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Published: June 14th 2007
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So finally we were our way to Queensland which is also known as the ‘sunshine state’ as it is blessed with over 300 days of sunshine a year. Queensland is such a diverse part of Australia which has the most amazing white sandy beaches, lush tropical rainforests, magnificent mountain ranges that stretch all the way to the very dry and very hot outback and then there of course the most important thing for me, the great barrier reef which is said to be the largest living organize in the world! So as you can understand I was very excited to have arrived in a state that offers so much along with having heard that Queenslanders are a ‘mad as a bunch of hatters’ which suited me fine, I couldn’t wait!
Emily and I drove straight to the Gold Coast which is Australia’s very own little Las Vegas with high rise buildings apartment bocks everywhere, casinos, shopping centers the size of airports and hundreds or restaurants and tourists shops all competing to take your money. All of this is situated right next to a huge 35km white sand beach.
Before arriving here I didn’t think I was going to like
it that much as I knew it was going to be so commercialized and touristy but after all the small quite places we had been to in New South Wales it was a welcomed change to see all these huge skyscraper souring into the sky and neon flashing lights everywhere trying to entice you into there place.
Emily and I could help noticing was how the place reminded us of America in nearly every way from the type of bars and restaurants to the signs and buildings to the general feel of the area. The only give away was when you spoke to someone and they had a Aussie accent but apart from that it had such did have an American feel to it.
We managed to really good campsite across the road from the beach and only a half hour walk into town. It was the first time either of us have camped in amongst a huge bunch of skyscrapers. It was such strange sight waking up in the morning and looking out and seeing the usual sight of other camper and trees etc and then behind all that seeing high rise apartment blocks surrounding us on three
sides! We were so used to camping in the middle of know where surrounded by lakes, mountains or forest.
Having crossed the border into Queensland both Emily and I noticed that the weather was a whole better, even though we were only about 40kms up the coast from Coolangatta, the weather had definitely warmed up to the point were a day or two lying on the beach and around the pool was in order to relive some of the stress of traveling ha ha!
Walking around Surfers was great, it was so different from everywhere we had been to before since leaving Sydney, out first impressions where that it was a refreshing change from what we had gotten used to over the past month. It was really built up and touristy like I had expected but definitely done it a good and tasteful way that didn’t make it look tacky and cheap.
On our first night we had dinner and a few drinks at this really cool looking Las Vegas type bar which did some surprising good cheap food. There where so many pokie (gambling) machines that lit up the whole restaurant and bar area that for
all I knew we could have been in a Las Vegas club, and gave us a great unique feeling while eating our dinner.
As usual we had a walk around the town to see what was about and to give us a few ideas on what to do over the next few days. There definitely wasn’t a shortage of things to see and do our only problems was money as most of the theme and water parks where so dammed expensive especially for someone who is traveling as long as me.
The following morning was the first time since we started camping that we had to get up and out of the tent as the heat was getting unbearable, so we new we were in for a good day so after brekie we walked over the road and laid on the beach for a few enjoyable hours soaking up the rays. The sea water was a little cold (yes I know I’m a wimp!) so we decided to use the pool at the campsite as all the other pools we had been to bar the one at Yamba had been far to cold! We carried on the rest of
the afternoon relaxing and chilling out by the great little pool as it was such a hot day and we had nothing better to do.
We did finally manage to tear ourselves away from the pool eventually and decided to walk the beautifully scenic walk along the beach and in to the heart to Surfers Paradise. I can now see why they called it Surfers Paradise with the amazingly white sand and huge waves crashing into the beach given ideal surf to all the people out in the sea on there surf boards, it really was a terrifically beautiful place and so much nicer than I had ever expected.
Once in town we walked around and looked in all the little tourists’ shops selling the usual boomerangs and didgeridoos etc before heading to line our stomachs with some food before we hit the bars.
We went to number of bars including the hard rock café, which was really cool but so expensive that we only decided to have one drink here. I think that now makes 4 different hard rock cafés in four different counties I have been too now!
We carried on round a few more on the bars
before having one of nicest kebabs I have ever tasted to take on the long walk back to the campsite where we promptly passed out as soon as we got to our tent.
The next day it was decided that we would do some walking around the area of the main beach (where we where camped) and see some more of surfers during the day. So we set out on another one of Charlie ‘little walks’ and walked past the harbor back along the beach again and seen some really great looking buildings and all the lovely lakes the other side of surfers. Once we got back to the centre we noticed a crowd of people and seen over the heads that the meter babes where out with a new recruit an ex- Aussie Rules Foote player. I had seen the meter babes on TV program years ago and thought it was joke until I seen them here with my own eyes. They are 2 incredibly beautiful models that go around and put money into car parking meters for people wearing only a small tight gold bikini’s, it’s more of a tourist thing but it was great to see.
I couldn’t believe that at that point just as I had my camera out the camera decided to say the memory was full - what a git!! So sorry to all the boys reading this that I don’t have pics of these two girls as there were stunning!
I think by the time we had finally walked back to the campsite we had covered over 12 kms! We keep getting into a habit of walking and walking and then realizing when we are miles from home that we suddenly feel tired and then have the whole walk back by which time we are totally knackered. Note to self; start walking back home before you feel totally knackered!
We did have enough energy to cook a very good BBQ and then crashed out reading our books and relax the rest of the evening.
I was so impressed with Surfers, it was so much better than I ever expected, unfortunately we didn’t mange to do any of the theme parks as there were just too expensive and second day we were here it was a little cold to go to the water parks. My opinion of Surfers was like a big
city condensed down to all the fun and cool shops and missing all the other rubbish you usual get in a big city. I will defiantly be back her some time for a proper night out, to try the surf and the at least one of the theme parks!
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Eva and Si
non-member comment
Empty Beach!
This place looks lush - can't believe there isn't a soul on that huge stretch of beach! Shame you're memory ran out on the camera mate, haha! Bet you were gutted!? Nice to see you're embracing the local cuisine: "...having one of nicest kebabs I have ever tasted."