Brisbane

After three days in Melbourne, we bid farewell to hipster chic and hopped a quick Lion Air flight up to Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, which boasts its 330 sunshiny days a year. 

It was a city of reunions for us: Karen's friend from school manages a hostel in the West End neighbourhood and put us up in a bunk bedded room for four. Later in the week, I reunited with Guy and Adi, two lovely guys I met travelling through Thailand six summers ago. 

Brisbane as a city was much sleepier than its more southern counterparts. Where Sydney was buzzy and Melbourne was trendy, Brisbane was relaxed. No one seemed in a particular rush and the blue skies helped create an unhurried sense of calm. Our first stop took us on the ferry cross-river to the Central Business District, a term Australian cities love to throw around:

Upon debarkation we wandered past riverside pubs filled with merry tipplers:

Lots of health nuts on their choice of wheeled modes of transport:

And a manmade beach complete with sand, sea and a variety of water fowl (and their birdish diseases):

Obviously coffee buses dotted the landscape too. I cannot explain how much Australians like their coffee. I cannot explain how, after a number of cumulative years in China, grateful we all were for this.

On our last morning, Clare, Karen, Rosa and I trekked across the city to Paddington (not that far in a car) and Shouk Cafe (now renamed with a second branch opening across town), owned and managed by two charming boys I met with Sarah and Jon in Thailand. Through the channels of Facebook, we'd kept in touch and upon arrival, we were regaled by both Guy and Adi as well as the food:

The breakfast was award winning and far too delicious for my words to do justice to. Our organic choices were accompanied by a complimentary fruit waffle delicacy, perhaps the most waffles I've ever tasted.

I love reunions. I love Australia. Winning all around.