Surfers...Paradise?

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12/1/09 = Arriving in Surfers Paradise

Should have been a brilliant nights sleep, but woke up with dreaded cramp again. tried to get back to sleep, but both legs were aching, so ended up getting up and down out of bed all morning. Gave up on sleep completely at 6:30 and did some reading and diary writing. Everyone else started to get up at 8am and I got up too. Was check out day today and moving on to Surfers Paradise. Got showered (made me feel bit better), packed up and checked out. Not leaving until afternoon, so had a walk into town - needed to walk legs off. Thinking about it, both times have had cramp, has been after body boarding. Is hard work and suppose I should stretch out after it...lesson learned!

Used internet for a while, then had another look round town. Bought a hat (to hopefully stop head burning) and an I Love Byron Bay bag to use for sailing trip to Whitsundays; not allowed to take any bags with zips onto boat, because apparently bed bugs live in zips? Wierd. Nice to wonder round town, but is only small and 2 wonderings = enough. Had a nice walk back to hostel (got an ice cream on way = bad; eaten far too much junk lately) and chilled out there forr a while. Too full to eat lunch now, but left it 30mins and then squashed in some sandwiches.

Got shuttle to greyhound bus stop at 3pm. Bags = way too heavy; definitely need to have a clear out and lighten load before back breaks! Had a long wait for bus because shuttle took us v.early. Wasn't a nice wait, because sun was boiling and I was shattered. Actually wished journey was longer just so could get some sleep. Only a 2hr journey to Surfers, but a wierd time difference of an hour because crossing into Queensland and they don't have daylight saving. Still had a nap anyway and when got off bus, met 2 other girls staying at same hostel as us. Rang for a lift and an actual limousine turned up...although not much to get excited about; was probably the worst limousine still driving face of Earth. Crammed in anyway and piled out at hostel. Hostel was o.k., but living situation a bit of a joke. Rooms set out in individual sections, each with a bedroom, a living room, kitchen and bathroom. They had clearly ran out of space, because we ended up sleeping in bunkbeds crammed into living room. Bonus that closer to toilet and kitchen, but bit of a bummer every time someone walked though to get to those same two things. Nice guy already staying in room and had a good chat to him and a couple of other guys staying there. Then belly called out and had to go to supermarket to get food.

Found Woolworths quite easily and had quick team talk about dinner plans. Went for classic = spaghetti bolognaise. Bought ingrediants and breakfast, then trooped back to hostel. Started cooking straight away because were so hungry and was actually really good to have our own kitchen; felt bit like we were living in our own flat. Deb and Hat chopped, I cooked and was all beautiful. Had the biggest plate ever (know I say that all time...but even Canadian guy was gobsmacked...small height does not = small belly!) and ate it all up. Granted, I couldn't move for a while afterwards, but was worth it. Found a brilliant film on TV to watch afterwards = Double Jeapordy and all got in our beds to watch it = v.nice. Made myself stop watching half way through and had a brilliant nights sleep 😊


13/1/09 = Wet 'n' Wild + a night out in Surfers

Woke up early because v.hot in room. Grabbed some breakfast, then headed straight outside to eat it. Hadn't decided what to do for day yet, so had quick team talk and decided to go to theme park. Chose Wet 'n' Wild rather than dreamworld, because was a hot day and all fancied being cooled by water. Got ready, bought tickets from reception ($45 each) then caught a v.busy bus to water park. Had to stand up all way, but wasn't too long a journey. Excellent when got there and could walk straight to front of queue because already bought tickets 😊. All v.excited and it looked brilliant already. Threw our things into a locker and made straight for the first ride. Not that busy yet, but with every 5mins that passed, more people pooled in.

First ride went for was a group dinghy ride down a slide. Hardly had to queue at all. Love water parks and never really get scared of rides, but absolutely hate walking up those windy, metal, grate steps you have to walk up, where you can see straight through to the floor. Was dreading it for first one, but was suprised that it didn't really bother me. Think am getting better with the heights phobia. Anyway, the ride was awesome; flew down it as a group of 5 and got competely soaked (wouldn't really be a water park if you didn't). Next ride went for = Surf Rider. No water involved at all; more of a theme park ride. Queue was much bigger for this and park generally already alot more busy. Queued for about 30mins, but when did get on, thought it was brilliant. Wouldn't queue for 30mins again, but really good.

Next ride was my favourite = Tornado. Went down a slide in a dinghy of us 3, then got spat out of slide and into a giant funnel. Flew round funnel and got drenched from all sides. Was brilliant. All rides were much of a muchness. Went on one in a group dinghy of 2 that involved skidding up and down a ramp, and also went on the classic: Blackhole. Stopped for lunch then because was already 2pm. Weren't supposed to be buying anything bad, but as always, I couldn't quite manage it. Ended up with a burger meal and chips and went down v.well... a little too well! Didn't have any time to let food rest, so had to waddle little pot belly straight back over to next ride. Went on speedracer and all had mats to race down shoots. Don't know how managed it, but I won...yeh! Maybe it was the extra weight of the pot belly?!? Did another dinghy ride, then only rides left that hadn't been on were individual rides. None of us were bothered for going on them, so went back to the favourite = Tornado. Brilliant again. Did another slide ride, then went to wave pool to end day. Had to wait a while, but waves were really good. Day gone already at this point. Had to go back to lockers, get dried and then had one last mooch around park. Me and Hat managed to squeeze one last dinghy ride in, because there was no queue, then off we went at 5:10pm.

Bus came at 5:15 and jumped on it to get a seat. No courtesy for elderly or pregnant here; think if they had took one look at me, they would have donated their seat to me! Was absolutely shattered and fell asleep 5mins after bus set off. Could have easily gone to bed for night, but got back to hostel at 6 and had to start getting ready for night out. Surfers Paradise not known for beaches or surfers, but big nights out. To be honest, looks v.similar to Majorca/Tenerife or any other commercial holiday place. Wasn't anybodies favourite place, but v.big on nightlife, so had to go out. Got in grotty shower, had tasty dinner (beans on toast - always a winner) then went outside to have a drink and play some cards. Big group of us going out on a hostel 'pub crawl', so all got together. Met 2 guys from 'down south' called Alex and Rich, 4 girls from England, Canadian from room and 2 guys from Switzerland; all nice. Had the awful goon to drink, so made sure I drunk it v.slowly and gulped hard....this kind of stuff can easily come straight back up...is easily the most awful thing I've tasted in a while! V.glad I managed to not lose any of the games = downing of the drink, although I did skulk off at one point when I thought my luck was running out. Got ready at 9:15 and then all left at 10.

Walked in a big group to first bar = Melbas. Got straight in as a group and a free drink with hostel = good. Thought would just be a rubbish shot of 'cocktail', but was pleasantly suprised that got to pick own drink. Had a lovely vodka....miss vodka...why can't that be $8 for 4litres like the awful goon is. Sat down and chatted, then got up and had a good dance. Music was o.k. (except for odd song they threw in here or there) and ended up dancing for rest of night. Hat and Deb shared bottle of wine, but I was happy shuffling along in my own little world. Was even sensible enough to start drinking water at 12:30 and could tell already was going to feel well tomorrow 😊. I danced with guys from hostel, girls drunk and we went back to hostel at around 2ish. Went to bed and straight to sleep.

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Photos

The butter incident!
Carried this butter on 2hrcoach trip in 'mild' heat. Picked it up from bottom and top fell off to reveal a perfect butter sandcastle. Couldn't have made so perfect if had tried. Yes...still ate the butter. We are travellers you know.

Wet
Would recommend a visit.

The Surfrider
Not as good as it looked

The Cyclone
Awesome!

Cool dinghy rides
Had a few go's on these.

The Blackhole
Named for obvious reasons.

The surfrider in the sun
Was a sunny day...honest.

Drinking games
Shame about the blurriness...although I am becoming partial to a bit of blur.