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

[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.