We are all holiday-ed out and back home after our trip to Queensland. We had a good time; spent loads, did loads and argued in different surroundings (well, that’s what you do on holiday, isn’t it?) We ran the business in between theme parks and picked up emails via the lap top in the hotel room. We did turn the advertising off, but were still busy, so, although it was a pain in the ass, at least we could justify the money we were spending :o) We just had to apologise a few times for the background noise of screaming kids on fairground rides whilst we phoned customers back.
As usual, any trip of ours was not totally without disaster……. We flew on 9th June – the day before our Wedding Anniversary. We’d all checked in and were about to board the plane when I looked down and noticed that the diamond from my engagement ring had gone! We had a quick hunt round and reported it to the lost property department (ha! As if!), and then I sobbed my way onto the plane and cried half way to Sydney. Talk about pants timing! Luckily, though we’d had the rings separately valued for the insurance and they have been quick to send over a form to get the ball rolling in getting it replaced, but it’s never going to be the same, is it? :o( We weren’t off to a good start.
The kids get a lot of attention, dragging their co-ordinated luggage through the airports!
That aside, the flights weren’t too bad. Qantas were miles better than Virgin Blue. Even though the air hostesses were older than Joan Rivers, they were really friendly towards the kids and fed us like there was no tomorrow. We had cornettos after our lunch on the way to Sydney! Yum! It was really quick getting in to Sydney – only took us about three hours (it’s five coming back though. How does that happen? Do they move it once we’re there?). We had a few hours in Sydney airport before an hour and a half flight to the Gold Coast. Coolangatta airport was tiny, so we rushed through, collected our luggage and picked up the hire car.
The car hire company really did think of everything!
The hotel was ‘tired’. It had a large billboard at the front announcing that it had won ‘Australia’s Best Family Resort’. However, no date was mentioned and I did ask Paul what decade he thought this was from! It was only after chatting to a Real Estate guy later in the week that we found out that the hotel has been ear marked for demolition and a new twin towers resort is due to be built in it’s place. It offered good kids club facilities though and we were able to leave them all for a few hours and go out for a meal ‘alone’. Something we haven’t done in a long time! It was much too similar to Butlins for Paul’s liking, but it kept the kids happy for a few hours. Sam and Darcie even went to the weekend disco and were entertained and looked after until 10.30pm! Woo Hoo!
We were about an hours drive from Brisbane, so we had a few trips in to the city to have a look about. We took a City Cat cruise on the Sunday. Very reasonable at less than a tenner for all of us.
The river looked really brown and murky compared to WA's waterways.
However the staff were a little grumpy; Adam got told off three times in the space of an hour. Twice because he wouldn’t sit nicely on his bottom ‘facing forward’ and another because he’d picked up two sticks from the park and was happily banging them together. ‘Could you stop doing that? We don’t want to make a hole in the seat, do we?’ For heaven’s sake, he’s hanging them together, not trying to discover fire or sharpen them into a spear! Other than the staff having PMT, the river trip was fun. The water was a terrible murky brown colour compared to Perth’s Swan River and they are suffering from terrible water restrictions currently. There are notices in every toilet about the water crisis. Water parks have been affected, fountains have been switched off and swimming pools cannot be filled at all! All toilets in Oz have a half flush setting anyway, but the lack of water was even more prevalent over East.
We were staying in the famous Surfers Paradise. It was pants! A cross between Blackpool and Benidorm; just not our cup of tea at all. The surrounding area was quite pretty with lots of water ways and houses backing on to the river with their jetties, but with the drought, the jetties were getting further and further into the centre of the river to be able to have enough water to function! We did a little shopping over the next few days; they have STARBUCKS!! And I managed to squeeze in five during the holiday! The shopping was better than WA. We managed to buy a little Polo Ralph Lauren jumper for Mr Cheese for $40!
Adam on the beach at the famous 'Surfer's Paradise'
Wednesday was our first major adventure; Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo. It was a little further than we thought and an hour’s drive turned into a 2½ hour drive! But we got there in the end, met with crowds and helicopters. Apparently, the Dali Lama was there giving a speech to a specially invited crowd. He nipped in and nipped out, although there were lots of his followers around the place for the day. Adam was really looking forward to seeing the Kangaroos – his favourite. I kept saying I preferred the Koalas, but he was really shouting at me that kangaroos were much better.
Adam with his finger up the 'Be-Alla's' bum.
The Zoo was cool. Bindi, Terri and Bob were there to meet the Dali, but they didn’t hang around to say hi to us – obviously didn’t get the message we were coming (o: Steve’s picture was everywhere around the place and all the info boxes in front of the animals were written ‘Steve style’. Lots of ‘crikeys!’ and ‘look at this little beaut’.
On the snakey ride at the Zoo.
I’m really glad we went. We had a great day, but I wouldn’t rush back if it was on my doorstep. Again, it boiled down to their staff and they were a little sniffy and didn’t go the ‘extra mile’ to make you enjoy your day just that little bit more. The crocoseum was cool and we watched the croc show which was awesome. We saw Acco, who is the biggest croc at the Zoo, he’s a legend.
....................and BITE!!!
The funniest part of the whole day was when Adam got to see his beloved Kangaroo. He got a little too close to one in particular and it gave him a left hook in the mush! He looked at me, cried and demanded to be taken to see the Be-Allas’ instead! I did tell him they were much nicer (o:
The world-famous croc show at the 'Crocoseum'
Darcie and Addy feed an Elephant.
We had Thursday off for some R&R and then tackled Dreamworld on Friday. It was very quiet for a theme park and we just ran from one ride to another! Sam had a fab day and did all the big rides. If Paul or I didn’t fancy them, he took himself off on his own! He went on one called the Claw which swung very high and rotated. I just stood underneath it with my eyes shut and my fingers crossed. Should have had a little fishing net and caught all the loose change that fell out of everyone’s pockets!
Paul and Sam locked in on the Wipeout ride. It was my intention to get some cool, upside down shots, but Adam needed a wee and I missed the ride totally!
Adam isn’t good with the rides. He gets on quite happily and moans all the way through them ‘I want to go home Mummy!’
..................BEFORE............. in the queue for the log flume
He did an upside down rollercoaster and all the log flumes though, so he did well.
.........................AFTER............................ Unfortunately, the unsuspecting Mr Cheese 'picked' the wettest seat on the log (ha ha!).
Unfortunately for Darcie, she was just a little too short for the bigger rides, so missed out on some of the faster rollercoasters. She was a little miffed as she loves anything like that. She took it well though and escorted Mr Cheese on some of the smaller stuff.
Unfortunately for Darcie, she was just a little too short for the bigger rides, so missed out on some of the faster rollercoasters. She was a little miffed as she loves anything like that. She took it well though and escorted Mr Cheese on some of the smaller stuff.
Posing with Wags the Dog from the Wiggles.
The parks have really short opening hours (by theme park standards; 10am to 5pm, and it’s not like Disney where you can then wander round the shops for another hour. The park closes at 5pm and everyone’s out and the doors are locked by 5.20pm!
Say Aaaaarrrrgggghhhhhh
Saturday we visited Pacific Fair; a huge shopping center. We had a few IT problems and weren’t able to access the emails, so we had to sort that out with Telstra, then we all went to watch Shrek 3. McDonalds are selling the Shrek toys this month, so I keep going in to buy the toys. So far I have (yes, I – not the kids), Shrek, Puss in Boots, Fiona (or Be-owna as Adam calls her), and a baby donkon. The film was fab although Paul fell asleep twice!
Sunday we went back into Brisbane and met up with Campbell, Sandra and their two girls. They have recently migrated to Brissie from Scotland and we spent a lovely day sharing concerns and frustrations whilst the kids played in the stream and on the man made beach next to the river. It was a good giggle and we didn’t leave them until 9.30. I felt a bit guilty as their girls had to be up for school in the morning.
As it was another late night for the kids, we bummed around and did some more shopping at the outlet center on Monday, before hitting SeaWorld on Tuesday. Sea World was FANTASTIC and absolutely my favourite-ist park. The dolphin show was brilliant.
How fab is that?
Now we know what they are capable of, I shall be training them harder back home when we go out on the boat, let me tell you! They must have jumped about 5 meters into the air. Paul got some brill photos. They look more like birds than dolphins. I had tears in my eyes whilst I watched them. Marvellous! The rest of the day was fab too. The kids ran from one ride to the next; there were hardly any queues. Sam took me on the corkscrew four times and he and Darcie almost took root on the Pirate ship.
You can call me 'Sir'.
Not really native, but they looked quite at home.
So, after Sea World, Movieworld had a lot to live up to….. and it didn’t really.
Scooby Dooby Don't
It had two really scary thrill rides which Sam tackled completely unflustered! He took me on the Lethal Weapon ride (made me do it twice as I couldn’t quite believe how bad it was the first time!) where we dangled our feet and got propelled upside down and round and round more times than I could count. I screamed like a fishwife; Sam just smiled.
Sam and I are in the last two seats, going over the top. Can you hear my scream?
He then took Paul on the Superman ride where you are propelled to 100kph in something ridiculous like 5 seconds. Again, Sam completely loved it – Paul looked like he poohed himself when he walked off.
Willy Wonka (quite scary!)
Darcie went on the Scooby Doo rollercoaster five times which was pretty hairy as most of it was in the dark and it dropped you backwards at one point which was completely unexpected!
Darcie went on the Scooby Doo rollercoaster five times which was pretty hairy as most of it was in the dark and it dropped you backwards at one point which was completely unexpected!
Sam and Darcie pose with their namesakes.
It didn’t help that it was particularly cold though on the day we did Movieworld. Another storm front was moving in over NSW and QLD and they were warning of floods and hurricane force winds.
Adam practises his driving skills - he drives like Darcie steers the boat (badly!)
We managed to squeeze in a whale watching trip too after someone on the Expats had been and posted some fantastic photos. Unfortunately for us, it was SO cold and miserable that even the whales were reluctant to poke their heads out from above the warmth of the water. We managed to get a few photos, then they’d disappear into the water for 10 minutes at a time. The first ones we saw had an armed escort of dolphins in front of them – probably shielding them from the paparazzi. Paul and I were convinced that the whales caught sight of the Japanese tourists in the boat and scarpered. Can’t say I blame them really, can you?
We managed to squeeze in a whale watching trip too after someone on the Expats had been and posted some fantastic photos. Unfortunately for us, it was SO cold and miserable that even the whales were reluctant to poke their heads out from above the warmth of the water. We managed to get a few photos, then they’d disappear into the water for 10 minutes at a time. The first ones we saw had an armed escort of dolphins in front of them – probably shielding them from the paparazzi. Paul and I were convinced that the whales caught sight of the Japanese tourists in the boat and scarpered. Can’t say I blame them really, can you?
So, the pictures aren't very exciting, but you can see the whale, OK!
Two whales with Surfers in the background.
Who says Australia doesn't have seasons? The beautiful scenery at Mount Tamborine.
Miss Parcel on Mount Tamborine.
On that note, I shall bid you farewell. There's loads more to tell, but it's 11.30pm and I've had a shi*t day, so I shall save all the other news for a better frame of mind. TTFN :o)
By the way, I've uploaded a few more photos on Flickr, so click on that to the right. More to be added when I've got some more space next month. Bye!
