Not many folks out in Brisbane

I guess walkin in the rain is not a national past time here.  Not bad rain but rain.  Cools it off nicely.  First time I've been cool outside since last feb or march.  Not cold or even chilly, but comfy.  Lets back up to Coolangatta.  Found out after I got here that buses and trains run too late to get. Me to brisbane in time for my flight tomorrow, so revved it up a little and came on in today.  A beautiful 3 hour ride on a very nice bus.   All I could find online was a very complicated greyhound site.  Here a small east coast line does the trick.  Coolangatta was very nice, small and beautiful beaches and I want mind going back there to fly out if it saves a bunch o $.  The drive would be worth repeating too, I would look out the other side.  Got here in time for a great walk around town and along the canal and a little shopping and a nice dinner.  All in the rain.  In a nice room with 2 seeds and a a uk.  Last night had a room for 4 all to myself.  Very cool hostel with a huge communal veranda for eating, visiting, hanging out.  Had day beds all around so folks did their internet activity out there.  

Met 2 other Sweds there.  Really nice girls and we talked a long time.  Both wereChristians but well aware of recent growth of Muslims in Sweden.  Said Christians are in the majority but are not very proud out loud of religious things like Muslims are.  Mosque not as loud as everywhere else I've been.  But said spiritual things are just not things people talk openly about in Sweden.  Private schools are not religious based and are free.  Some people send kids to them but most go to public schools.  Ciriculum is the same.  Main difference is parental involvement and size of classes.  Parents don't get involved in public schools and teachers have no say so in either setting.  If teacher expresses an opinion either system, they are fired.  They all teach the same.  After school care is provided through 6th grade if needed.  Families live close enough together that day care s not widely used.  Family helps out.  Up to 9th grade is public school and everyone learns the same.  Then you decide if you want to continue or not.  If you continue you still choose private or public, with a bit of intent put on career choices to determine classes.  One had chosen private, one public and they both liked their personal choice.    They have been gone from home for 2 months and be home in February.  Taking surfing classes but not good yet.

Strangely here I have 2 more Sweds.  I guess Sweds have heard some good stories about OZ.

Tomorrow I take the train to airport then fly to Hamilton Island then ferry to Arlie beach.  All in GBReef.  I understand Hamilton Island is on the reef and you can snorkel from shore.  Very excited.  But loving OZ already.  They speak Eng although very fast.  No squat pots, lots of TP. A dollar is worth about a dollar, although food is very expensive other things are kinda ok.  I bought Advil today.  It is kept behind the counter and she tried to explain all the possible side effects.  $8 for 40 gel caps.  Don't know how that is cause I buy Equate economy size.  But I keep my knees working with them, and did not have enough for 6 more weeks so now I do.  A bottle of water that I paid 66 cents for in Mylasia is $5 here, so I'm hoping its ok to drink the water here.  

Can you see the city across the bay.  Surfers Paradise

This is a block from my hotel on the beach in Coolangatta.  Supposed to be the best surfing in OZ but the north wind cut the surf off the past few days.  So my surfing pals tell me

Those s are people .  Taken from a scenic overlook in Coo