Queensland: Day 1

[calissa]

I've cut this up into a couple of parts in the hopes of getting it posted before the end of the year.

Warning: pic spam ahead.





The first day was probably the longest. Our flight left at 9AM and we were at the Gold Coast by 11. After sorting out car hire and whatnot, Sahaquiel and I headed to the Elephant Rock Cafe on the advice of a friend. The cafe had some pretty amazing tofu burgers (quite possibly the best meal of the trip) and this gorgeous view of Currumbin Beach:



It is a pretty typical Australian beach (at least on the east coast) and was balm for my ocean-deprived soul. Don't get me wrong--I love where I live inland. But there is something soothing about the beach.

We ate and went for a wander. My holey sneakers quickly filled with sand. It was glorious.

Next, we headed north to Brisbane and spent a few hours wandering South Bank's Parklands.



The photo really doesn't do it justice.



We did some touristy stuff, ate icecream, then headed to a nearby pub where I'd been invited to attend a gathering of local writers. I caught up with some friends and made some new ones. It's so rare I get a chance to see these people face-to-face, so it was really nice.

I was pretty worn out by this stage, however. I only stayed a little while before heading off to find some dinner. Then we drove another hour north to our accommodation on the Sunshine Coast. I collapsed into bed.

Comments

[raze]

Lovely photos! That structure that supports the flowers is terribly fascinating.

[calissa]

It was! In fact, it seemed to be a sculpture in its own right because the main beams that curve up weren't curved up in the same way along its length (which was considerable). The section in this photo was fairly regular, but in other places there was greater variation with some curving up more sharply and others curving over. This might give you a better idea.

[wispywillow]

Wow, I can only imagine how lovely that flower structure is!

[calissa]

As I said above, try this for a better idea of the overall effect.

[onewhitecrow]

I can't stop staring at your weird foreign whelks...

[calissa]

Are they very strange?

[onewhitecrow]

They look knitted...

[calissa]

Perhaps I need to take a trip to the nearest beach (only about a 2hr drive from home) to see if the ones there are the same or whether it is a tropics thing.

[lynnoconnacht]

Oh... That looks absolutely gorgeous. <3 I'm glad to hear it sounds like the trip went so well and that you both enjoyed yourselves. <3

[calissa]

Thank you! We had a very lovely time indeed, though I was quite worn out by it all.

[sidheblessed]

Everything looks so lovely. I'm glad you go to see your QLD writerly friends face to face.

Also I got a bit excited when I saw the pics of Southbank. I used to go there often with my family when my grandmother still lived in Brisbane.

[calissa]

South Bank is a lovely area. It must have been great to go there so often.