Fridays Adventures

So - I had one goal today, and only one - to find Middle Earth, map it out and come up with an itinerary for our visit to New Zealand. This meant walking to Borders to buy more travel books - I don't know, books just seem to give me a sense of power - I DON'T read them, but having them around me makes me feel better - thus I set out on my quest for more books.

Had to pass a church that I pass often - it is a block away from Gary's office. I took this first photo (and a bunch more) with my big camera set to 'take shit photos' - an actual setting - I swear and try as I might in Photoshop, I can't get the colours right, but I thought that I would add it anyway - being that I liked that it was surrounded by bunches of purple flowers. No matter the sky is also purple - yeah - go figure.

These I took with Gary's camera that I stole days ago and he has not noticed. I even put my own memory card in it so that I could delete at will - he never copies his photos over and there were a ton from Yellowstone and I didn't dare keep playing with his memory card - so for now - it is mine - it stays in my pocket wherever I go and I really am going to have to make Mr. Amazon bring me one when I get home.

Here is a part of the church - a little bell tower - I don't know what the building is called - but had the prettiest purple tree and pink flowered tree by it - I thought it was lovely:

Closeup of the pink and purple trees:

So ... I'm walking to Borders and a hair salon pops up in front of me and I veer off inside and try to explain to 3 Koreans with limited English that I wanted my hair colored and highlighted. A teensy bit of gray was showing through right on the edge and it was bugging me last night - noting for a spur of the moment 3 hours of torture just because your husband doesn't like your gray hair (I probably shouldn't use that excuse anymore - I started colouring it because he wanted me to - I had told him that my gray hairs were badges of honor - I had EARNED them - but I really like it and have stuck with the most expensive thing you could possibly do to a persons hair - so that's for Gary - ooooh don't tell him!).

I took this photo right as the 'crazy drill people' rappelled down and landed on my balcony scaring the shit out of me - but now that they have seen me taking random photos of my head, maybe I should stop calling them 'crazy drill people'? A bit blond, but I am feeling dumb lately (joke for all my blond friends - joke).

On the way home I took a couple of photos of building I especially liked. I like the juxtaposition of old vs new here in the heart of downtown Brisbane. Some very cool old buildings:

Yeah - you can guess what camera I used for this photo: (I am so ticked):

Close up of the top (and I could fix it a little bit more than the entire photo):

Oh, so after my hair was done, went down 3 stores to Borders, bought 2 more travel books - one actually has photos - which I am thinking is a plus. I am starting to really not give a shit about this vacation. I stopped at a 'Flight Centre' on my way to ... well, all the above. At first - seeing the signs around I guess "air traffic control school" but really thought they just sold airline tickets - who knew that Travel Agency is "Flight Centre" in Australian. I told the nice lady exactly what I wanted - nature photography - 7 or 8 days (since they say you can't do New Zealand in less than a month we are in serious trouble and I have no clue how to prioritize), that I couldn't hike for very long to anything really spectacular. When she asked on sleeping accommodations - if there was a room for 4 that was much cheaper than two rooms for two - should she go for it - I actually told her yes - my parents might care just a wee bit. But I am sure the price is escalating even as we speak - because as she says - November it the number 1 month for people to visit and things are going fast. My dream is she will come up with a great itinary at a great price and I just say: "Fine, I'll take it" so not our style - but man freaking beautiful country with not enough days - why do I have to be the one to decide what we see and don't see - let's let a complete stranger do it for us!

That's the spirit ...