One Week Down Under
Trip Start
Dec 26, 2009
1
28
67
Trip End
Apr 10, 2010
Binna Burra, New South Wales, Australia
Monday, January 4, 2010
Spent a lovely New Year's Day walking along the never ending beaches of the Gold Coast. We were situated just down the road from the famous 'Surfers Paradise' where all of the tourists hang out, but not us...'cuz we're not 'tourists'. We started off at Broadbeach, walked for an hour of so south and could've kept on going...for days, but turned around and came back for a picnic lunch instead.
In Australia, the beaches are wonderfully long and wide; they're filled with splishing and splashing; swimming and snacking; good looking surfers and long-legged blondes in tiny little swimming thongs; lots of activity - plenty to do and see; and best of all two silly Canadians trying to fit in and having a great ol' time!
We've ventured up to Binna Burra in Lamington National Park and did a trek in the rainforest. There we saw some magnificant trees, a few caves nestled in the mountain side, and our first little critter - a little wallaby (small kangaroo). Norm spotted her just below the foot path with her little baby close to her side. This particular roo (mom) was about 18 inches high.
After the trek we headed down the mountain and stopped to watch some fellas with their small gliding planes swooping to and fro. Hand-held controllers directed the planes, which are about an arm-span length long. There we about 6 planes at the top of a pretty little valley catching the winds from the approaching storm. We saw the planes, got a bit wet from the rain, but never did see that storm.
Spent today day with my old work collegue and friend, Lyn - who I haven't seen for 12 years. We ventured south and north along the vast shoreline. We went for coffee (seems like the thing to do around here); wandered around the yacht club where I got a personal tour of a very beautiful boat (valued in the $2.5 million range - a snazzy, 'please remove your shoes' type of boat); went out to the spit and watched the waves crash along the shoreline; and then drove to several beaches and sat back as the surfers and kite surfers entertained us with their skills.
And, for those of you who may have doubted him, Norm has turned out to be a pretty good driver on the wrong side of the road. He's very cautious at the round-a-bouts (traffic circles) and we still see the occassional windshield wiper movement instead of a signal, but other than that he's terrific. Looks like Norm's driving lessons from Neil proved to be quite valuable. Needless to say, I can hardly wait for him to start his surf lessons!
Having fun and absolutely love the place!
Enjoy the photos.
Sharon and Norm
Comments
Thanks for the blog. We didn't see the wallaby or girls in skinny thongs. What's up with that eh! Loved the tree hugger! Hey Norm careful with the yacht tours or Sharon will be wanting to buy one and travel around the world. How cold was the water they were surfing in? Keep having fun and definitely keep those blogs coming. We enjoy reading them. We feel like we're there with you.
We don't have any more snow than when you left BUT the temperature has dropped drstically! Very Very cold! Enjoy your summer in Australia!
Ann and Steve
Lovely photos and what a busy week. I'd love to see the surfers up close next time. Have you had any ribs on the barbie yet?
The East Coast of Australia between the Sunshine Coast and Sydney is amazing. Lots of interesting nooks to explore. If you're looking for great coffee, food and shopping on the North Coast (Byron Bay area), head a few minutes out of Byron and you'll discover the eclectic village of Bangalow which is fast becoming a true artisan & gourmet foodie trail. Best coffee at Fish-heads! Best cakes at Utopia! Coldest beer at the Bangalow Pub! If you're looking for accommodation try www.summerhills.com, a lush retreat when you're sick of travelling and want to relax for a little while and enjoy stunning views.