The flight was late leaving Brisbane, so it was late arriving at Whitsunday Coast, but a quarter hour's delay isn't an issue when you're not looking at connections and we were on the ground in Brisbane just after twelve thirty-five. Having gone down the no checked luggage route I was half inclined to stop and have a chat while Warbo retrieved the suitcase, possibly say hello to the former colleague who was picking them up and then take the train in to Central, but coming down the escalator the electronic board said eight minutes, so I said a quick goodbye and hightailed it to the station.
QR suburban services, I learned once I'd collected the ticket and boarded, now come with Free WiFi, but Although I seemed to be able to connect, it wouldn't download my mail. Still, messing around with the iPad gave me something to do on the way in, even if it wasn't overly successful. I'll be checking on these matters before I take the train to Helensvale Friday afternoon.
The accommodation for both Brisbane legs this time around is The Rothbury on Ann Street, a convenient seventy metres or so from Central, housed in the former Shell House, and while my budget room ain't flash, it's comfortable. I should, had I looked properly, have booked the next level, which comes with free WiFi, but you can't have everything.
Or you can, assuming you check. Next time I will.
Having checked in I wandered into the City, found lunch in the form of a rather tasty lemongrass beef at the Little Saigon Grill in Rowes Arcade and headed across to Rocking Horse Records, where I managed to locate the newish Graham Parker & The Rumour CD before heading back to the Rothbury for a spell of R&R before heading off to The Alliance to catch up with Nicko and AB.
That was a little before the scheduled time, since I reckoned I'd probably find Nicko on duty in the bar, have a chance to have a quick yarn, and then spend a couple of hours reminiscing with AB, but I spotted Nicko with toddler heading inside while I was waiting for the light to change, entered the bar and found AB already on the premises and learnt Nicko was on Daddy Duty upstairs, so that plan went out the window fairly quickly.
We did, however, have three hours for a wide ranging discussion, and a very good dinner washed down by a bottle of 2006 Paulett Shiraz which wouldn't have been my first choice, but I can go for that bottle of Jim Barry The McRae Wood when Madam and I are there a week later, can't I?