Mo-bike To Mt Coot-Tha

It was one of those hectic days. It is amazing how much paperwork is there to get done, especially around the end of the financial year. I decided that I deserved a nice long ride in the cold wind and we took the mo-bike out for a spin. Gorgeous beast, that one, I must admit. 

For the first time in my life, I wore a closed helmet. And did not choke. Or suffocate. Or panic. Not even when little specks kept hitting my eye every time I opened the vizer or when my helmet kept running into my husband's during conversations. It was too good a ride to notice little peeves, I suppose.

If I thought riding on the road was awesome (everywhere I go, I am by the side of the river, how beautiful is that), the ride up Mt Coot-tha was fabulous. Winded roads, wind in the trees, traffic-free and boy, what a view!! The city-lights looked stunning as we rode all the way to the top. 

The view from the top itself was more beautiful than anything I have seen at night. Brisbane is largely flat, with it's share of hilly suburbs and when standing on the top of Mt Coot-tha at night, with a 180 degree view, it looked like a large crown studded with gem-stones. The coloured lights towards the city added to the glamour. It was freezing and I had not the foresight to wear warm enough clothes. Yet I stood there mesmerized until I could feel my fingers no more. 

As we walked back to the bike, we walked past a little store that said something to the effect of 'It is warm inside, get out of that cold and get in here'. How cute is that, for an advertisement? I had never noticed until I saw those scores and scores of clocks, magnets and other souvenirs that Australia was actually shaped like a boomerang! Is that what the deal with boomerangs is, I wonder! Maybe it's a coincidence... the boomerang had to come from the Aboriginals' basket, hadn't it? 

Of course, I didn't buy anything, I'm no tourist no more (psst: the husband wouldn't let me). We headed back and the ride seemed much shorter. No less fun, though. Cold weather is beautiful when you are cruising on a bike on quiet streets. I can never get enough of marvelling at the weather. I wonder if I'll say the same when I am in Melbourne.