This weekend just past has been awfully cold in Canberra. On Sunday I heard the maximum temperature didn’t get above 5 °C. So how would I have the best weekend with that sort of temperature? I escaped of course. I went to visit my kids and parents in Brisbane and had the best weekend I’ve had in ages.
The flight up was comfortable and I enjoyed a tuna salad for tea.
When I arrived we started planning the following day. Toast for breakfast, drive to Nambour and check out the markets at the Big Pineapple and hopefully pick up some morning tea. Drive on to Noosa, walk around and enjoy lunch. Drive back via Yandina and visit the Buderim Ginger Factory and Nutworks, hopefully for afternoon tea and then back to my parents’ place for dinner.
It sort of worked out that way. When we got to the Big Pineapple we enjoyed a walk around the old building and into the pineapple. The markets have taken over which is good. I’m glad to see the buildings are still getting use. The little zoölogical gardens are still there and fields of pineapples too. The cafe didn’t seem to have any pastries so we decided to look through Nambour.
As we drove through the main drag of Nambour we were surprised at how many of the shops were closed. Some were boarded up and most of the others were closed for business. We drove around and around and couldn’t see a bakery or a cafe open. Disappointed we drove on.
As we approach Eumundi we thought we’d check out the markets. Well that was great in theory but rubbish practically. We spent thirty minutes lined up along the road trying to find a park. In the end we decided to give it a miss. The place was so crowded it would have wasted time we didn’t have.
We drove on to Noosa, found a car park pretty easily and started walking around. We found a bakery and had morning tea. I had a small pecan tart.
As we walked up and down Hastings Street we had fun walking in and out of shops and checking things out.
We thought we’d buy some lunch and have it on the beach. Miss18 had brought a couple of beach towels and the girls wanted chips and gravy while I wanted sushi rolls. We bought both and shared it all
The beach was glorious. It was about 22 °C and sunny. The water was so blue, the sand so white and fine. I looked at my weather app for Canberra and laughed out loud. I was in a T-shirt basking in the sunny goodness.
My daughters went to town taking selfies. All through the day they had their telephones out capturing everything around them. We were so happy, we kept saying to each other how glorious the weather was and how we wished we had brought our togs. The water would be cold but there was no wind and with the sunshine we could warm up on the sand.
After a couple of hours of just sitting under the shade of some trees looking out into the ocean we packed up and drove to Yandina.
We headed to the Buderim Ginger Factory and Nutworks.
This ginger beer and pear was delicious.
Miss18 loved her afternoon tea
I’ve never tried crocodile jerky.
After buying Mum some Queensland nuts for Sunday breakfast we headed back to Brisbane.
Mum had tea ready for us. I got to carve an amazing butterflied and stuffed lamb shoulder. It was glorious.
After a good sleep Mum and Miss18 put together waffles for breakfast. We had butterscotch sauce, caramel ice cream, Nutella, Queensland nuts and fruit. They were amazing.
After such a great weekend it was difficult to say goodbye and catch my flight back to Canberra.
When I landed in Canberra it was 3 °C and I was back to reality. I’d had a dream weekend. The best weekend. It’s a good thing I love my job, the people of Canberra and small town life in Canberra. They are the only things keeping me here.
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