Brisbane Book Fair

I'd been eagerly looking forward to prowling the Brisbane Book Fair (which takes place over the June long weekend), for some time, after my friend, Ros, from Yeranda EcoCottages, had told me that it was one of the largest book fairs in the country. So a couple of weeks ago I booked my accommodation in Brisbane in anticipation of feeding my book lust. And on Friday afternoon I drove to Brisbane after a morning spent at my university's Gold Coast campus, settled into my spacious apartment near South Bank, and then headed into the city to take advantage of a Myer sale and two Myer gift vouchers I'd been lucky enough to score for my birthday last year. And then on to the Book Fair at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre first thing Saturday morning.  I arrived a little after 8 for the 8.30 opening and a small, polite crowd had gathered around each of the four entrances into the two huge exhibition halls which were occupied by the Book Fair.

Anyway, the doors were opened at 8.30 and in we streamed, some of us (not me) pulling those upright shopping trolleys behind us (there were some very serious book predators among this lot). Indeed, by the number of books some people were piling into their trolleys they either had their own bookshop or sold lots of books on eBay. I was already a little frustrated when I walked in because none of the categories of books I particularly collect (natural history/reptiles/marriage/sex guidance books up to the 60s/sexuality) had been categorised. So I had to search through tables of thousands upon thousands of books in General Non Fiction, Leisure/Pets/Lifestyle and Australiana, to find anything that I was really wanting to buy. And I didn't have as many OMG moments as I was anticipating.
But probably the book that I liked finding the most was a Yates Garden Guide published in the mid 1970s because it brought back fond memories of an edition my mother had which I used to look at quite a bit when I was a kid, fantasising about recreating the garden (complete with pond) that was featured in that edition. As soon as I found it, I was overcome with very nice memories of my childhood.  So I quickly plonked that in my bag (it was $1.00) and whispered a 'you beauty' contentedly to myself.
I still managed to buy 27 books and I spent a pretty enjoyable three and a half hours at the Fair. I was intrigued by some people who wore those white cotton gloves that you are required to wear when you are reading a rare book at a state library, but I suspect in this case it was to protect the wearer from cold and flu virus particles that might have been on the books after so many hands had touched them. (I made sure I washed my hands vigorously once I had finished at the fair). I got annoyed with the people with the proper shopping trolleys that you use at the supermarket, though. These could be hired at the Fair but I thought the users were a bit rude when they parked them along the edge of a table, basically meaning that a good linear metre or so of books were out of reach while they had their trolley parked.
Anyway, a very enjoyable book fair and I'm now looking forward even more to the University of Newcastle's book fair in August.