A sunny cocktail of beach, surf and beauty. That’s what I had in mind when heading to Gold Coast.It’s takes around 1 hr 20mts by train, the guy at the enquiry desk at Brisbane station mentioned. For about 87 kms that sounded more like Indian Railways, sloww. Railway system in this part of Australia is mostly the remains of the British legacy built around World War II , stations had the old world charm and not many passengers to the Surfers Paradise.Now, why is this beauty called Gold Coast ??? Apparently it was originally known as the South Coast (because it was south of Brisbane). However, inflated prices for real estate and other goods and services led to the nickname of “Gold Coast” from 1950’s.
Goa or Gold Coast.. the serene blue water mesmerizes me like no other. As the train zoomed past the Brisbane city limits..countryside welcomed me to Australia’s favourite holiday destination.Your choice of experiences on the Gold Coast is extensive; grab some tickets for the ever-popular theme parks, go on a dinner cruise or take up surfing lessons.
No trip to Australia is truly complete without cuddling a koala, so your first stop has to be the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. Here, you can not only get close to a koala but also see kangaroos, reptiles and native birds in a natural setting. I remember feeding the native birds and being surrounded by a flock of red, green and orange feathers. What fun!
G:link caught my attention as soon as I hit the Broadbeach, the tram that consists of a single 13-kilometre (8.1 mi) line with sixteen stations. There are a bunch of water parks, Sea World and Dream World or even Warner Bros movie world along the way. Got down at Surfers Paradise. Colloquially known as ‘Surfers’, the suburb has many high-rise apartment buildings and a wide surf beach. This is also the party capital and was voted as one of the best beaches in the world by the American Travel Channel. But hey ..I would say Goa gives a tuff competition. Took a stroll along the beautiful beach …and it’s never-ending. Beach hopping could be an exciting activity here if you wanna be here like forever and you would never get bored.
But I had some other plans… some swim wear shopping. Surfers have a night market which is one of the best flea markets with food and drinks and music. The locals here have amazing houses with waterfront canal living. Most canal frontage homes have pontoons/Jetty.How exciting is that !!!
Nice Cafe’s along the coast, and a relaxed and easy crowd. This is definitely the place for a the best vacation ever. Should I take up Surfing lessons… just want to get on a board and experience the thrill of surfing, nothing is better than the first moment you are standing on the board and can feel yourself gliding on the waves as they carry you towards the golden shore.Yes..No ??? hours.. all equipment provided. Just be ready to get wet, drink some water and get tanned. However that turns out to be an expensive affair, beginners lessons starting at AUD 65 ..Alright..something for next time.
Heard of Surfers Paradise Meter Maids ? instituted somewhere in the 60’s to put a positive spin on new parking regulations. The idea was to avoid tickets being issued for expired parking, Meter Maids dispense coins into the meter and leave a calling card under the windscreen wiper of the vehicle. The Maids are still a part of the Surfers Paradise culture but the scheme is now run by private enterprise. One of those touristy things on the checklist.
Is there any city without a Chinatown ??? Seriously And why does China Towns in every other part of the world look exactly the same. Maybe because they treasure their culture and maintain the uniqueness. I was quite impressed, even on this beach city …chineese lanterns and some yummy delicacies.
Am gonna give it a miss to the Sea world and Dream world…lemme head back to Brisbane before it gets too late.
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