Life Upside Down

Yet never saw I aught more fair than this—

The beauty of a Queensland summer night!

For then the breeze has gently sunk to rest,

And the great moon climbs swiftly up the sky,

The stars are mirrored by the river’s breast

Which, while the city slumbers, ripples by;

The air is soft and mild; a holy fear

Steals o’er my senses in this southern sphere

Orion’s belt gleams like a fiery boss

Set in the shield of heaven, and, less clear

But mild and radiant, shines the southern cross.”

Summer in Queensland is bliss, it’s just euphoric.

• Learning to surf on the Gold Coast and being shown up by eight-year olds who’ve practically been raised on a board.

• Camping, and camping, and camping. I can’t get enough of it. I don’t know what  it is- waking up in a field, falling asleep under the stars, the smoky campfire smell on my clothes…

• Saturday morning bike rides to the West End markets.

• Ferry rides over to Stradbroke Island to dive with mantas and eat gelato.

The run rises early and it doesn’t stay light far past 7pm, but the nights are warm and velvet and the days are so easy to pack full of outdoor adventures.

I am constantly reminded by these natural wonders – the reef, the rainforests, the pristine beaches- how very lucky I am to live here.