December in Oz

After a frantic week (icy cold weather didn't help!) I'm finally sitting back and absorbing the charms of tropical Brisbane. Flew V-Australia - a new airline of the Virgin family - and what a smooth flight it was. Landed in Brisbane early in the morning and stepped out of the airport to humid, sultry weather. Our dear friend Stefan was there to fetch me, and take me to his lovely, spacious apartment where I peeled off my winter clothes and showered. Then I got into shorts and sandals and sat down to a sumptuous breakfast. Strong coffee, pain au chocolate from a French bakery, and sweet, juicy Queensland pineapple. Wow! Later in the morning Stephan, his wife Brangwyn, their one year old, Jasper, another friend Joseph (Daryl was his PhD adviser)and I strolled out to the shops. I was so excited to see heavenly Queensland summer fruit - fat mangoes, papayas, bananas, etc.
By the time Daryl arrived we had a big bowl of fruit salad ready for lunch.
We're staying in South Brisbane near a very lively part of town called South Bank.

In the afternoon we took the train to my cousin's place which is just outside the city in a sort of countryside setting. Here, my mum and my sister, Pam, and her kids were eagerly waiting for us. They had arrived from Sydney the day before.
Daryl got into a bathing suit and joined 7 little kids (from three different continents) in the pool. I sat down with an icy cold beer and chatted with everyone. It felt like midsummer - which, of course, it is, right here in the land down under!
I'm not rubbing it in - sheesh, no need to be so grumpy about huddling by the fire, y'know. I mean warm weather isn't all it's cracked up to be. All that sunscreen and wrinkled skin from being in the pool too long and the need for gelatos in the afternoon and stuff!
Anyway, for dinner everyone had chicken grilled on the barbie and many types of salads (it being summer and all that produce available - ffs, I'm not rubbing it in!). Daryl and I had pasta tossed in a sundried tomato pesto sauce.
For dessert we had the yummiest tiramisu in the entire universe. Claudia, my cousin in law, makes the best desserts ever, and her tiramisu - let me put it this way, it is worth flying half way around the world for a taste of it. I swear to god.

And so our first day came to an end. We went to sleep like contended pigs.

Day 2 was Daryl's big day. He gave a public lecture for a series called BriScience. This was held at Brisbane's very ornate city hall and over two hundred people attended. Daryl gave his dynamite hour long talk on infinity to reg'lar folks and they were a great audience. Afterwards there was a cheese and wine mingle sort of thing and then we were taken out to dinner by the organizers - a pair of dynamic, handsome, intelligent, young scientists.
Earlier in the day I explored Brisbane with my family, so it was a rather, long tiring day.
Today, Day 3, while Daryl is at his math conference, I'm hanging out with my 70 year old mother at my cousin's countryside home. We're alone. Everyone else took off for some amazing beach on some amazing island where the big activities are snorkelling feeding dolphins. I'm happy to be able to just relax and catch up with Mum.