Surfers Paradise

A reader has brought to my attention that I have been tardy with my blog entries. Quite frankly I have fallen into a holiday routine of going to the beach in the morning, and lying on the couch reading in the afternoon.

This is why we come to the Gold Coast, the beach, and the weather. Above is Main Beach looking South, and below is looking North.

You can see high rise apartment and hotels line the beach. Looking back at the main mall is Cavill Avenue (below).
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Flat out in Surfers Paradise

Yesterday, the sun was out, and I spent the morning flat out on the beach at Surfers Paradise. I find the morning the best time, before it gets too hot. There's plenty to do on the Gold Coast, however it still has a laid back feel; you can do alot or a little depending on your mood.

It's also fairly easy to move around, unlike Sydney. Here they have one wireless transport card, Translink, that can be used on all public transport, and they are building a light rail. If you are traveling to Brisbane there is an excellent freeway system that will take you into the heart of the city.

 I must admit it does rankle me to admit that the Queenslanders are smarter regarding transport than us in Sydney, despite Sydney being the powerhouse of the Nation's economy, we still can't easily move around the place. It's a pressing issue for business and indeed, all Sydneysiders. Fortunately, we now have a Prime Minister who is actually from Sydney who will give the needed 'kick up the bum' to the NSW Government to get moving!

Travel info:

http://www.translink.com.au- the transport website for information on the Translink Card (the transport card) and a handy Journey Planner. Simple, and so easy.

Surfers Paradise & Pacific Fair

It was wet day in paradise, and I went in search for indoor pursuits. Unfortunately I chose a semi-outdoor shopping centre.

Pacific Fair or 'Pac Fair' as the locals call it, and I who visit my parent's holiday unit a few times a year, wouldn't dare to classify myself as one, is the main shopping centre on the Gold Coast. You will probably find yourself ending up at Pacific Fair, and no doubt probably run into someone you know.

The rain wasn't letting go, so I went to the movies, always a good bet on a wet day. I enjoyed the new Geoffrey Rush film, The Best Offer, and Geoffrey was brilliant as he always is in all his roles.

When the weather clears I will do something exciting, but then perhaps not. I'm on holiday after all.

Surfers Paradise

This is what brings people to the Gold Coast, the sunny weather, and miles of golden beaches. This is the main beach at Surfers Paradise.  A boardwalk runs along the side of the beach that is popular with walkers, joggers and cyclists.

The main mall is Cavill Avenue that runs east west to Surfers main beach, where you will find shops and a entertainment centre. The Avenue intersects with this mall where you will find most of the nightclubs.

I was strolling around Surfers yesterday thinking I've been coming here since I was a kid. It
s hard to put my travel writer's cap on to write about a place that is so familiar. Now, after having visited the great Theme Parks like Disney World, Universal Studios, Disney Land, and holiday islands like Hawaii and Fiji, it puts the Gold Coast in a different light.

So, while I ponder how best to scribe this place, here are a couple of websites to get you started (see below).

Travel info:

http://www.surfersparadise.com

http://www.discoverqueensland.com.au

New trip to the Gold Coast in Australia

This afternoon I will be flying from Sydney up to the beautiful Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. For my American readers the Gold Coast is Australia's version of I guess Miami, Florida. There are miles of golden beaches, theme parks, and a vibrant nightlife. Popular with international visitors and Australians escaping the winter chill it's about an hour flight from Sydney Airport to Gold Coast Airport, and from there about half an hour by car, bus or taxi.

FACTS: 

Gold Coast 

94km south of Queenslands capital, Brisbane
Population: 590,000
Airport - Gold Coast Airport
Theme Parks - Sea World, Dream World, Movie World (and many more)
Climate - sub tropical

You don't have to be rich to travel

I was having a conversation with someone yesterday who said that I won't be able to travel now that I'm a struggling university student. True, I won't be able to stay at 4 or 5 star hotels, and eat out at expensive restaurants, and live my, what some would call a hedonistic lifestyle. But, you really don't have to be rich to travel.

Firstly, if you can afford to live in a city in a modern Western country, like Sydney or New York, then you definitely can afford to travel in most of Asia or Southern and Eastern Europe. It's cheaper in those places than living at home. For example rents are cheaper, and you could rent out your existing apartment or house on http://www.airbnb.com, and come out ahead. Eating out is cheaper; a good coffee is around $4 in Sydney, but $1.50 in Spain. Beer is $5.50, and $2.50 in Spain. In Asia you can eat out at the food stalls for like $2. So, in essence, if you live in a Western Country you are really rich in comparison to other countries.

Travelling is so much easier now, and with all the information technology we can easily find the cheapest deals on flights (http://www.skyscanner.com), train trips, accommodation, or tickets to entertainment events.You can check travel reviews on http://www.tripadvisor.com before you book accommodation, or follow Travel Blogs like this one - if only to give you confidence that if I can do it, so can you.

However, if you wish to travel inexpensively you could hike, and just sleep under the stars in a bivy, tarp, or tent. (See my Ultra light Shelter system blog post). There are a number of long distance walks in Europe, like the Comino in Spain to the Cathedral at Santiago. There's the Appalachian Trail in the United States, which ever since I saw the National Geographic article, I've wanted to do.

If camping is too much of a stretch for you, then staying at a hostel in Europe is quite cheap, at around $20 a night, and you pay extra to have your own room if you like. It's definitely cheaper to rent an apartment instead of staying at a hotel.

In conclusion, you really don't have to be rich to travel. Sure, you have to be more careful with your money, but you can make it work. There are a number of options depending on how much you wish to spend. So, get out there, and get out on the road.

Decompressing after the Europe Trip

After the long flight home (23 hours) I'm starting to get back in sync with Sydney time. You need time to decompress after travel, to get back into the normal routine. The first few days after a trip are strange. You have to get used to not having to pack again, or that you really don't have to go out and do something, visit something, see something.

Sometimes you immediately start planning for the next one. This is winter time in Sydney, and at 13 degrees, we really don't have anything to complain about compared to a Northern Hemisphere winter where it snows. It doesn't snow in Sydney. Still I usually plan to go overseas in our winter, to Europe or America, where it is summer. It's a sneaky way to get two summers. I highly recommend it.

Another way is to go somewhere tropical, like Fiji. I love Fiji, and it's only five hours or so from Sydney, and it's relatively cheap. We are lucky to have a holiday house in sub tropical Queensland, where I often escape too. I think I spent six weeks up there last winter. Another favourite destination is Hawaii, and for my friends on the West side of America, that's where I would be heading. I love Hawaii, especially the North Shore.

However, I'm getting ahead of myself, first I have to update my blog entries, organise my photos, upload video, and add more information, and go through the normal decompression phase after travel.