18th May 2011
Wednesday
I am shocked and saddened today to hear of the sudden death of my Uncle Jim at home in Athy. I think about going home for the funeral but Mum refuses to allow me to so I decide to stay put. I am so glad that I have Elena, one of my oldest friends with me and she is a great source of comfort at this difficult time. I am a little teary all day but she manages to cheer me up by bringing me to the beach where we sit in the sunshine and eat ice cream. The afternoon brings a downpour of rain but we are glad to simply sit in our apartment and relax and read before an early dinner.
Thursday
This morning I have my first ever surf lesson and I quickly become addicted. I have so much fun and by the end of the two hours I am able to catch a wave and almost stand up on the board. After a quick change out of my wetsuit we drive back towards Brisbane where I am attending several Rose events over the next few days. Tonight is the sponsor’s cocktail party and I am thrilled to finally meet Kathryn Feeney the 2007 Rose of Tralee who I have heard so much about from the committee in Tralee. It is such a pleasure to get to know the committee here and I am overwhelmed to see Aisling Ryan, the 2010 Queensland Rose again. We are all chatting like old friends within a matter of minutes and the night flies by.
Friday
Elena and I are up early this morning as we are both very excited to be going to Warner Brothers’ Movie World theme park. I am usually a bit of a scaredy cat when it comes to rollercoasters and the like but I surprise myself by going on all but one of them in the end. Following a half hour spent wandering through the Harry Potter shop ( I am a Harry Potter fiend!) we are back on the road again. Tonight we are having dinner in the Irish Club in Brisbane with the 2011 Rose entrants, the committee and the judges. It is one of the judging events and I can see there are a few last minute nerves but the evening is a great success and there is plenty of giggling among us all.
Saturday
I go for a lovely long run this morning along the South Bank of Brisbane before we meet Aisling for breakfast in one of the city’s trendiest cafes. Aisling gives us a mini tour of the area where she lives and shows us some of the damage that occurred during the floods. It is frightening to hear how quickly it all happened but a tribute to the state and its citizens to see how well they have managed to bounce back. This evening I am excited to be attending the Queensland Selection Ball and while it is emotional watching Aisling hand over her title it is wonderful to think that Tara Talbot, the newly crowned Queensland Rose is now in for the year of her life!
Sunday
A teary farewell to my new friends, Roberta, Sam, Talia and Kathryn from the committee and of course Aisling who I can’t wait to see in Ireland next year. We have dinner in a dessert café which is like a utopia for me given my sweet tooth and then it’s off to Sydney! I am met at the airport by Tom O’Keefe who runs the Sydney committee and my long-lost bus buddy, Louise Lenihan, the 2010 Sydney Rose!!!
Monday
I spend the day catching up on some Rose admin before wandering through some of the shops. After a quick run down to Bondi beach where I spend a while watching some of the surfers with a newfound interest, it’s into the Sydney Opera House. Here I meet Louise along with Romy Farrelly, the 2009 Sydney Rose who is now part of the committee here. We have a lovely dinner gazing out over one of the most iconic views in the world, the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Tuesday
Another relaxing day of wandering about this wonderful city browsing in its numerous museums and shops. I meet my friend Rachel who has recently relocated here from London and we have lunch beside the beach. I have an obsession with ice cream and this evening Louise kindly offers to indulge me by taking me for ‘cake batter’ ice cream, a flavor I’ve never tried before!
A version of this diary also appears in the Irish Post
Clare Kambamettu supports Cystic Fibrosis Ireland - watch their video on You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7RC4gMiC58
Previous installments of Clare's Diary can be viewed here:
2009 Rose of Tralee Charmaine Kenny's Diary Entries can be viewed here:
