Bundaberg

You must be thinking: Is that not what that rum with a polar bear on it's labels is called? Well, yes, it is. This is where all that rum you are drinking comes from, actually.

Before we headed over to the factory, we stopped at the Bundaberg Botanic Gardens from a cuppa and a little morning exercise. We were not sure where to find their in-garden café but thank goodness for Shriya looking for the washrooms because we 'found' Café 1928 situated just a stone's throw away!

Just below the hill from the café was the Australian Sugarcane Railway. It was quite cool to see a functioning coal-powered train, I mean, this old.

As we made our way up to the other parts of the garden, we found this little fella on the ground...

Aw, poor little thing, must have fell out of one of the nests in the trees above. After deciding not to touch it, we made our up to the Japanese garden.

We also walked around to where the Chinese garden was.

It was when we were nearer that we realised that it also served as the Nanjing-Bundaberg Friendship Memorial.

To arrive at the garden, go to Bundaberg North and enter from one of three entrances at Mt. Perry Road, Young Street and Thornhill Street.

From the serene surroundings of nature, we were in the environments of a factory next. A distillery, to be exact. That of Bundaberg Distilling Co., home to the world-famous Bundaberg Rum.

We each paid $25 to join the Distillery Tour, where we got to see where and how the molasses were stored and turned into the rum sold in stores.

The $25 also included two complimentary drinks at the store, which we were really happy with. Because I managed to finish my drink, I had to help the other two with theirs and I ended up looking like a tomato in the car!

We headed into town in search of food for lunch. We decided to give Spicy Tonight Authentic Thai and Indian Restaurant a try, tempted by $7.50 pricing of everything on the lunch menu.

For entree, we ordered something from the entree menu, the onion bhaji pakhora ($5.95). With four serves, this plate of sliced onion and spinach fritter dipped in fried chickpea batter and spices was delicious.

I ordered the chu chee fish, which I was really happy with.

Xin Wen had the green curry chicken, which was not too spicy.

Kashmiri kofta was good for Shriya, who compared it her mum's.

Due to the alcohol I consumed, I was trying really hard to stay awake so that I could finish lunch. I slept throughout the journey to Rockhampton. Well, I woke up after two hours and asked if I missed anything. Both of them replied: "Nah..."