The time I went to the Sunshine Coast

Hi,

Ok - it is so hard writing this after 3.5 hours sleep.  I hope to get through my unread emails without too much effort and wrestle my workload back under control without a heck of a lot of cerebral power.

The trip to Queensland was such fun - and when I think at this time yesterday I was paddling in the sea at Surfers Paradise in my t-shirt and shorts, it is rather difficult to get my head around.

Anyway, I got an Uber to the airport for my 5am check-in without any bother.  Sat and waited for my flight.  The weather was stunning as we left Wellington, and I saw Ruapehu and Taranaki like huge lumps in the landscape. Watched a movie on the Virgin app and dosed a bit.  Landed, hurtled through customs (don't queue for the first machines - walk through to the main customs hall - plenty of machines there) and tried to ring for a pick up for Apex but the phone kept hanging up.  Anyway, a van came.  I jumped on.

Turns out I was super early.  It's much easier going through customs with no checked luggage or a child.  Or any duty free purchases (well, I did get some cream for Mum!).

Mt Ruapehu from my flight to Brisbane

Picked up a Holden Astra from Apex on Nudgee Road and jumped onto the motorway north.  I plugged the phone in and sang non-stop.  Ummm.  I stupidly took the Caloundra exit again (I have done this before) and added about 20 mins to my journey as I searched for the Sunshine Motorway again.

Note:  never take the Caloundra exit.  Even if the signs suddenly no longer show the Sunshine Coast as an option.  It really is an option.  Just a little further up the motorway.

Got to my parents place around 11am and chilled with my Mum for a while.  I may have fallen asleep on the floor a bit.  Hahahah.  Dad got home from work and we had tea out at a Thai place in Peregian Beach (or maybe it was Coolum) before I finally collapsed into bed.

Up early (5am) and away in the car by 6am for my drive into Brisbane.  I couldn't get the GPS on my phone to call out the directions, so I winged it, getting to within 500m of the Transit Centre carpark before I had to pull over and check the map.  Oosshh!  Parked in the carpark there, and walked over the pedestrian bridge to Southbank.  Had such a lovely walk to Nonna's Deli Espresso where I met Susan for breakfast.

Brisbane

Nepalese temple

Iced coffee with Susan @ Southbank - Nonnas Deli Espresso

 I was so happy to catch up with Susan.  It quite possibly might have been 2010 the last time we actually caught up.  When she lived in New Farm (or somewhere there - and Mike got blisters from walking on hot pavements with his barefeet before he ducked into a chemist and bought emergency jandals).

Susan is now a high school teacher, and I reckon her students must be some of the luckiest students in the country.  We chatted about our family and work and general life stuff for a few hours.  The food and iced coffee was so good too.  Great choice, Susan!

Susan then walked back with me to the city.  We said goodbye and I hope we see each other much more regularly.  I got back to the Transit Centre 10 mins before Jo was due on the Greyhound bus from Sydney.  16 hours on a bus!  Overnight.  OMG.  I feel a bit sick just thinking about it again.  Her bus got in at 11am (delayed due to traffic) and it was so good to see her step through the doors from the parking bay.

Selfie with Susan!

My feet arrive in Peregian Springs

Jo and I retraced my steps (so to speak) in the car back to Peregian Springs - although this time I didn't get lost on the motorway.  Phew!  We went for a swim in the pool in the late afternoon.  Nice.  I did miss Toby (and Tyler and Abby) at this point.

We went to Coolum for dinner with Jo.  Some family pub place.  It was ok - I had some baked avocado stuffed with blue cheese.  But the cheese was too strong for the avo flavour.  Sadly.  Vanilla ice cream for dessert though.  Mmmm.

And my feet get wet in the pool

Next morning we wandered down to Noosa marina (in Tewantin) and ate brunch there before jumping on the ferry to Noosa and Hastings St.  Mum and Dad checked out the surf club while Jo and I chilled on the beach.

Iced coffee at the Noosa Marina cafe

Jo - bored.

My feet @ Noosa's beach

Jo checks out the beach scene

Ma and Dad on the Noosa ferry

Jo wasn't feeling very well, so we didn't do a lot.  While we chilled at the beach, I went to find a pharmacy to get some medicine to help with her nausea.  But it didn't really help an awful lot.  It meant eating wasn't a lot of fun, and then Jo had no energy because she wasn't eating.  Poor Jo.

Dad and I got caught in a massive thunderstorm when we got back and decided we needed some groceries for tea.  When we came out of the supermarket, it was hosing down.  I ran to the car and got soaked.  Dad was soaked just trying to get into the car when I pulled up to the under cover section.  A small taste of the mad weather they have had recently.

I married a male model!  Yes - this is a random photo.  Mum has it on her sideboard.

We watched a movie at home in the evening.  Darkest Hour.  About Churchill.  Excellent movie.  Next day we had a lazy start and then drove up into the hinterland behind Sunshine Coast to visit Montville.  Very nice part of the world.  Tried a cafe.  Cute wee shops.  Hilly, even.

Iced coffee in Montville

My mother was checking out my hair - so she took a pic!

After making my mother traipse around hills, she decided against joining us in Surfers Paradise.  Too much strain on her joints.  I was sad.  She was sad.  But, actually, it was totally for the best.  She has a holiday soon, and needs to be as well as she can be to enjoy that.

In the end, Jo and I left Peregian Springs at around 8.45am and drove down through Brisbane to Wet n Wild and spent the day there.  What a hoot!  We loved it.  I loved the wave pool.  And the funnel ride.  And the other rides were great too.  Not much of a queue.  The weather was nice and hot.  Not a lot of drinking fountains.  We hired a locker for our gear and had to pad around the place in barefeet a lot.  I have blisters now from the hot, rough footpaths.  Should have worn jandals.  Should have taken jandals to Queensland.

Had fun here!

Ibis - for Toby.  And some rubbish.  And my rental car.  

Left Wet n Wild at about 4.30pm and headed into Surfers.  Navigated mostly to our hotel.  Watermark.  Or, depending on where you are at night when you read the sign:  WAT MARK.  Or: WATE ARK.   Or:  WATER RK.  Turns out at night they light up the sign, but there is a massive part of the building obscuring the sign.   Weird.

We parked and walked back to find the hotel, checked in, and then drove back.  Deposited our bags in the room and went to find something to eat near Cavill Ave.  Checked out the moon above the sea on the beach.  Ate an awesome "Viking salad".  All salads should be fit for Vikings!

Jo checks out another beach.  Surfers Paradise this time.

I cannot do a proper selfie.

Lazy start to Wednesday morning.  Found brekkie at Coffee Paradox - which paradoxically was next to the Transit centre where we actually needed to take Jo and her luggage.  So, after a lovely smashed avo on toast, we wandered back to the hotel and drove back to drop Jo off.  Said goodbye to my lovely friend.  Not sure when we'll see each other again, but I am convinced she is positioning herself for the next exciting chapter in her life. 

Iced coffee @ Coffee Paradox in Surfers

I want to go for a swim!

I drove back to Brisbane airport (GPS said 1 hour 6mins - and it wasn't far off it).  Found a small petrol station on Nudgee Road about 3kms from Apex.  Perfect!  As I pulled into Apex, the shuttle bus came.

It was smooth sailing through to my gate.  Waited around, reading.  Then boarded.  Easy flight back and a surprise collection by Mike from the airport.  I thought I had to Uber.  My plane touched down at 12.20am and I was hugging Mike at 12.36am.  How fast was that?  Benefit of no luggage and nothing to declare.

Woot!  Awesome time away.  So good to see Ma and Dad.  Good to see Jo on her travels before she leaves the southern hemisphere.  Lovely weather.  Not enough sea swimming - but hopefully next time won't be just after mad weather that churned up the sea!

Thank you.  I loved it.  Thank you to Mike and Toby for letting me run away (briefly).

Love,
Angela

The long weekend in Queensland

Hi,

What a lovely weekend.  I stupidly went to sleep at 1am on Friday night (ok - technically that is Saturday morning) and was actually awake for the decent earthquake at 12.40am.  It also meant that when my alarm went off at 3am, it was a very groggy person that stumbled out of bed.

I drove to the airport and took a photo of where I left the car.  Mike had car keys and would drive it home on Sunday evening when he returned with Toby.

Location photo of the car - outside Jetstar 

My flight to Brisbane went fast - mainly because I could barely keep my eyes open.  Hahah.  I had a row to myself so I could squirm around to get comfortable.  I picked up the car at the airport and headed off.

I got lost again.  I was so worried I'd stay on the M1 and miss my exit for the Sunshine Coast that I got off too early and ended up driving around Caloudra (or something like that).  Fortunately I recognised some names of places and eventually ended back on the road I needed.  It was just a 30 min diversion.

Soon I was knocking on the door of my parents' house and surprising Mum with the "special delivery" she was waiting for.  Me!

I was a bit shattered so we didn't do very much really.  Checked out the local supermarket and the sushi shop.

I was stunned to see local roadworks signs saying that work would commence when the weather improved.  Obviously to me, it was hard to fathom improving on this weather.  When I saw "Work will commence" I thought it would go on to say "July 1st" or "mid July" or something.  Not "when the weather improves".  Made me laugh.

Work will commence

When the weather improves

Monday Mum and I decided to explore north and we drove to Bundaberg for fun.  It was a 7 hour drive there and back.  We toured the distillery and I now know more about rum than I did before.

Bundaberg

Bottlebrush

I reckon this looks like an animal

For Mum's birthday we went out to Hastings St in Noosa and enjoyed a brunch there.  A birthday box arrived with balloons and stuff.  And at one stage the waiter picked it up and walked towards Mum.  Given it was her birthday, it was a huge surprise to the waiter to see her face light up so he leapt away with the birthday box.  And was very surprised to hear it was Mum's birthday as well as some mystery patron we never met.

Back home and chilled out before driving back to the airport for my flight home.  I hope no one asks me anything complicated today.  Not much sleep.  Mike collected me from my flight which was a good 30 mins early.  When I texted Mike I had landed he was still in bed.

I was outside by 12.05am.  And waited only 10 mins for Mike.  Yay.

Took the bus in with the boys this morning.  We saw the King of Navarre.  She exists.  And she said something to Mike too.

Have a lovely week.  The boys enjoyed their Dunedin weekend jaunt too.

Love,
Angela

The long long weekend on the Sunshine Coast

Hi,

I had a lovely time visiting my parents on the Sunshine Coast.  I arrived bright and early at 8am on Friday morning after an uneventful flight.  I was starving though - no time for breakfast with the huge queue at Virgin Australia in Wellington.  It meant I had to rush through customs and get on my flight.  And of course I didn't buy a seat with food.

I landed at 8am and by 8.15am I was sitting in my rental car waiting for Karen's flight to land from Sydney at the domestic terminal.  I drove around there and collected her and soon we were off to visit Mum, Dad, Tyler, Abby and Toby.

Got there and chilled out for a bit with them in the pool.  But later we went to Coolum Beach and had a great time in the warm surf beach.  We must have jumped about for over an hour.

Somersault Tyler

Heading to the surf

Playing on the rocks

Next morning we got up and had a yummy breakfast - pancakes.  Then off for some stand up paddling boarding.  Just me and the girls.  They gave me a few pointers from their lesson a day or so earlier.

I head out bravely

After only falling off when I had either Abby or Tyler standing on the front of the board, I convinced Karen to come on.  She shrieked a lot!  Hahahah.

Karen got on my SUP

Sunday was a day spent driving to and from the airport really.  Karen, Tyler, Abby and I went via Sunshine Plaza for some shopping for me and then we got to the airport just after 3.15pm.  As we drove out of Dunes Court, we watched a young woman (maybe she was around 15 I guess) ride her bicycle along the right hand footpath.  I only noticed her because her helmet matched the colour of her bike.  Anyway, as we approached the t intersection at the end of the street, I slowed down as I was unsure if Karen wanted to go left or right (depending on whether we wanted to get some groceries now or later) and all of a sudden the young cyclist was riding across in front of me without looking for traffic.  I slammed my brakes on and stopped about a metre in front of her.  She was astonished to see a car on the street by the look on her face.

Anyway, the rest of the trip went without incident and they caught their flight home and I got lost going back to Peregian Springs.  Ended up on the Bruce Highway instead.  But I found a road that cut across to Coolum.  Yay!  I'm a local now.  Drove through sugar cane fields.  Like a real Queensland route.  I remember visiting Cairns many years ago and seeing them set on fire.  That was pretty cool.

Dawn service

 Up super early for the Dawn Service at the Coolum RSA on ANZAC Day.  Dad decided to join me at the last minute.  Very well attended.  And a lovely service.

Iced coffee fun

We had lunch at Coolum at The Coffee Club and then back home for a yummy tea later on.

Toby's molten mud cake hot chocolate

Tuesday we went into Noosa River for lunch and a library book collection before Toby and I headed to Brisbane for our flight.

Another day another iced coffee

Flight went well and it was so good to see Mike at the airport.  I am back at work after 4 hours sleep and hoping the day is an easy one.

Thank you for a wonderful break!  I had such fun.

Love,
Angela

Brisbane long weekend

Hi,

What a lovely weekend - Brisbane really is a lovely place to visit. We caught up with Brent and Jill and met wee baby Jack. He is gorgeous. So, how did our weekend go? Let's see...

(photos here: http://picasaweb.google.com/mrgilbe1/2010_05Brisbane#)

Friday morning we woke up and piled into the car at 3.30am (groan) and got to the airport with Toby talking at ninety miles an hour - he was so excited. The flight was uneventful and we landed at Brisbane airport nice and early. By the time we got our Budget rental car and took off, it was only 9.30am or so (local Queensland time). We were astonished at the warmth and had the air conditioner on in the car. The rain was threatening though.

We headed south to Warner Brothers Movie World and got there about 20 minutes after opening, The crowds were still thin and we sorted out a strategy for tackling as many rides as we could before the crowds arrived in force. The Scooby Doo Spooky Coaster was great fun - I sat in the cart with Toby in the front and Mike sat right behind us. We hurtled through the dark spaces and Toby absolutely loved it. He was hooked!

So we went out and tried to get the boys on the scary looking Superman Escapes roller coaster. Turns out Toby was about 8 cms too short and was he upset about that (but in a controlled way). Mike took him on a Batman ride while I held the bags. And then they both went on the Batwing Spaceshot. http://movieworld.myfun.com.au/Attractions/Rides/BATWING-Spaceshot.htm This is the scariest looking thing and no way was I going on it. Toby loved it. Then we visited Kids World and Toby rode the Road Runner Roller Coaster about 5 times (the last time in the front car by himself). At about this time the rain poured down and we pulled on our good New Zealand parkas. The Australians all bustled for cover and we saw hardly anyone for about 30 minutes. Toby had the place to himself and we have photos of him on rides all on his lonesome.

The stunt car show was really good fun. The highlight was the drive of the three main cars up on two wheels. Amazing. Then we finished with a Scooby Doo stage show - Toby loved that too.

We drove back to Brisbane and on to Brent and Jill's place in Caboolture. The instructions and map were lacking but we found their place eventually. It was so good to see them and meet wee Jack. He is a happy, smilely baby. We ate dinner (spaghetti bolognese) and crashed into bed.

Next day was a stay at home day and catch up with the McMillans. We went to the local beach for lunch (Bribie Island) and had fish n chips and walked along the beach for a bit. Such a nice day - blue skies, calm waters. Lovely. We had a BBQ for dinner and crashed into bed again - or rather, Toby and I crashed into bed and Mike and Brent stayed up to watch dubious Australian movies on TV.

Sunday we were off to Australia Zoo as Toby has been keen to go back for ages. He loved it when he was younger and it turns out he still does. Toby fed the elephants and the kangaroos and touched koalas. We watched the crocodile exhibition and Toby videoed it excitedly (I don't think you can watch the footage without getting motion sickness). The weather was good again, but it started to get threatening clouds by the late afternoon. Lunch was leftovers from the BBQ the night before and I think we were the envy of all the other people wandering past us camped on the grass next to the kids rides.

Mike and I drove back to Caboolture via the Glass House Mountains (great - but it was dark by 5.30pm and we couldn't see much by then) and Toby went back with wee Jack.

Monday we spent relaxing at Brent and Jill's place and then drove into the airport to head back home. What a great time we had visiting them. Now we have to plan a longer trip to see them again and see more theme parks now we know Toby is a roller coaster fiend. And I am glad I no longer have to go on every roller coaster with Mike - Toby can do that from now on and I can hold the bags! Hooray!

Mike and Toby are at home today - in the heavy rain. But at least there is no wind. Back to normal tomorrow.

Hope you all had a good weekend, wherever you were.

Love,
Angela