R2OK!

Mark Mayhew · Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 2897

My wife and I have just returned from a trip to Brisbane, Queensland, in Australia.

Luckily we got the last flight out of Heathrow at midnight on 17th December before it shut down for "snow/ice-problems".

Our plane was 3 hrs late taking off because BAA ran out of de-icing equipment -a ridiculous state of affairs.

In Brisbane we stayed with my sister for a few days before travelling to the magical island of Tangalooma (a sand island which has no roads) where we stayed for 7 days.

Bearing in mind Australia is supposed to be in the middle of its summer we encountered a number of problems with rain.

In travelling on the Brisbane river into the City one morning by boat (the river is currently experiencing record highs) the amount of flooding along it's banks is truly eye opening with many folk who live on its banks fearful for their livelihoods/their hoses etc. The Sea- Cat which we took for our trip encountered huge problems in keeping its course down the river due to the very fast flowing waters-scary stuff indeed.

On many evenings in Brisbane we had tremendous downpours lasting 6-10 hrs at anyone time. My sisters house is located close to a river which has burst it banks a number of times. Vast areas of land are all under water and have been so for months.

On Tangalooma huge areas of the island are also under water. In the resort we stayed in we were told it had rained everyday for the last 4 months. On our last day on the island a mini cyclone hit the resort causing considerable damage to various tent sites located on the beaches, the main cafe area, other facilities. We were advised to stay in our apartment when the cyclone came through-it was very interesting to see, out of our windows at the time, the destruction that it brought with it with so much stuff flying around.

So what we thought would be a sunny trip to Australia for a few days in the middle of their summer was in the event something quite different.

Still we won the Ashes whilst we were in Australia so it was not all bad!

Happy New Year.

ColinB · Guest

Half our family (on my father's side) live in Brisbane and I was talking to a couple of them on Skype last week. They were talking about the rain!

Last year, my son's girlfriend was staying in Brissie whilst travelling down under, and her planned Christmas day on the beach turned out to be very wet indeed!

Still, at least they didn't have snow and ice to contend with.

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6812

Mark Mayhew · Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 2897

Had a note from my sister today-she and her family have had to leave their home and are being evacuated to higher ground.

She told me in her note "since you left and returned to the UK it has not stopped raining here".

ColinB · Guest

I've emailed my cousin to ask if they're OK in Brissie and although he normally responds quickly, I haven't heard from him for 3 days. That's worrying. He has his own business - an engineering company - so there's a risk that he and his family could be hit hard by this catastrophe.

And we moan about a bit of snow!

Mark Mayhew · Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 2897

Sorry to hear this Colin-you must be worried. Hope your cousin is ok.

In her note my sister also advised that the Brisbane River had burst it banks in many parts-in the Financial quarter/main shopping Centre all electricity has been turned off and the streets are completely empty of people-she concluded her note to me by saying "it is all very surreal" etc.

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

Thought of your family Mark when I heard the news about Brisbane today. Fingers crossed for you cousin as well Colin.

Terrible situation for all.

H
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