Paradise in Surfers?

---

We left Simon's after sleeping on his sofa for 2 nights. Very different to British student life, they live in the most beautiful apartment overlooking a lake. Really spacious and modern, they also all drive really nice cars and live a more luxurious lifestyle than any students I've ever met! Did a major shop to replace all the essentials that were stolen, shopping in Australia is good, lots of Billabong shops but it's the same price as back home. All other shops are probably about half the price although you don't really get any of the brands from home, but I recognise lots from the developed cities in Asia.

Drove from there to a hostel in Surfers Paradise and we've decided to carry on the trip but swap the van for a normal car and stay in hostels. Although it's more expensive it's definatley the best option for the rest of the trip and a car will be easier to drive. Also will be easier to hide all our belongings and we won't look like such an easy target for thieves. Quite excited to get a normal driveable car, it did feel at times like the brakes on the van were non-existant and the only way to stop it suddenly was to try to get it into 1st or 2nd gear as quickly as possible. Hostels in Australia are so different to any of the hostels I've stayed in up until now, they are very sociable, probably because a lot of people travel here on their own. They also make it there mission to ensure that you have fun, which feels like being organised and feels like a step down from the independance we had up until now. However it's a great way to meet more people and to find out what's going on.

Surfers Paradise is, well interesting. I thought I'd hate it after what people had said about it, but I don't, but I would hate to live here! It's trying very hard to be American, you could easily compare it to an Australian Los Angeles only smaller. Lots of young(ish) wannabe people who are posing up and down the beach, and lots of (usually older) people oiled up trying to improve on that already leathery tan. Young (well were young once and wish they still were) people driving cars that would look so out of place in the UK, colourful V8 'utes' and other supercars are really common. The 'feel' to the town is very showy offy, the guide book accuratley describes it as the 'Paris Hilton' of the Gold Coast. Everyones very dressed up and not afraid to show off how much money they can throw around and every night out in Surfers is a big night out! We're staying in a hostel in the more upmarket area of Main Beach, our next door neighbours are a Sheraton hotel and the Versace Palace which is entirely designed by Ms Versace herself and has a stream of lambos, farraris and limos pulling up outside. So we had a big night out in Surfers (as I said, any night is a big night) and went to the ice bar, which was bloody freezing! I think they said it was about -11centigrade but we only managed one drink even though they supply huge warm coats and ugg boots. Was an experience though and made the cool evenings that they have here feel like a sauna. Going out in Australia is a much more sociable experience than back at home, or pretty much anywhere else I've been, people will just talk to you and not for any other motive other than just to have a laugh.

Wasn't too bigger night as we decided (mainly because we had the photos of our dolphin watching stolen) to go wale watching. Was pretty cool although me and Siov felt a bit sea sick. We watched 2 humpback wales jump around a bit and do waley things. Definatley an experience though!

Drove up to Brisbane and it's so stressful driving her, really badly sign posted and full on city driving which we've not to do since well driving back at home. But we've swapped the car for a little toyota corrolla which is much nicer to drive and much more secure. Not that we can drive it in Brisbane without wanting to kill ourselves, it involves a lot of screaming and men in lorries shouting at us and getting confused by one way systems. Brisbane is just like any big Australian city although the centres really nice. Clean, recently done up etc, don't like it quite as much as Sydney but is warmer which makes everything better! Weather is getting colder though as winters setting in and definatley jeans and jacket weather, all the locals are in full on winter coats! Trying to plan the rest of the trip which is causing mild financial stress but hopefully it'll all work itself out.

---