West End

Saturday I visited an exhibition of video games from the 1980's in the state library, funny to play old games like space invaders. At night we went to the West End district of Brisbane, its an area where you see lots of old timber buildings, the queenslander houses. Its an area of trendy shops, cafes, restaraunts, new age shops. We went to eat at a Greek restaraunt on the main strip, its very nice sitting outside after the sun has gone down. There was a cafe nearby which sold poffertjes so we'll have to come back again, we didn't try them as somehow eating poffertjes in 31C heat didn't seen right, we'll save it for wintertime.

Hanggliding at Beechmont

On Sunday I went with a local hangglider pilot (Neil Peterson) to Beechmont initially to get familiar with the sites and landing zones but in the end we did some flying. We were lucky to do so as the weather forecast was not very good but the weather down the road can be very different to at home so always worth going out. Neil gave me a bit of advice and I took off and flew for an hour before toplanding, unfortunately my landing wasn't perfect but luckily nothing broken. It was good to be in the air again on my hangglider after so many months, last time was in August 2008. Neil has lost his driving licence for the next 3 months (speeding) so I will be taking him out to go flying..so a aussie flying mate. I really have to watch my driving speed so I don't get too many points on my licence..the police are really strict here.

Cane Toad in the garden

Last night we spotted a Cane Toad in the garden..the toad is a pest here

Ugly and leathery-brown, the cane toad is one of Queensland’s best-known pests.

Originally introduced to control a beetle which feeds on sugarcane crops, the cane toad has thrived in Queensland’s tropical and subtropical climate.

This pest’s impact has been far-reaching, with the invasion of cane toads into Queensland thought to be an important factor in the decline of many native animals.


What does it look like?
Compared with native frogs, the cane toad is heavily-built and large (up to 20cm).

Colours range from brown to mustard, with its underside varying from white to yellow mottled with brown or grey.

Its head and face, with a distinctive ridge over each eye, are unlike any Australian frog. But cane toad tadpoles are similar to some native frog tadpoles.

When threatened or handled, the toad releases a toxin from these glands that is highly poisonous to native animals and most domestic pets.

The cane toad can squirt the milky toxin from its glands up to one metre away. Animals often die if they swallow cane toad toxin.

Originally from South America, the cane toad has been introduced to many countries as a biological control agent for agricultural insect pests.

In 1935, cane toads from Hawaii were released into far north Queensland canefields to try to control greyback beetles which were devastating the sugarcane industry.

Only 10 years later, the toad was in Brisbane and has now spread south and west to areas where cane has never been grown.
Combined with this is a long life; a cane toad has lived 16 years in captivity.


http://www.amonline.net.au/factsheets/canetoad.htm

Australia Day

Today is Australia Day (a public holiday commenorating the first settlers arriving here....invasion is how the aboriginees put it, they dont celebrate the day) so its a day off for everyone else and yet another excuse for a barb-b-q... We took a drive into the Gold Coast Hinterland and a rainforest resort up in the mountains at 1200m (4000ft). Lots of wildlife was seen on the way, wallabies, fruit bats and parrots. We stopped to look at the local hanggliding clubs launch site at a place called Beechmont..very beautiful views across the valley and woodlands. It was a fresh 19C in the rainforest and the rain yet a balmy 29C on the coast just 30mins drive away.

Bought a car

Today we bought my car, a Subaru Forester 4WD automatic from 2000 with 85,000kms for the on-road price of $14,000...about Eu7,000. Only one owner who was a doctor, it was regularly serviced. It is subject to a RAC inspection which hopefully won't bring out any defects. You see lots of Subaru's here on the road, its a decent car which will hopefully keep its value for a few years.

Evening View

This beautiful sunset was taken at 6.45pm. It gets dark fairly early here, it was nice and pleasant sittting outside admiring the cloud formations and colours. Yesterday we skyped with friends in Holland, we'll have to come up with a more permanent broadband connection as using the webcam it cost us 20 euro or more.

National Anthem

Inge bought me a little diary for 2009 and I was suprised to see it contained a page with the national anthem of Australia.....never seen that in a dutch or english diary.

So this is how it goes..

Australians all let us rejoice,
For we are young and free,
We've golden soil and wealth for toil
Our home is girt by sea:
Our land abound in nature's gifts,
Of beauty rich and rare,
In history's page let every stage,
Advance Australian fair

So a land young and free with a wealth of beauty and natural resources....that about sums it up really!