Avatar and Serenity

Dr. Reiffenstein figured out her issue - the snorkeling 'done me in'! It was definitely the snorkeling and scuba dive that made my legs go all freaky on me. I guess I'd never used those muscles before and that's why they decided to complain later on. This morning I awoke feeling normal, thank goodness!

Yesterday was a typical day spent mooching around an unknown city. I have a pretty good sense of direction so I set off without a map, leaving my hostel and heading for Starbucks. Then I wandered the streets of Brisbane, popping into shops and bookstores. I didn't feel like a tourist at all, which is a good goal for someone traveling on their own.

What would you do with an entire day to spend doing anything you want? I'd been wanting to see AVATAR since it came out, but hadn't anyone to go with during my trip. I'd seen Sherlock twice, and Shutter Island, and decided to buy myself a ticket into the much-hyped flick. I also treated myself to M&M's, the peanut ones please! and some popcorn. It was my lunch. Armed with a pair of 3D glasses, I made it into the theatre alone. If this sounds sad, well, it is a bit haha. The last movie I saw alone was Casablanca which was playing at Princess Theatre in Waterloo. It was relatively empty and I got settled in for the epic-length movie.

I really enjoyed it, but it was predictable and so similar to Fern Gully! Despite there being no 'Batty Rap', the general theme of FG reverberated throughout Avatar. They did a really good job with the effects and you get so used to the 3D after about 9 mins (very aptly put, KT).

Afterwards, I headed back to the hostel and met up with Leigh, Mary (a German girl in my hostel), and John, and we all went to RG's for $5 steak/fish and chips. It was so good! So much for my night of avoiding beer. I only had two, then we went to Pig 'n Whistle for a glass of vino. Mary and I headed back to the hostel around 11pm as we had a big day ahead of us. That's right, I just returned from the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. Mary joined me for the first bit, but had to catch a bus to Rainbow Beach.

I actually got to hold a Koala! Her name is Serenity and she's just so cute and cuddly. She kept licking my hair and gripping my tank top strap - she was light but like a little ball of cuddly somethin', I love her! I have a picture taken and it's posted online here: http://i.koala.net/0803219495.htm but for some reason the link isn't working yet. I hope it starts to work, or I'll attempt to figure it out and post it in the next blog posting.

I'm back in downtown Brisbane right now and am meeting up with a fellow Canadian named Felix who has so kindly opened up his house to me for 2 nights! He's got 5 roommates but says the couch and/or hammock are free, so I have my choice. It will beat staying at Base again - and do you know what this officially means? It means I will not have another Australian hostel experience for the foreseeable future, as I'll be with friends in Sydney then off to Vancouver! WOW!

Vancouver and Hawaii are coming up fast and with only 3 full days left in Australia, I'm starting to get into the mind frame of leaving. It's really hard! I wish it was all starting over again. BOOO! I can't complain, though, it's time for life to go on but that doesn't mean it's not hard. I'll leave it at that for now.

PS, The internet cafe is for sure playing Big Shiny Tunes 2 - I still remember the song order of that CD and with Blur 'Song 2' having just completed, White Town 'Your Woman' just came on. Hmmm, must download that one when I'm back!
PPS, I'm now heading to Scotch and Soda, a clothing store from Europe with only 1 location in the Southern Hemisphere here in Brizzy!