Just Go - Bridges

Plan A for today I thought maybe not such a good idea due to ears.  Plan B would have been amazing - except I had the world's longest sleep...  Well, admittedly I didn't get to sleep until about 1:30am, but still - it was super late when I woke.  Plan C - just go.  Unlike last time, I remembered my ear phones this time.  I left in the afternoon (2:48pm, to be precise) intending to hang out in Paddington for a bit.  Approaching the city though, the bridges looked so inviting, and a new plan began formulating in my head - walk across all the bridges in the CBD. 

So: bus to Roma St, train to Fortitude Valley.  Walk up Brunswick and Ann Streets, cross the Story Bridge.  Since the last time I walked across, there are now Lifeline signs in the approach and at intervals across the bridge, which I found disconcerting.  I resisted the urge to climb the railings as I didn't want to start a police incident just from my climbing instincts.

I walked down to the Thornton Street Ferry and waited for about 5 minutes for the City Hopper, which is free.  Bargain.  Straight across to Eagle St, then I walked along Riverside and through the Botanic Gardens.  Quite a few photos later - none of which actually turned out all that well thanks to the sun position - and I got to the Goodwill Bridge.  After crossing this one, I walked through South Bank.  Mostly sticking to the arbour, I did stray a bit in search of a coffee, or a smoothie, or something.  I eventually found Boost and had a poorly mixed banana buzz (chunks of banana, anyone?). 

The Victoria Bridge had a beautiful sunset happening around it.  I suspect, though, that most sunsets look attractive from this vantage point.  I felt like such a tourist.

I am glad, though, for the function on the iPhone that allows selfies without arousing much suspicion.

The next part was the most boring, having to walk along George St.  It's so City (and Boring City, at that).  Crossing the Kurilpa Bridge at sunset was pretty spectacular (for a bridge, that is).  I do like this bridge.  And I was not the only photographer here!  Ooh, look - it's another bridge.  Yes, my face was a bit over it by now.

Although it begins the same as the Goodwill Bridge, I do like the paddlepop stick/pirate ship effect.

At sunset you have the bonus of reddening sky and that indigo that comes at dusk.  Mwah.

And its curvy access from the West End side is far more interesting than most other bridges.

A short walk past GOMA, and some lengthy waits at traffic lights, brought me to the William Jolly Bridge - such a contrast from the newer bridges!  I chose to walk the western side (not the city side) to make it easier to get to the next bridge.  Maybe not the best choice, but as it was fairly dark by now it didn't make too much difference.  For as long as I can remember, I've liked seeing the light streams from cars passing and slow shutter speeds.

From William Jolly to the Go Between was not as far as I thought - and the Go Between is far less attractive than some of its counterparts.  Still, it has great views.

I then walked to the Cultural Centre bus station, narrowly missed a bus (in my own little world), chilled out for a bit and was then home at 6:55.  The shower was very welcome.

It was really nice to do some things I often think I should do as a resident.  Walking for the better part of 4 hours was great - and my boots did a great job!  I admit, I thought about stopping after Kurilpa, but that made my back itch so I carried on.  Now I need a new plan for a day's outing.

Emergency Coffee

My hair salon has moved.  It's great for them - bigger, newer, you can boil the kettle, keep the music playing and use a hairdryer all at the same time.  But it's less convenient for me.  Good thing for them, then, that I'm a loyal customer with an aversion to change.  It's much easier now to go in-bound rather than out-bound once I'm all pampered, so a hair trip often turns into something more.  Today, I had plans to catch a Citycat to New Farm and find a new coffee place there.  Great plan.  I was excited - the river was so inviting. 

I still caught a Citycat, but by the time I caught one, it was getting really close to the end of my acceptable coffee time and into the emergency coffee time.  So, with the Good Guide, I sorted out a cafe in the city I would try. 



I didn't make it.  As soon as I spotted this place (Boulevard St. Michel, 187 George St), I thought I'd give it a go.

It was not overly impressive.  I sat outside, as the inside smelt of food (an eggy smell, one that I can rarely tolerate).  Not long after I sat down, however, I remembered one of the huge drawbacks of al fresco anything in the city - smokers.  Thankfully after that first one there were no more.  Next drawback - panhandlers.  The coffee itself was not amazing, the foam not very stiff, but at least it came with a generous sprinkling of chocolate on top.