Brisbane City Break, Brisbane, Australia (B)

After driving nearly 3000 km from Sydney to Adelaide, G&N were happy to hand over the rental car keys. Virgin Australia winged them from cool, rainy Adelaide to sunny and slightly humid Brisbane City. Nutmeg was in semi-tropical heaven.

“Brissy” invited G&N to explore her neighbourhoods starting with Brisbane’s South Bank. On a sunny Saturday afternoon, this lively venue is where the playground collides with the bar scene. Restaurants compete for clientele on their umbrella sheltered patios and kids’ laughter, from the swimming area, slices through the odd break in the bar music.

A heavy tropical downpour masked the sky at dawn, and the forecast for the 1 pm Brisbane Lions vs. Sydney Swans match at the Gabba was worse. For G&N’s first Aussie Rules football game, they (read he) were determined that a little Noah’s Ark weather was not going to stop them. Besides, public transportation in Brisbane is free – on game day.

It turns out that there are some benefits to sitting in “nose-bleed” seating, besides the obvious you can see the whole field (and barely make out the players’ faces). At Gabba, the upper seats are also covered, which is a nice bonus when it’s raining. And, as Ginger discovered you can also enjoy a pint (or two) in the cheap seats, which is not the case at field level. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).