Chapter 34 - THEIR AUSTRALIA VISIT

[A/N: Welcome to my geography class folks. XD]

Brisbane is the capital of Queensland, the state in Australia's northeast. It is the third most populous city in Australia, naturally making it a hot spot for tourists. Brisbane's metropolitan area alone has a population of over 2.5 million.

Ma Rui took the children to a luxurious apartment. She bought this apartment when she came here with her husband and stayed in this city for two years. Her husband established a branch of the Mo Corporation in Brisbane. Ma Rui was expecting her husband here, but, to her dismay, he was stuck in New Zealand for an important project.

It was already evening, and energy had been drained out of everyone. Ma Rui ordered food for them while she prepared a room for Han Luo. They had pea and ham soup, Australia's top-rated spaghetti carbonara, and classic shepherd's pie. When night fell, the three of them slept in three separate bedrooms.

In the morning, they had tuna pasta bake and then went out. Brisbane was a magnificent city. Since it was the first time Han Luo had come to a new city, her eyes were sparkling wherever she was looking. Everything seemed like a fairy tale to her.

Ma Rui first took them to Queen Street Mall; an extravagant shopping precinct that has hundreds of retailers. It had an air of friendless and was very welcoming, making the three of them feel integrated into the city's warmth. It had everything from a labyrinth of arcades to a Farmers Market, which sold local produce.

Next, they visited the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art. The intricate art galleries were adjacent to the buildings along the waterfront in the South Bank Cultural Precinct. There was a multitude of artworks, all over from the world, especially from Australia, the Pacific, and Asia.

After that, Ma Rui took them to the Cultural Precinct. On the banks of the Brisbane River, there the Cultural Precinct was, in South Bank. It was a family-friendly destination for a day out, perfect for the three of them, who seemed like a mother on a day out with her son and daughter. This Cultural Precinct had uncountable museums, galleries, and performance venues, surrounded by the state of the art architecture, adding to its beautiful setting and picturesque parklands.

The place Han Luo liked the most was the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. It was the first time she saw a koala and many of them at once. She even hugged a koala and it liked her so much that it didn't want to let her go. Other Australian animals such as kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, dingoes, snakes, and even crocodiles lived in this sanctuary near the Brisbane River. There, they also experienced bird of prey flight demonstrations, platypus feeding, sheepdog and shearing shows, Tasmanian devil keeper talks, and barn animal encounters. Even Mo Yuan felt enjoyment in this place.

That day, their final destination was South Bank. It was the original site of World Expo in 1988 and was filled with endless parklands, plazas, and promenades. There were also various restaurants, which were perfect for them to explore their palate. The riverside heaven was directly opposite the central business district, which had Streets Beach at its center.

Han Luo was attracted to the huge Ferris wheel. To celebrate the 150th anniversary of the state of Queensland, the Wheel of Brisbane opened there in 2008. Being one of the top tourist attractions in South Bank, it offered an exciting 10-minute ride with a bird's-eye view over the river and city during the day or night. Since they went there at night, the Ferris wheel was lightened up with white lights, giving the whole city an angelic atmosphere.

Later on, they played so much that they couldn't explore anymore. They had fallen asleep straight after arriving at the apartment. The next day, Ma Rui told them that they would go to another city.

There was a jeep car waiting for Ma Rui and her companions. The car drove on the Landsborough Highway – the road part of the National Highway network, linking Brisbane and Darwin and passing through Tambo.

Tambo is a rural town and locality in the Blackall-Tambo Region, Queensland, Australia. Even with its small population of around 400 people, cattle and tourism are the town's major industries.

Ma Rui's destination was the small town, Tambo. This town was located right in the middle of the desert. Since it would take time to reach there, they stopped in a nearby city and grabbed some lunch before continuing westwards.

The driver was talkative. He was a native, but he worked under the Mo Corporation. While the driver spoke in English, Mo Yuan joined in. Anyone could tell that they knew each other for a long time. Han Luo could speak some sentences in English. She was taught by Miss Mei. After talking a little, her eyes landed on the immense desert. While looking at the red desert, she dozed off.

When they had reached the town of Tambo, it was almost evening. There was a small house where the driver's parents lived. His parents were very friendly and warmly welcomed the three travelers. After freshening up and having a wonderful dinner, they all went to bed. Since there was only one guest room, Ma Rui and Han Luo slept there, while Mo Yuan stayed with the driver. Tiredness had consumed them so gravely that they instantly fell asleep the moment their bodies hit the soft mattresses.

The next day, they walked around the small town and took some photos before driving to another city named Bourke.

Bourke is a town in the north-west of New South Wales, Australia. It is the administrative center and largest town in Bourke Shire. Bourke is approximately 800 kilometers north-west of the state capital, Sydney, on the south bank of the Darling River.

Ma Rui had bought a house in Bourke last month, as she wanted to come here with her family.. Unfortunately, her husband was still occupied with work.