I never thought I would ever say this but I sought of fell in love with Canberra. Just a bit. It is a truely interesting and beautiful city.
I worked in Canberra twice during my banking career. Once at Belconnen where I stayed in Queanbeyan and commuted and once at Kingston where I stayed at the Kingston Hotel. I didn’t think much of the place back then but of course I didn’t really get to see much of it. Mainly just the inside of the bank I was working in or the pub or club. This trip was totally different and such an eye opener and a wonderful experience.
Canberra doesn’t cater too well for grey nomads though parking was never a problem for me. I stayed at a place on the outskirts of the ACT. I was just inside the ACT border but close to Queanbeyan so most days I drove into Queanbeyan and caught the bus into the city. Was only $4.20 each way for the 40 minute ride. Comfortable buses and some of the best bus drivers I have experienced. Every one without fault had a big smile and welcome for every passenger and greeted many by name.
When I first arrived here I had a problem with my roof hatch and this was fixed promptly by a caravan repair place in Fyshwick . Great service!
I filled my days by wandering around the city and suburbs exploring. I ticked off a few Bucket List items like Parliament House, Democracy Museum, War Memorial and Lake Burley Griffin. I sought out the places were I had worked previously and caught up with another Coaster owner who is a local and offered to “show me around”. We visited Mt Ainslie Lookout and The Telstra Tower at Black Mountain as well as driving around sightseeing and stopping at Kingston foreshore and the cafe strip there. From Canberra I took a run down to the Snowy’s and also had time out to relax.
All up I spent 2 weeks in Canberra. It changed my view of the National Capital. Not that I would want to live here. Far too cold in winter. It is more like a big country town with all the city benefits. It is easy to get around, well designed, and has an abundance of “green” so you don’t feel enclosed in like in most cities in the eastern states. The people that I interacted with were super friendly. The rest just went about their busy important lives. Canberra is definitely a place I could come back to.
rayaroundoz 