Back to the noise and the cold

I have had three days in the warm, similar weather to Brissie, and am now back in the noisy town of Putian, with horns honking, motors revving, and general mayhem going on all around.  It’s about 15 degrees, and at 3.58 pm nearly dark due to the heavy low clouds.

I’ve also come back to some really smelly slippers. I bought some winter slippers the day after I got here. They just ponged. You know that new rubbery smell sometimes around places like The Warehouse and Crazy  Clarks, well it’s that sort of chemical smell, and I have had them outside since I got them. They still pong so I am going to wash the things and see if that will get rid of the terrible smell.  If not I’ll have to get some more.  Slippers are a necessity here. 

I have to say that the two and a half years I have had back in Brisbane have made me soft, and I rather like it. The inconvenience of not having a car, of having to do everything on crowded buses or trains that are a 20 minute bus drive and a 5 minute motor bike taxi ride to the train station, (or if you prefer to do a 25 minute gallop) and especially having to deal with a stomach that really didn’t like today’s lunch, and insisted on divesting itself of the contents in three quick actions, one on the plane just as it landed, another in the airport, and the third after 90 minutes on a bus to Alex’s house, well it’s sort of wears a bit thin.  I plan to spend the next few days ensconced in the house, typing and doing stuff, before I have a few days with Debbie in Longyan.

Anyway I’ll make the most of my time here, do what I can, see who I can, and enjoy my simple pleasures of a car on four wheels and Aussie food when I get back.

Fabulous view of Manly waterfront

Over the past couple of days I have tried to fit in a few things. Yesterday I visited the company where Peter and I did our TESOL training. Maybe there will be a bit of work for me. I had an interesting couple of hours, then went and stayed the night with one of my sons. This morning I visited Di, a writing friend of mine who also house sits.

Di has been house sitting for several years, although soon she  plans to put her life into the boot of her car and travel around Australia. She is also a blogger, and you can read her blog here:
http://housesitdiary.blogspot.com.au/

We have known each other for quite a while now, did our Masters Degrees together and she was a teacher in China too, so we have a lot in common.

The house sit that Di currently has is in Manly, and the house overlooks the beach. Peter and I went down to the beach after leaving Di and had a milkshake. This was the view as we sat by the sea. How stunning is this place?

This view is looking towards the Brisbane airport. The sea is very calm today.

The Brisbane Port is in the background. Look at the lovely cloud formation.

The tide was coming in as we sat and enjoyed our milkshakes. It is quite shallow here, and there were a number of fish jumping. I don't suppose it was the same fish, there must be quite a few out there, and they were quite big too. Because of the cloud cover, the water is a wonderful calming steely blue/gray, with hardly a ripple to be seen. There was a zephyr of wind, which you can see on the waters surface here, along with the calm patches were there is no wind at the moment.

On the horizon you can see some islands. Many of the small islands just off the coast are sand island. One of them is Morton Island, a long narrow sand island that protects the whole bay.

The Manly foreshore here is very popular with walkers and bike riders. This concrete path goes for miles right along the waterfront, so it is safe and easy walking. Mothers with pushchairs run along here, people in the early morning and twilight run or walk, many people bike along here as the path goes for about 9 kms, and often there are families walking, running or biking along here.

It looks like there is a second concrete path being laid here, so that will make it easier, probably having one path for walkers and one for those on bicycles. It is a really beautiful spot.

One of the lovely things about house sitting on the Gold Coast is that it is close to all the Brisbane beaches too, and of course Brisbane city.