The Spit

Sorry it’s been a couple of weeks since my last entry. Life has slipped into some kind of normality, whatever that is? (Mental Note….must NOT let that happen!!!).

So I thought I would tell you about ‘The Spit” This is where Marty goes to fish - not that he’s ever caught anything worth mentioning there. However it’s a great place to sit & watch the world go by. – Jet Ski’s racing backwards & forwards & boats everywhere. Some very big & expensive. These boats are nearly always full of people. I can’t help but think about the passengers on these boats & wonder how many of them are genuine friends of the owner and how many are friends just for notoriety? Or maybe these boats are hired & my mind is just evil???
And just when you are lost in thought of the lives of others a commercial Jet boat speeds buy full of passengers looking for a thrill.

Most times I take a book to The Spit & sit on a rock to read, occasionally distracted by what’s happening on the water, all the while Marty attempts to catch fish! (Marty really misses the fishing in New Zealand)

On this particular day that I took pictures at The Spit, it poured with rain on the way in. We drove right through it, Yay……., but it followed us & we sat in the car waiting for the rain to pass. So much for bringing the camera I thought? It did pass & Marty baited up his fishing rod & threw it out. (We should have gone home when we first sighted the rain?). He got attacked by insect’s but insisted rather than leaving we should move….. so we moved...... & he baited up his fishing rod & threw it out. Now the tide is moving too fast, OMG can’t bloody win!!!
(I must be quick)…… click click click……time to go home!!!!!!!!!

Waitangi Day Celebrations on the Gold Coast.

Is sooooo much better than in NZ. No Political Crap to spoil the day!!! Just a bunch of Kiwi’s together enjoying the sun & entertainment. Kiwi music, Kiwi ‘T’ shirts, black singlet’s, Greenstones & Kete’s, not to mention Tui beer & Montana Wine & a Hangi for lunch. Along with endless other stalls selling Kiwi only products. & man us Kiwi’s, we love our tattoo’s!!!

So it was heaps of sun block & a hat (slip slop slap) & we planted our butts in front of the stage for some Kiwi & Polynesian performers. They put on a fabulous display, & gave us a good laugh with some of the more erotic Polynesian dancing, embarrassing some of the volunteers from the audience!!!

Good ol’ Kiwi bands Ardjah & Herbs performed last - with Herbs finishing up the day singing an old Kiwi favorite (A Slice of Heaven) Ba da dup boom boom, ba da dup boom boom, ba da da da dum…….

Gold Coast Food & Wine Festival. (We didn’t let the team down!

Marty & I went to the Gold Coast Convention Center to go to a clothing liquidation sale. What a disappointment, no wonder they were in liquidation?!

So as there was also a food & wine festival on, we thought we would indulge ourselves & paid our $16 each entry fee collected our wine glasses & in we went…...

Beer, wine, liqueurs, breads, dips, cheese, coffee & more……. By the time we had got to the end of the second isle we were aware we would not be driving the car home. “What you’re meant to spit it out”!!!!…. Ahhhhh I don’t think sooo?!!! We went round three times, we didn’t let the team down hahaha.

On leaving we put our purchases in the car, a bottle of Tawny Port & the yummiest White Liqueur Muscat - That I don’t want to share?!!

We checked out Broadbeach, went for a ride on the mono-rail & then into Surfers for a bite to eat. Mmmm pizza & a cocktail.

Caught the bus home, watched a couple of movies while waiting for the time to pass so we could go back & collect our car.
Another bus ride (at this hour of the night the bus smells like the pub) back to the Convention Center, & sitting behind us is a very drunk & embarrassing Kiwi, who is trying to have a conversation with a Korean Guy sitting next to him, who speaks very little English so our Kiwi bloke has to repeat himself.
“The chicks here at Surfers are really HOT aye HOT. You’re a pretty hot guy? Bet you pull the chicks” he continues.
Most of the bus can hear this conversation & I am just wishing he would ‘shut up’ or get off the damm bus!!! Eventually he did with Marty confirming
“this is your stop bro, this is where you need to get off man”.
What a relief & what a laugh.

Midnight found us back in our car & heading to ‘Mc D’s’ for a midnight feed, which we took down by the water to eat.

Australia Day Weekend & I’m still a Petrol Head….

The roar of revving engines, the smell of smoke from burning rubber….. It’s been a long time since I have allowed myself to indulge this side of my personality And on a hot summers day on the Gold Coast I found myself totally immersed & enjoying ‘The Drifting’.
Marty & I took soooo many photos’ (it’s taken me forever to sort through them). It was hard just to pick one or two to post on this page.
Some of the more ‘dare devil’ drivers had us on our feet & holding our breath wondering if they were going to collide. Driving skills certainly improved as the day’s events unfolded & they finished up with some entertaining team events.

Sunshine Coast & Noosa

Heaven can be found driving along an Australian motorway listening to music in a cheap black station wagon………Yep another road trip (love road trips). This time to the Sunshine Coast to show Marty where I had holidayed with my good friend Julie a year & a half ago.

First stop Mooloolaba to my favorite shop full of wonderful things imported from Asia & India, especially the Jewelery! I had to leave with at least one treasure (so hard to pick only one!!!)
I decided on a lovely teak bangle with sliver & onyx on the outside of it.

With that mammoth task done we took a short stroll up the road for a yummy Jamaican Blue coffee. Then to the ‘Loo with a View’ before jumping back in the car for a short drive down the road to Maroochydore showing Marty the apartments that I had stayed in when holidaying with Julie.

Noosa was our next stop. A lovely tourist destination. We only drove through the shopping center as Marty was all shopped out, (after stopping at my favorite shop in Moolooaba). And of course you cannot leave without a visit to the lovely beach at Noosa.
By this time our ‘heavenly black car’ was in need of gas! Noosa’s Servo’s (Aussie word for Petrol; Station) are all hidden!!! What a mission to find one? With our fuel light ‘glowing’ we eventually found a ‘Servo’ – filled our petrol tank to the brim, complained to the lovely lady attendant about hidden Servo’s and went on our merry way in search of the Noosa Lookout. After driving around in circles & consulting the map we found one – (Not sure if it’s the one we were looking for?), took photos & headed off in the direction of home.

Byron Bay (NSW) – Just Love it!

The streets were filled with people wearing comfortable cotton ethnic clothing, leather sandals & dreadlocks are a part of the dress code.

The shops are a total trap selling all the things that stimulate the creative ethnic/grunge dresser. (that’s meeee!!!) And I won't even start on the jewelery..........

Beautiful sandy beaches & oooooooh a’ lighthouse’ (one of my favorite things) From the lookout points at the lighthouse we could see stingray, turtles & what we & others thought was a shark!!! Other days it is a good viewing point for dolphins & whales

The day we went there was very hot, sweat was leaking out of every pour of our bodies, but you won’t hear us complaining. Marty & I just had a laugh about how annoying it is when the sweat runs into your eyes. Bryon Bay just has a lovely feel & we were so happy to be there………

A shark attack happened up the coast that day, so I guess it was a good thing we had forgotten our togs?!!

We will be going back to check out more of the cafes & the Pub which has live bands. I’m told my favorite NZ band Kora sometimes play there. And of course to take a tour of the lighthouse.

I can’t wait………..

Springbrook NSW

We crossed the border to NSW to venture into another rain forest. Visiting the Purling Brook Falls along the way……a real tourist attraction so we discovered. Although you feel like you are out in the ‘boonies’, you are actually only a 30 minute drive from Surfers Paradise. The road is narrow & winding & there are stretches of road 180 meters long that are one way only, along with other one way bridges. We drove up steep & high to the ‘Best of All Look Out’ (Yes that is what the lookout is called!!!) The wind had a chill factor that reminded me of home. In fact a lot reminded me of home. It is so lush & green! I had to walk fast to keep warm, past trees that were 2000 years old, only stopping briefly for a quick photo & moving right along to keep the blood circulating!!! At the top you could see for miles & miles, absolutely breathtaking. However, we didn’t stay long as yes I was cold, so off I headed back down the mountain at speed to where mother earth is nice & warm!!
Photo’s.….Spot the lizard in the wild & the photo with Surfers Paradise in the distance! Tree Trunk is the 2000 year old tree & check out Marty’s silly pose at the ‘Best of All Look Out’?