January

January

2019

End of the first month of the new year .... time flies, eh ? 

Meiji chan. 

The last week of January

Sunday 27th January

Drove to Lone Pine, then me only to Toowong Cemetery. 

Garden. 

Monday, 28th January

Official Australia Day Holiday

Wynnum foreshore

and marina. 

Lunch .... 
Food was nice but too much.
Service was mediocre unfortunately. 

Tuesday

29th January

Franklin Blinds' installers .... Bob and Jack installed some more blinds. 

I moved all the plants out of the way and cleaned the floor. 

So hot that I had the fan on. 

Moved the plants / stand down the side. 

Just about to be installed. 

A second side-awning plus a 5.1 metre electric blind .... woohoo ! 

We had a gyoza party for dinner ! 

Freddie's table is looking mighty wonderful .... 

Wednesday

30th January

To Brisbane Airport  QF61 to Narita. 

Thursday
31st January, 2019

Tonight's dinner was haddock, salada, rice, peas, etc. 

Australia Day

Saturday

26th January, 2019 

A U S T R A L I A    D A Y 

_________________________

Got up early to meet QF62 from Tokyo. 

Arrived on time @ 5.40 am . 

Today the heat wave continues .... so hot, so humid, so uncomfortable. 

Welcome to Australia ... first-ever visit. 

We had coffee @ the Lyrebird Cafe @ Southbank. 

We all went down to the Brisbane River @ Southbank for the fireworks display @ 7.30 pm. 

The obligatory selfie ... 

Sam bought some lamingtons. 

Hurrah ! 

The city itself looked great. 

The fireworks display was impressive. 

Plus there was a cooling breeze; better than air con, methinks. 

Train back to B6. 

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Predictions

Sunday 

20th January, 2019

My Starz for the upcoming week

per courtesy of Oscar Cainer: 

Cancer the Crab 

Your Week Ahead - Love Focus: 'If ti ain't broke, don't fix it' - at least, that's what they say. 

But, today, even if it most certainly is broken, does it really need fixing right this instant ? 

Why waste energy on project that aren't urgent? It's all about the here and now, this week. 

You're at a turning point, teetering on the edge of a life-changing discovery. Soon, everything will be bathed in the new, vibrant light of inspiration. Opportunities will throw themselves at you, your imagination will be super-charged, the world will be at your fingertips. You'll be amazed by what is possible. 

Maybe part of Mr. Cainer's predictions have already come true today. An opportunity arrived .... most curious indeed. 

___________________

January

January Heatwave

My tomato plant is growing wonderfully .... well done, me ! 

Wednesday night's dinner - 16th January. 

We all made a pizza each then shared. 

'twas very delicious. 

Homemade pizza and salada ... 

Monsieur Pierre

Monday

14th January, 2019

It's Monsieur Pierre's 6th birthday ! 
From Gunma Prefecture to Brisbane City. 

A cake was hastily made and then scoffed down ... 

Crazy hot in Australia; unbelievable and not comfortable at all. 

January

January

.

Melbourne

A trip to Melbourne.

Thursday, 3rd January, 2019
QF627 from Brisbane Airport to Tullamarine Airport, Melbourne. 
Fine weather, an easy flight. 

We flew out over Moreton Bay before turning inland 
and tracking southwards across central New South Wales.

Early dinner was served enroute. 
Wasn't half bad, actually. 

Coming into land @ Tullamarine Airport. 

In 2018 I had four (4 ) Qantas International Return Flights
but no domestic flights. 
I've kicked off 2019 with a Qantas Domestic Flight ! 
With some more overseas flights coming up soon ... 

View from Room 1530  Oaks on Lonsdale . 
Lonsdale Street. 

View from Stavros and Alicia's balcony. 
Little different to mine. 

Friday
04. 01.19

We caught the free City Circle tram #35 to the 
Queen Victoria Markets. 

The temperature was a searing 42C ! 

Morning tea was very good, albeit high calorie. 

Saturday
06.01.19

We all went on a tour of the original 
Melbourne Watch House where we had
a guided tour and then saw a small play. 
Excellent tour ! 

The exercise yard. 

The play we saw was about Ned Kelly and his family's plight. 

The actors talking with Alicia. 

Hanging was a regular part of life here in bygone days... 

I can still vividly remember the day that Ronald Ryan was hanged. 
It was huge news at the time. 

Melbourne City Library is amazing. 

Plus it houses the original Ned Kelly armour ! 

Sunday
06.01.19

We explored the Laneways. 
In the mid-afternoon we caught an Uber to St. Kilda West Beach
to try and see the fairy penguins. 

Many kite-surfers were enjoying the fine and very windy conditions. 

The penguin viewing platform. 

We bought the mandatory Fish 'n Chips ... it was okay. 
Not special. 

A seal was playing in the water near the boat. 

Part of the crowd waiting for the fairy penguins to waddle ashore. 

Flash photography was not permitted so the few penguins we saw
were all a bit "hazy" .... bit of a let down, actually. 
Plus it got incredibly chilly. 

Monday
07.01.19

We spent the day time by ourselves
and went through the park to 
the Melbourne Museum. 
After that, a walk through Carlton which I found most interesting. 
It was quite a hot day. 

Phar Lap ... maybe the greatest racehorse to have lived in the 20th Century.

Starting the walk through Carlton. 

Going upstairs in Myers. 

We had dinner in the Greek Restaurant. 
It was very nice and soooo popular. 
Stavros "clicked" with the waitress !! LOL 

After that, we walked to a gelatto shop. 
It tasted as good as it looked. 

Tuesday
08.01.19

After checking out of the hotel
we caught the tram down to Dockside
to the Direct Factory Outlet there. 

We had an early lunch there. 
$10 special. 

I had the pasta dish ... it was okay enough. 

Tullamarine Airport waiting for QF 626 to Brisbane City. 

Our plane arrived from the Gold Coast. 

On the outskirts of Brisbane. 

Add caption

Flew directly over Archerfield light airfield. 

Brisbane River. 

Aha !  I know where this is .... 

Touch Down ! 
And on time, too. 
Well done, Qantas.