Back Home in Brisbane

Joe and I made it back home to Brisbane last week. We have been putting together the rest of the apartment and trying to explore around the area as much as possible. I have recently started applying for jobs and have a call with a major oil and gas company tomorrow afternoon. I am looking forward to kick-off my career here in Australia and put my education to use. We are planning to get out of this city this next weekend for our 2 year anniversary. Look for another post showing what kinds of adventures we find! 

We decided to go back to Fremantle, Western Australia and tour the prison they had there. I have posted a few pictures below. This is showing the large wall build around the entire prison and the "garden area"

This shows just one of the buildings that the first prisoners built by hand. 

The Australian Navy rented out one of the prison buildings for a party. 

The net above was added in to keep the prisoners from jumping over the sides.

This was their outdoor toilet for when they were on the grounds.

Prisoners would paint on their walls from memory. It was incredible.

They would spend years on these paintings. It was a way to keep the peace.

On the coast of the Indian Ocean there was a brewery named Little Creatures. We went there twice because Joe liked it a little too much haha

We came back to Brisbane and attended the Urban Circus from Columbia. They were part of the Brisbane Festival. They were amazing dancers and artists. 

Overlooking the crowd during the festival. It is hard to tell but you could hardly walk around.

We bought a Weber grill or barbecue as it's called. It is going to be amazing to cook out all year long. 

During the Brisbane Festival they have a light show every night. This is a shot of the barge where they had water and neon lights times to music.

The glowing spots you see are people dancing under the falling water. They looked like mermaids. It was really pretty.

I had to take a picture of the mail carriers on their scooters

This is a walkway just outside our apartment. It is beautiful and lines all of SouthBank.

Living in Queensland means there are all kind of crowns and themed parks. 

We received our first piece of mail from the states. It only took 3 weeks!

Walking the pedestrian bridge at night. It was weird to see that there was no one else on either side.

Distance shot from the city to where we live in SouthBank.

Love riding the trains. This is the first time we actually walked across the tracks.

A shot of the station outside the city

Joe carrying our cart down the stairs like a champ

Most of the restaurants here are tapas style and offer live music. This was a Spanish style restaurant a block over

This is one of the main ferry systems. Joe takes this often when working for clients in the central business district

The view from riding the ferry as the sun set

Just a lizard. No big deal

Maybe these are crazy popular due to the royal wedding but for some reason they are everywhere

Aussie's version of layaway

We live across the street from South Bank Cinemas home of the largest screen Brisbane has to offer

After four years of trying, Joe finally found a beer I enjoy. He is way too excited about this

He calls this "his and hers" 

The last night of the Brisbane Festival there is a huge fireworks and light show called RiverFire. Fireworks are lit from all over the city including the tops of the buildings. The video above shows our view from our balcony! Excuse Joe's language haha

We could see all the locations along the river and city from out balcony 

It was better than any firework and light show that we have ever seen

From Queensland to Western Australia

Hey there!

It is time for another update from down unda. Joe and I have had a couple busy weeks in both Brisbane and also Perth. Joe is currently working on a project in Perth and I was lucky enough to join him. Perth is located in the state of Western Australia and is pretty much one of the only large cities on the West coast. We have one more week here and are trying to do as much as possible because we are not sure that there will be another chance to come back over. 

Below I have added many pictures from the last couple of weeks. I am hoping to get back to an iPhone next week so I will be able to take more pictures and even post on here more often. 

Every Wednesday there is a fresh market in the Central Business District. This is what I bought on my first trip there. The flowers are also fresh from locals and the Popcorn was said to be voted #1 in Queensland. It was really good!

Joe bought me the tiny shopping cart so I am able to go to the markets and the grocery. We walk or take a bus/ferry/cab everywhere we go. The cart came in handy but for my first trip because I had to get a little more than expected. 

We have a nice balcony where I sit and eat breakfast every morning. This picture was intended for Joe while he was already at work but I decided to post as well. It is nice to eat outside in such great weather. It is winter here in Brisbane but that is about an average 72 F. I keep telling the locals that they have no clue what winter really is.

We live across the street from a park and this is what I walk through everyday to get to the city centre. Not a bad walk or view.

I made Joe take a picture of this store's sign because I loved how it said "Cheeky" prices. I am still getting used to the Aussie slang but it is getting easier.

Alright, this is a long and crazy story but I am going to try to make it short. Joe and I were walking along the pier in Brisbane when we saw and Asian man dressed in a tuxedo climb over the railing and jump into the river. He then tried to swim up stream and realized that with the current he could not make it. After a short panic he flipped onto his back and started yelling that he was drowning. I started taking off my purse and shoes to jump in, I know completely crazy, when another Asian man with a tuxedo yelled the guys name and jumped in to help him out. This is a photo of where the CityCat Ferry and a local fisherman came over to help the guys out.

This is a photo of the guys in the water. While I am trying to help the guy out, Joe yells "call 911." I yell back at him that they do not have 911 here so that is pointless. He then gets angry and starts to prop up the burrito that he has been eating on the side of the pier (there is a point to mentioning that).

This is when the guy who jumped in started telling to everyone that he fell in. Of course Joe and I saw the whole situation play out and knew that was not the case. In the end we found out that the guy was attending and part of his sister's wedding. They were currently getting photos taken when he decided to jump in the river. Joe and I's thoughts are that the guy wanted attention and he was unhappy that his sister was getting it all. We had to give a statement to the police because here in Australia they will charge you for any sort of behavior like this. Not to mention the fire department was called as well as 3 ambulances for all three people who jumped in. 

While walking back to the apartment after the guy jumped into the river, Joe then realized he forgot to pick up his burrito and was very angry. Of course I could not stop laughing at this point. What a crazy situation, no way could it get any more strange. Well, we spoke too soon. Not long after that, we were walking through the park and there were these three small children playing with dead palm branches. They were using them as sword towards each other while I assume their father sat in the grass just watching. One of the kids looked to be a 4 or 5 year old girl who thought it would be funny to smile at Joe and then hit him in the face with the branch. When I say hit him in the face, I mean she wrap that branch around like Sammy Sosa, smiled real big to look cute and innocent and then swung so hard that you actually hear the branch coming before it hit his face. It was epic. The best part is that I had a front row seat! Sorry Joe but that little girl owned you. 

We live just by the river where there are sailboats and ships along the bank. This is the smallest boat I have ever seen. If there were anyway to send it back to Grace and Lincoln we would.

Joe and I attended our first professional Rugby Union game. Australia vs. South Africa.

Unfortunately Australia lost but we had great seats. We are still learning the game but if we aren't able to go to the Colts games this year, then this is a good second best.

This is a view of the ferry dock and the city. The views at night are some of the best I have seen.

We live in Southbank which is in South Brisbane. Every year there is a Brisbane Festival the month of September and it is only a couple blocks away. There are all kinds of neon lights and parties.

These lights are hanging in the middle of a park. You can walk under them and they change colors.

I flew out of Brisbane to visit Joe in Perth while he was there on business. When waiting in baggage claim, there were people on blow up mattresses sleeping. I have never seen that in an airport before and I have taken red eye flights multiple times. I had to snap a creeper picture and share.

While Joe is working in Perth during the day, I walk around the city and the different shops. It has rained 3 out of the 4 days we have been here so far. This is a view from a small cafe where I stopped to have a hot chocolate while letting the rain slow down a bit.

This is a view from Joe's office while working at Woodside in Perth, Western Australia.

This is the building of Woodside. They are one of the leading oil and gas companies in the world. So proud of Joe!

Throughout Perth there are tiny shops down side alley ways. 

This is called the "Governor House" in Perth. Absolutely gorgeous. There were also gardens that surrounded the estate.

Miss Maud's Hotel which also has a small Swedish restaurant located on the bottom floor. This is where Joe stayed a couple months ago. We also ate breakfast here which was very good.

Joe bought me a new jacket because it is much colder here in Perth than in Brisbane. The hood came in handy with all of the rain.

Yesterday we took a cruise ship to Fremantle in Western Australia. This is a coastal town along the Indian Ocean. While walking to the pier to buy tickets, it was raining quite hard. There were two older ladies walking a few feet in front of us and did not have an umbrella. As we came closer to them, a younger gentleman leaned over and gave them his umbrella so they would not get as wet. He called them "loves" and said he hopes they stay dry. The random act of kindness was amazing to see and I will never forget that moment. 

And this is the Indian Ocean. It looked like the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans only with more of a greenish tint.

Okay I had to touch the Indian Ocean and yes I do feel a little sick today but it was well worth it.

Joe did not want to feel left out so he followed suit. I love how you can see my footprints beside his.Well actually his are shoe prints because he was not cool enough to take off his shoes like I was.

Joe's living the dream shot. 

We stopped at a local brewery which was named Little Creatures. There was an upstairs area where you could drink and play board games. Being on the coast around all of the boats, it was only appropriate to play Battle Ship. You can guess who won :)

I promise you that every tourist location there is a Joe's something or other. Apparently Joe owns a seafood restaurant. Love this picture. 

The whole time we were there we could not help ourselves from quoting Forrest Gump and looking for the Jenny boat. 

This is the entrance of the old prison in Fremantle. You can take all sorts of tours through the prison and tunnels below. We had to catch our cruise back to Perth so we were unable to go inside but it was a beautiful entrance. 

Today we visited the Perth Zoo. It was really nice and one of the most naturally structured zoos that I had ever been to.

Just a selfie before entering.

Ah isn't he sooo cute! Probably the cutest monkey I have ever seen. He kept looking at me and then I caught him sticking his tongue out. Joe said we couldn't keep him on the account that is may be illegal to take him home in my pocket but the jury is still out. I may be back for another visit this week to test that theory.

This girl had twins on her back. If you look hard enough you can see the small baby face far left of her back and then the second baby face on the left side of her head. It was adorable.

This is for everyone who keeps asking me about kangaroos. No I do not have one as a pet as you all think Aussie's do but you can walk through the Zoo and touch them. They bounce around freely. It is really awesome actually. 

Here is the Koala that is also associated with Australia. Of course I tried to hug it but it was too far away. According to my brother-n-law and the internet, they do carry many diseases that humans are able to contract. I still have the urge to hold one and maybe one day I will get the chance. Until then I will look from afar while he or she gives me grumpy faces. 

I am hoping to blog again once we get back into Brisbane next week. We are continuing to furnish the apartment so that is why there are not any pictures yet. Once everything comes in, I will make sure to post as much as I can. 

We miss you all and don't forget you can Facebook us if you want to chat! :)