Yesterday I went to Bulimba and caught the ferry to Westend and then walked back along the riverside. I’ve cycled along the Brisbane river many times but I haven’t walked this far before. I’m not sure how far I walked, maybe around 15km……..my GPS tracker app had a meltdown and told me that I walked 56km which I think might be wrong.
They predicted showers and so I was smart enough to take my brolly. Sitting on the ferry was a little bit chilly and the rain was light but on the water with the wind chill it was more comfortable sitting inside. I quite enjoy this social distancing, some young kids came on the ferry and wanted to sit up at the front but guess what I had my arse planted at the front window and their mother told them that they would have to sit somewhere else………..so I quite like this.
It was dry when I started my walk and as I wandered along the road I realised that it was 20 years ago that I had first come to this spot on the river with a young girl called Beth. She introduced me to Brisbane and as we strolled along the waterfront hand in hand I realised that it was time to leave Sydney behind and file it. Haven’t seen Beth in many years but I hope she is well.
As I walked past the gallery of Modern Art the rain began and in no time it was bouncing off the ground and the brolly was getting a workout. I stood under Victoria Bridge with many others sheltering from this massive downpour which seemed more at home in the warmer months.
As I walked along I passed the Southbank Beach where there were a few brave souls swimming, I guess this is when your obesity helps in fighting off the colder weather. There seemed to be a few beached whales out today.
Walking through the Botanical Gardens is always a favourite and the old fig trees get more majestic with age. There are some spectacular old trees along here and the smell of freshly laid mulch and rain was a lovely combination. The tide was low exposing the many mangrove roots but I didn’t see many crabs scurrying around.
Along near the Storey Bridge the old wharf has been developed after lying vacant for many years. It’s been filled with eateries and there is even a brewery on site. I nearly stopped for a coffee but the smell of fish’n’chips in the air did not make it very inviting and so I moved on.
New Farm is the next port of call; I nearly bought an apartment here when I came to Brisbane. I looked at 3 locations, New Farm, Coorparoo and the Gold Coast………….the latter only because I was already living there, but I wish I had managed to get up to Brisbane instead. So when I get that big Lotto win I will get a place in Brisbane and another on the coast near Wellington Point.
The last section from New Farm to Tenerife is almost all boardwalk. When I got back to Tenerife I then jump on the small ferry across to Bulimba and back to where I started. Bulimba used to be a lovely wee place, a nice place to come for lunch and a stroll but now it’s become very trendy and it was hoachin and it’s expensive too because of its location.
Next time I will do this on the bike and it’s good to see that more bike paths have been added n the last four years, to make it safer and more user friendly. There are a few places where you need to venture up to the roads briefly but generally on this whole trip from Westend to Tenerife I was on a shared bike way.
Another thing that I saw yesterday which I found amusing was the number of girls and women that cake on the makeup, they look like clowns, many hadn’t brought a brolly and so when the rains came their faces melted and fell into the river…………..what a liberating experience for them…………..
