The Bro Trip II - Revenge of the Irish

So, in Ireland it rains lots, in Brisbane it doesn't. Right? Wrong. Sort off.

As he was obvious missing the Irish drizzle bro decided to do a rain dance or something to bring some rain to us. He's obviously very good at it. On Sunday Brisbane encountered it's worse storm in 30 years. Over half a $1bn clean up bill. If you're interest and know me personally leave a comment and I'll email you some video footage.

We had been up the coast a little ways, to S's old place, with the intent of continuing to Mt Mee. It looked a little stormy so we decided to bolt for home. As we arrived in Brissy it was 4pm and so dark we needed headlamps to see to drive - about the same as 6pm on a normal day.

We went to the bottlo to grab some beers and thats when it hit us. Marble sized hail, torrential rain, 100kph gusts of wind. It's not wise to have your vehicle outside in this weather so wanted to get us down the road 200m to my house. We done that and then as the weather was too bad to get from the covered park area to the house we just sat in the back of the ute watching the storm. Rather an impressive display.

Our further research to this shows that Brissy does on average have a higher annual rainfall that Ireland. But Ireland has over 100 more rainy days than Brissy. So the conclusion is that when it rains in Brissy it puts Ireland to shame. But it doesn't do it often.

On Monday bro went off to the Urwin zoo and enjoyed his day. I worked. Well, you know, that thing I do at my office. Next day I worked a half day then we flew 2000 km to Cairns and got pissy in the pub next door to the hotel.

Next day we took the Skyrail - cable car up the mountain, 3 stops on way up with board walks at each. Hippy town and a pub at the top, train down to Cairns. However, it wasn't that simple. Bro also discovered the true meaning of rain forest. At the first stop a storm came in and the cable car was halted. Nothing but forest as far as the eye can see in every direction and incredible amounts of rain.

These "base stations" I should mention contain nothing but an information point and a rain forest walk. No seating, no food, nothing to do. They are however, covered, equipped with a smoko area and....well... that's it for plus points. The cablecars were stopped for 3 hours so we spent 3 hours being at the suicidal end of the boredom scale.

Actually, we are rather good at entertaining ourselves. After muttering piss takes about just about everyone else in the place to one another we decided to play championship level "I Spy". Despite him being a Dr I wooped his sorry hide with a cunning spying of a ferrule. Fortunately that was right near the end of the storm. Fortunate cos he sooked from that moment until the service resumed. Looser.

We both sniggered at the name of the pub at the top of the mountain "Irish Fanny" (Fanny has a different meaning outside US - look it up kids). In the evening we were plagued with power outs.

Next day we took a catamaran out to Green Island, a tiny rainforest island on the barrier reef. Then a glass bottom boat over the reef itself. We saw the laziest fish ever. It's evolved a sucker on the top of its head and sucks onto the glass of the boat for a tow out to the reef. There it fucks off, gets a feed, does it's fishy banking and whatever else, and then suckers back onto the boat for a ride back to the little port place. Had a walk around the island and then catamaran back and flight back to Brissy.

I worked Friday and I think bro went shopping. Yes, shopping.

On Saturday we went up to Mt Mee which has good look outs over to the glass house mountains.

Also on Saturday we went into the city to find the pub that I had "missed" while doing my induction walky around. It turns out the bastard place has closed down. The owners of the building wont renew the lease to the current people so they're looking for somewhere else to re-open. Shame as it was a nice place and had a self contained micro brewery which was always winning awards and shit.

On Sunday bro flew out again and I suddenly felt very bored and lonely which is unusual for me. Guess when you have someone living in the place for a couple of weeks and then revert back to empty it is strange.

Cheers for coming over bro, it was a hoot for me, pretty sure you enjoyed it, see ya again soon!