Tropical dreams in winter sunshine
August 2017
Steve and Jo in Brisbane
Steve holding koala, Lone Pine Sanctuary
We all had a two day break in Brisbane, which was very welcome! Everyone took the opportunity to explore...
Jo and I enjoyed the South Bank, which is actually similar to London's South Bank with art galleries, theatres, big wheel, lots of restaurants, cafes etc... A colourful vibe. We particularly loved the beautifully carved wooden Nepalese pagoda. We took a city cat boat ride on the river too. Best plan is to stand at the front as it speeds along and you really feel the power!
Visiting the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary was a special experience. It felt amazing to be able to hold a koala and feed kangaroos. They're wonderfully gentle animals. Many other extraordinary creatures are there too, including emus, wombats, platypus, Tasmanian Devils, crocodile and huge snakes...
From the top of Mount Coot-tha, we could see the whole of Brisbane. You find an abundance of greenery as it's semi-tropical, giving the area an incredibly lush look with a breathtaking array of exotic trees and plants.
On the third day off Jo and I enjoyed an intriguing exhibition of Aboriginal art, celebrating the land and dream time. Later on I joined the band to rehearse for the second Melbourne show (6th August) which will be an entirely different set to the others on this tour with an emphasis on Wind & Wuthering. It also felt great to reacquaint with the power of The Fountain of Salmacis (a personal favourite).
The Brisbane gig had a fabulous vibe with terrific crowd response. I realise fans in both Australia and New Zealand have had to wait a very long time, and I'm thrilled to connect with everyone.
Now on to Sydney for tomorrow night's show...
Brisbane show
Exotic rainforest foliage
Nepalese pavilion
Steve feeding kangaroo, Lone Pine Sanctuary
Steve with view of Brisbane from Mount Coot-tha
Brisbane show
