Chapter 49 - First Trip to UQ

In which our hero is struck by how similar one physics building is to another physics building ... 

Timestamp: September 20, 2013

Location: Griffith University

The Story: Our intrepid hero and her friend find themselves with a free Friday afternoon. Their other friend, previously known as Their Friend the Friendly Giant, and heretofore referred to as Glen, because it's quicker to type, informed them that he was heading up to the University of Queensland on the train to meet with his UQ Physics Club friends and watch 'Contact'. So our hero and her friend (the first one, not the one we're calling Glen) (OK. We'll just call him Christian, because this is getting confusing). So Christian and I decided to go with him. Because it would be fun, and I'd never seen UQ before. So off we went. We took the bus to Helensvale, then met Glen on the train. Then we got off at Park Road Station, and, at my insistence, walked to UQ, because I like walking, and seeing things when I'm walking. It was a lovely walk. Here are some pictures:

Glen quite validly didn't want to walk, because he was carrying a luggage thingy for his sister's scooter. Also, that's not how he walks. He was getting a drink from a fountain, which the locals call a 'water bubbler'. 

Some lovely trees and shadows.

Some more lovely trees.

The little pedestrians and buses only bridge to cross the river to UQ.

So now prepare yourselves people. UQ is a bit older than Griffith. So while you've enjoyed pictures of Griffith's lovely modern angles and colours, you'll now have to brace yourself for old-timey sandstoney-ness. Behold:

Ta-daaaaaaaa! Isn't it lovely? I think it is.

Lovely big open space that's probably called 'The Quad', or some such.

More of the same lovely big open space. Those arches remind me of that scene in 'Chariots of Fire' where they race around the courtyard before the clock strikes twelve.

Look Annie! Rocks!

oooOOOOOooooh! School of Earth Sciences!

Closer up of the Geology building doorway. I first read, due to the shadows, 'Scientia et abore', which my brain translated to 'knowledge and trees'. Which makes no sense for a geology building, also it doesn't say 'et', also 'trees' is probably 'arbore'. It actually says 'scientia ac labore', which is probably 'knowledge through work', or something to that effect.

We then continued on to the physics building, and went inside to the Physics Tea Room, where the physics people hang out and there's a fridge and a hot water thingie for making tea. There we met Glen's sister Dana, with whom we went on a food finding expedition to find some food to eat. Then we came back, and went upstairs to watch 'Contact'.

Here is what the physics building looks like on the inside:

Christian about to enter the Physics Tea Room.

Eeep! Spidah!

I think it looks rather a lot like Western on the inside.

You see? Brass hand rails and whatnot? And doors and things? Just like Western.

Here's a few exciting things we saw on our food finding expedition:

Bush turkey!

Walking along the archway thingies.

The physics building sign. We tried to go to the physics museum, but it was closed. We saw the Pitch Drop Experiment, though. That's pretty cool. You can watch it live here: http://smp.uq.edu.au/content/pitch-drop-experiment

Then, to the bogglement of all our minds, Dana gave Glen a piggy back. 

Then Glen gave Dana a shoulder ride. They're blurry because they're moving, and inside, where my phone doesn't do very good pictures. Also, I'm pretty sure Dana thought she was going to fall off. 

And lastly, here's the hot water thingie for making tea:

Get it? Bernie? Get it? It's a very clever pun.