is away from me, walking through Brisbane before that hour train ride home to the Gold Coast.

BrisbanePath

A mother and children bike along a bath in Brisbane, Australia. Photo by Myles Herod

With almost two million people, there’s something for everyone in Brisbane (from shopping to clubbing). For those more inclined to the outdoors, the city boasts fabulous walking/cycling paths along the river (as you can see we had the pleasure of strolling).