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Good Morning... World?

Since my last post almost three days ago I've been to Chinatown, seen a foggy Brisbane from a mountain top, been to the movies, visited bunch of free museums and gone to a bar. I've eaten chicken curry, Subway, Hungry Jack's and KFC (pictured). I've also bought and read Sex, Drugs & Cocoa Puffs by Chuck Klosterman.

I've also received some excellent news! My future employer phoned me Tuesday morning. After I get an RSA (Responsible Serving of Alcohol - or "alkoholipassi") certificate on next Thursday night a car will come get me on Friday morning to take me to Rochford Wines an hour away from Melbourne where I will meet my new boss and we'll talk things through. So with this HUGE weight off my shoulders let's look back at how I've been getting to know Australia's third biggest city and fighting boredom.

Monday night I walked to Chinatown to eat. It was the nicest looking, if the smallest, Chinatown i've been to (San Fran, NY, Melbourne and Sydney). My Chicken Curry was a small portion but it was good. I walked back to my hostel near the river and took some pictures.

On Tuesday I headed up to Mount Coot-Tha to see Brisbane from a distance. I didn't eat before I got there and there was nothing to do except eat and watch the sights, which were hampered by the clouds. But the food there was too expensive and I had to do something as the next bus was an hour away. I ended up going down a mountain biking track (a big no-no), getting a little lost and climbing back a steep hill just in time for the next bus. I was hungry, thirsty and sweating. I had planned to go to the Botanic Gardens and the planetarium, but I was too hungry so I rode the bus back to town.

I went to the movies that night. My choices were Easy A, which I have high hopes for, and The Other Guys. The latter seemed like it would be more hilarious so that my choice. I was pleasantly surprised and I have to say that it was better than Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.

Yesterday I spent a huge portion of my day at the free museums at South Bank just over the bridge from the Queen Street Mall that is just on the opposite side of "my" block. I went to the Queensland Gallery of Art, QLD Gallery of Modern Art, crossed the bridge for a Pizza sub (Like Chicken Pizziola without the chicken but with salami and pepperoni instead and then went back to the Queensland Museum.

The first one was in a beautiful building (my picture doesn't do it justice) and I liked the landscape paintings and the Australian art exhibit, especially the modern part of it. The GMA had a photo exhibit from a celebrity photographer, a something Kirkland. The best part was photos from behind the scenes Michael Jackosn's "Thriller" music video/short film. A $40 book also contained those pictures and quotes from most black musicians. The Museum celebrated mostly the nature of Australia and Queensland especially. There were a lot of kids there, because they're on a two week vacation before their last term of the year. This place had something for everyone.

In the evening I wanted to try a box meal by KFC before heading out to the Down & Under bar where my Canadian acquaintance works for a Wet T-Shirt Contest!!! How wild.

I probably am not in the mood for going out at the moment and got out of the bar after finishing my coke and seeing a competition for free bear in which a poor boy ended up having to "strip" in front of everyone. He took his shirt of and it. Was. Awkward. I got the he'll out and finished reading my Klosterman before calling it a night.

Now it's Koala Sanctuary time and tomorrow I might go check out the Gold Coast by train. On Saturday the Brisbane festival ends with a concert at the closest city park and every hostel is fully booked. Which means that my room will be full too. I just hope they aren't complete idiots...

So, still a week of vacationing before it's back to business for me. More from Brisbane later on.

Bye!