Surfers and Sunshine

Picture : Andrew, Michell, Jessica and Emma on arrival at Coolingatta




We met up with Jenny Walton at Maroochydore as planned and Alex Mc Naughton came through from Brisbane to join us for lunch at the Surf Club. What a wonderful view of the sea you get from the restaurant and the facilities are top class. So too was the food. This area was the centre of activity for SOCSPO 1999 and I can recall our various teams marching up from the beach by the Surf Club with our flags like in a surf carnival. It certainly is a great place for a holiday. After our lunch, we each had to go our separate ways. Alex back to the farm up near Maryborough, Jenny back to the pool??? and us off to Brisbane to meet up with Trish Morant's sister Margaret and husband Michael. Mick had to cut away a few high branches on the tree out by the road so we could get in the driveway but we didn't need to use the van because a nice comfy bed was on offer and we were not about to turn that down as Maureen was feeling rather off colour for a couple of days Trish's Mum Margaret was over on holiday so it was a nice get together. The hospitality was so good and so was the pool.We were reluctant to leave but had to get on the road again to Surfers Paradise to meet up with Andrew, Michelle and the kidlets who were flying in to Coolingatta.
On the way we also called in to see Maureens xSNZ workmate Eileen who has now moved to Surfers. She had prepared a lovely lunch for us so we consider we were well spoilt on our trip down here.

We met up with them OK at the airport and took them back to their accommodation at Broadbeach. They settled in to a week of beaches, theme parks and all that other stuff you do on holiday in Surfers. Andrew and Michelle took the kids to Seaworld and Wet & Wild and they really enjoyed themselves. They had a few rids and Jess and went to a 4D movie where the seats rock and where you actually get sprayed when the Polar Bear sneezes. We took Jessica and Emma to Movie World on one of the days. Grandma and Grandad are getting a little out of touch with the wild rides they have nowadays but we took the plunge and had a go on the Rocket Ride with the kids. That is a mini version of the roller coaster but it is just as fast and scary. The kids did things like the dodgems and other mild rides then Emma suggested we go on Scooby Doo. I chickened out because of the sign saying there may be a wait of half an hour. Well, that was my excuse. Both Emma and Grandma looked a bit green round the gills when they returned but we got up courage to move on to look at the log ride. Thats the one where the log comes zooming down the chute at the end with much splashing. I said to Jessica (bluffing) would she like a go on that with me and she took up my offer. Gulp! Anyway, it was quite an exhilarating ride especially the part where you go backwards down a slide in the dark. Jess was apprensive at the end when the doors opened at the top of that chute but before you knew we were soaking wet and the ride was over. When I suggested we should do it again, she was all keen so....argh!!! splash! Then to top it off, as we were walking back past Scooby Doo she made a beeline for it with me in tow. To me, that was the scariest ride of the day, especially the part where you go zooming round these sharp bends in the dark. I felt like we were going to tip off the rails but then I suppose thats what the ride is all about. I didn't offer to do that one again. In the meantime, Maureen was hunting down Bugs Bunny with Emma on the waterboats (which was mild Granny stuff), except when the tree was looking like falling on the boat. So we came away tired and probably 10 years older after all that.

After the week was up, Andrew and Michelle took off home amidst many tears from the girls who felt they were being abandoned, and in another country to boot. So we had a tearful journey back to the Caravan Park where other activities like the swimming pool drowned the tears. Next morning it was on the road or should I say, the M1, to Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast. We did a bit of free camping with an evening cook-up over the fire then it was on to Australia Zoo. That was a long day out but well worth the visit. The girls enjoyed getting alongside Kangaroos and Wallabies and also patting the Koalas. We saw Wombats, Alligators, Crocodiles, Snakes, Elephants, Tigers and many other animals. The Crocodile show started with a stage show by the 'Croc Men' and focused a bit on saving endangered species but it was also entertaining. They brought in a collection of snakes and birds, then on came the croc (just one). It was quite scary in that the keeper, to my mind was always inches from danger. They don't make pets and you don't have a relationship with them like the tigers and elephants we saw. During the show, the keeper commented that the croc wasn't looking at the food he was holding out but at him. Brrr! Perhaps it had more impact on us because a week earlier a 62 year old man had been taken by a croc up near Cooktown and it sounded like it was near the nature park that we had stayed at. Anyway, it certainly was a good show and we came away exhausted after the long day.

Maureen flew the kids back to New Zealand and met up with family and friends back home and had a good BBQ lunch on her last day coming back with a great photo of her and all the 6 grandkids. I chilled out in the rain at a local Heretage Park. I took the opportunity to repaint the ceiling of the van as well. Maureen arrived back at Coolingatta and so it was back on our travels again. This time heading south and inland for places like Tamworth, Dubbo, the Blue Mountains - where we will be able to meet up with Ray and Sheila Hall on holiday.