Temporary Separation

We decided to take separate road trips for our last weekend in Brisbane. Brady was able to enjoy BJ’s company without a third-wheel shadow and Katie traveled south with Tayte to cover more Aussie ground in Victoria.

Laura: Thanks to Mr. Hampton BJ and I got our act together and arranged a relaxing weekend in the country town of Stanthorp, which is surrounded by heaps of vineyards and farms. We stayed in Wagtail Cottage, an Eco Retreat run by a lonely old lady and her massive sheep dog Max. The cottage was fully stocked with firewood and thanks to the gourmet picnic basket packed for us by BJ’s mum Dallas we had everything we needed from marshmallows to patee, wine, cheese, and Tim Tams. We spent Saturday hiking in the national park up to the granite boulders. We climbed up Castle Rock, which is the 2nd largest rock in Australia (next up to the one in Alice Springs) to catch some amazing views. After a day of hiking we decided to indulge ourselves in a 6 course Christmas in July dinner at Thunderbolt Farm. Since it is run by a German family we got to celebrate our 2nd German Christmas this year (we spent this past Christmas in Munich) and were reunited with our holiday favorite, Gluwein. The dinner came complete with a giant German Santa, carols, a fat little dog that begged for food, and presents for everyone there. I got a nice pair of purple toe socks and BJ got a wine key, which we thought was more useful until we realized that all Australian wines are going to screw tops now. On Sunday we took the ‘scenic’ route home, which included a one lane dirt road through someone’s farm that I’m not sure was meant for public access. BJ got the biggest kick out of having to open a cattle gate in order to continue driving...I failed to see the novelty but I have grown up in Mississippi and Boone.

Katie: I flew down to Melbourne on Saturday, July 7th for three nights. The guidebook was correct when they described Melbourne as being more of a connection of little villages than a big city. With its narrow alleyways full of shops and cafes, it’s no surprise that Melbourne is known for its arts and culture. Similar to San Francisco, public transportation uses a tram system which connects the CBD to all of its many suburbs. We went to the Melbourne Cricket Ground to see an AFL (Aussie Rules) match, which is extremely popular in the area. The match, better known as footy, was a nail biter. We enjoyed the game in our team colored mullet wigs that we got for buying a coke, but when it starting pouring we wouldn’t splurge on the $5 poncho so we split it (sticking our heads out of each armhole). The guy in front of us was one of those fans who commented every second of the game. When his team pulled off a comeback to win, his tears of joy fell harder than the rain. Other than encountering some interesting hostel life (i.e. Rodney who lived there and walked around in his underwear), the city was quite enjoyable. We went to the top of Rialto Towers to see a 360-degree view of the city and wandered through the 1,000+ stalls of the Victoria Market. I finally bought some Aboriginal (native) art. We decided to stay in St. Kilda the following two nights and visit Brighton Beach on our last day. This beach is famous for its strip of 90 beach sheds, which are painted in bright colors and varying patterns. We hit the highs of both Melbourne day (they love their coffee) and nightlife so when I returned to Brisbane, I was eager for a good nap.