Friday 5^th February – Neon Pop

I drove into the city—which turned out to be really difficult to do at that time of day—and parked in Brisbane’s most confusing carpark at King George Square. It has Brisbane’s most confusing lift—especially if you’re parked on one of the levels not on the lift, but which somehow still have the lift.

Everything else about this car park is also confusing.

It is $18 for an hour from 5.30am to 6pm. And $5 flat from 4.30pm. Apparently I am the only person to find that confusing. It is also open 24 hours a day (according to the large sign) and locked after closing. Vehicles exiting after midnight are charged a $50 release fee. Except on Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

Requests for escorts must be made at the Roma Street booth.

Or to put that more simply, like the website does:

5.30am to 6pm:
	up to 15 minutes FREE
	up to 20 minutes $5
	up to half an hour $10
	up to one hour $18
	up to one and a half hours $22
	up to two hours $25
	up to two and a half hours $27
	up to three hours $30
	up to three and a half hours $32
	up to four hours $35
	over four hours $35 (for cars entering before 4.30pm)
	early bird rate - $20 per day (for cars entering between 5.30-7am and exiting between 1-6pm) maximum daily rate $35 (for cars leaving before 6pm)
Vehicles entering the car park before 4.30pm and exiting after 6pm will be charged the applicable casual day parking fees up to 6pm, then night parking fees apply.
Hybrid cars pay half fees (5.30am-midnight)
Monday to Thursday 4.30pm to midnight: $5
Friday 4.30pm to Saturday 5.30am: $5
Saturday 7am to Sunday 6.30am: $5
Sunday 7am to 11pm (assume car park ceases existing from 6:30am to 7am in unexpected distortion of reality): $5
Public holidays 7.30am to 11pm (unless otherwise advised): $5

Quite simple really.

Oh, and the ticket machines are only on Level A (or is it Level B? Best just to use exit K on the lift and take the stairs), just past Platform Zero in the King George Square Bus Station.

Neon Pop

After managing to escape from the carpark and meet Bronwen, we walked to Post Office Square, where the Neon Pop cosplayers were getting ready for their parade, and then watched them parade through Queen Street Mall to Reddacliff Place. It started to rain just before the parade started, but fortunately stopped. Having Neon Pop in the city, on a weekday, and mostly at night, wasn’t anywhere near as good as last year at Southbank, and the crowds and lack of lighting made it difficult to get any good photos. Still, everyone had put in a great deal of effort and it was fun.

After the parade we bought sushi for dinner and drove to Bronwen’s parents’ place, where she spent the night.