After a convoluted detour through the back country to avoid a traffic jam on the main road (we thought better to be moving and seeing things rather than stationary and frustrated, even if it was a big circle out of our way); plus a great stop at a huge roadside fruit stall; we arrived at Brisbane's most central campsite. Also to be remembered for being the most expensive, with the rudest staff - I nearly walked out and suggested we forget Brisbane and carry on driving. But I'm pleased we didn't. After a quick lunch in the van, Jemima and I packed up and headed out, leaving Kevin to an afternoon of peace.
A ten minute Uber ride later (it makes travelling so easy), and we were at GOMA, Queensland's famous Gallery of Modern Art. And what fun we had. Jemima was too short for the Carsten Holler slides, sadly; but there was a huge fluorescent hairy wall; a giant silver snake skeleton; a brilliant 3D kaleidoscope patterned silver mirror; huge suspended bubbles caught in black netting; a humungous model of a woman in bed; a flashing screen that looked like coloured lights close up, but people walking from a distance; a room of about fifty colourful raffia lifesize horse costumes with a huge video of them dancing playing behind; and an enticing 3D rainbow we wanted to crawl inside. It was great - and that was just the art. There were also two play areas: one related to the hairy wall, where you could craft your own patterns onto a brightly coloured hair template (cutting and sticking! Jemima was in heaven); and then another one of those white Lego areas with amazing creations being made/ broken up/ re-made. Jemima heaven again.
After all that excitement, time to refuel - ice cream for Jemima, tea and banana bread for me, in the very nice cafe of the state library next door. An added bonus - a couple playing guitar and singing jazz standards. So once we'd finished, we had a little dance along - always fun. Then on to the next excitement, through the rest of the Queensland cultural centre, along the pretty riverside South Park (very similar to London's South Bank, probably my favourite place in London, in location (riverside), function (lots of cultural stuff), and style (big square buildings), but of course, better weather).
So far, it had all been highs - a very successful outing. And, feeling confident after my rainforest gondola and helicopter successes, I agreed to Jemima's request that we go on Brisbane's version of the London Eye (another South Bank similarity). To me, this was gondolas going in circles, up to 60m high, i.e. not my idea of fun (I've never been on the London Eye, despite living in London, because I've been so sure I'd freak out). But I watched it, and it seemed to move at a reasonable pace, so I thought, ten minutes (I'd asked) - how bad could it be...
Oh dear. It turns out 60m is very, very high. And it definitely felt like a closed-in gondola. And without Kevin to distract Jemima, I couldn't do any of my usual deep breathing/ coping mechanisms. And then, the bastard stopped. When we were right at the top. My worst nightmare. Anyway, I started to freak out properly, while Jemima was asking me why I wasn't answering her and trying to point out things on the ground - so with shaking hands and a pounding heart I took my emergency Valium (packed just in case), and thankfully the panic began to subside. And then it started moving again. The worst was over.
As we came near the bottom I contemplated going back up and round again, and decided, actually, I really couldn't. So I pressed the help button furiously, and they stopped to let me out, thank god. But Jemima had been loving it, so they offered Sandy, a helpful young lady, to go up with her again, and Jemima was keen. So off she went, grinning and waving, while I watched with feet happily on the floor. She waved as they went round and round, and eventually got off, delighted with the whole experience. So at least she enjoyed it.
I was feeling a bit slow, thanks to the wonderful calming drugs, but we'd already seen an attractive sloped lawn a bit further along the riverbank, with people playing music and others lounging about to listen, so that was my plan. So we went there, through a pretty flower-covered arched walkway (more wonderful public architecture). And we joined in with the lounging; Jemima did some more dancing; and generally had a lovely time. Another high after the fairly horrific low. And then, as it was starting to get dark, we walked back along the river (through the riverside "rainforest walkway" - decked floor, huge tropical plants either side, NOT like London), to get another Uber home.
Kevin had been to the supermarket, and dinner was ready when we got back to the van. A glass of red, pasta, mozzarella salad, and a reassuring hug, and all was right with the world. Jemima was so tired after our busy day that she asked to go to bed an hour early. And so did I, to read a trashy book found in the camp office - my final remedy. Definitely my worst moment of the trip, and for years actually - knowing I was responsible for Jemima while feeling like I was going to lose the plot stuck 60m in the air is not an experience I want to repeat any time soon, and still makes my blood run cold when I remember it (ironically a terrible low experienced while very high); but as Kevin reminded me, nothing bad actually did happen, Jemima seemed completely unphased by it, and the rest of our time in Brisbane was great. So definitely more highs than lows. And back to the (ground level, open, not fear-inducing at all) beach tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment