A Few Days At the Beach, Aussie Style

Sleepy Koala At Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

We were looking for some r&r so we went to the coast, the Gold Coast, that is. South of Brisbane are a string of seaside towns that offer many delights-sun, sand, cute critters, food, and a lot more.

We drove out of town on Friday afternoon, along with most of Brisbane, it seemed. Lots of traffic, but some cars exited at the theme parks: Dreamworld, Warner Brothers World, Sea World, etc. I'm sure some people would be going to the Australian Outback Spectacular-think Medieval Times experience but with Aussie Cowboys.

Some cars kept on the M1 to Surfers Paradise, the "Miami Beach" of Australia. We continued to the Queensland/New South Wales state line to the towns of Coolangatta and Tweed Heads. The state boundary runs through the center of town, right out into the water at Point Danger.

State line boundary marker

 Point Danger was named by Captain James Cook in the 1700s and remains a rocky outpost today.

Point Danger

  We stayed at the Outrigger Twin Towns Resort, one of the larger properties in Coolangatta. It was a nice hotel and we had a Deluxe Ocean View Room. An earlier post shows the photo from the balcony with the ocean view. The hotel attracts a family-oriented crowd, lots of multi-generational groups. No tour groups here.There is also a building with holiday apartments of 1 to 3 bedrooms, so that larger families have more space and full kitchens.

Of course, people come for the beach and we enjoyed our time on it. Each town has a surf lifesaving club and swimming areas are designated on all the beaches with life guards on duty during the day. You swim in between the flags and have to watch for the rips that might drag you out to sea. The water was cool, but people were swimming. This area is also famous for surfing, but this time of the year there weren't many large waves.

We had many options for food within walking distance of the hotel. All along the beach front are many small cafes and restaurants, as well as shops. We had Italian, Greek, Indian, and burgers and sandwiches over the three days we were there.

Greek Salad

A highlight of the weekend was our trip to the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary just north of Coolangatta. Founded in 1947 with a focus on Australian wildlife, it is a lovely oasis with shady walking paths and over 1400 birds, reptiles, and mammals. There are many opportunities to see the animals up close-even holding koalas and baby crocs. We watched the different shows and almost did the Eco Green Challenge ropes course. Almost.

Part of the ropes course

The last day we said goodbye to our quiet beach town and headed up to Surfers Paradise. This is the largest city on the Gold Coast and has the high rises to prove it. For interesting background on this place, you could read Bill Bryson's Australia which tells how this city reinvented itself to attract tourists. I think they created a monster.....

We went up to the observation deck at the Skypoint building-the tallest residential building in the world, they say. Amazing views of the coast, inland, and the sea. After a cappuccino and muffin in comfy chairs next to the windows we got back in the car and headed back to Brisbane. A lovely weekend retreat, for sure.

They call this an Ocean View Room

Today we're at the Twin Towns Resort in Coolangatta, QLD, and from what I can see of the beach, it looks lovely. They call it an ocean view room, but it's mostly a Condos-Across-the-Street-That-Block-the-View view room. But I am enjoying the balcony.

A 60 mile drive south from Brisbane takes 2 hours on Friday afternoon, just like the rest of the world heading to the beach for the weekend.
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A Few Days In Brisbane, Australia

Will be in Brisbane, Australia, for about 10 days, which is midway up the east coast of the country. The climate is similar to South Florida's and it's summer here in the Southern Hemisphere, which means sunny and WARM. Great for the beach, which is where we're headed this weekend.

This is the third time I've visited Brisbane, but the first time when the weather is so warm. In addition, there is no Daylight Savings Time in the state of Queensland, so at this time of year the sun rises at 4:45 am and sets at 6:30 pm. This has altered some of my sightseeing routines, and also has me going to sleep at 9:00 pm; and I don't think that's the jet lag.
I've tried to get out for my early walk before 6 am, because it gets hot so quickly.
Many of the summer flowers are out, and there are beautiful poinciana trees, frangipani trees, and others I don't recognize.

Poinciana

Frangipani flowers

Red Tree in Bloom

 There are people out jogging and even a few outdoor exercise classes in the parks. The coffee shops open around 7 am for the early risers.

I always like looking at the signs with unfamiliar phrases. Don't exactly know how a "quick beer" differs from other beers, but this is at the soccer stadium, so I imagine one wouldn't wait for a beer on tap to fill the glass at this counter.

I went into a coffee shop and ordered an "Iced Coffee." This is what I got:

A lovely coffee drink with ice cream, whipped cream and a cookie. Very refreshing.

I headed into the city via bus (I'm staying with Laurie in the close-in suburb of Paddington) with the idea to see 2 museums in the CBD: the General  Douglas MacArthur WWII Headquarters Museum for the first time. It's only open 3 days a week, so you have to plan ahead. I got to sit in General MacArthur's chair at his desk in the original office from which he ran the war in the South Pacific. The nice docent took my photo and explained how this was the hub of the entire operation.

There are good exhibits about how important Brisbane was to the support of the Allied troops-soldiers and sailor- during the war. I especially liked the information on how children's schooling was affected and how women helped by knitting clothes for soldiers.

Then I walked a few blocks to the Museum of Brisbane which has 2 small exhibit spaces and focuses on the social history of Brisbane. On view was the "Cabinet of Curiosities"-odd items from various collections around the city. From a taxidermy dog that was used as evidence in a murder case, to old movies of the dancer Anna Pavlova, it was fascinating to think about what we collect and why.

After my iced coffee and a chicken sandwich at Cocoawoo I headed to the Myer Centre, an urban mall with 5 floors of stores, including Target and Coles (grocery store), numerous food shops, and lots of other small shops. Some relief from the heat, but it was quite crowded. Did find some nice gifts in the Australiana shop. I took the city bus back home around 3:00, to beat the rush and to get out of the city in the heat of the day.

We ended the day with a lovely dinner in Paddington at Montrachet. Very nice service, excellent food with French flair. Pricey.

A very nice day out, with minimal overheating.

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Realizing the Next Foodie/Travel Dream

Today I finally realized another foodie/travel dream: Eating at Shopsins in NYC. I haven't been able to make it there on my last 2 visits to the city. It's located on the Lower East Side in the Essex St. Market, so I was happy to be able to round up DM and DH who were also willing to make the trek.

There are plenty of articles and reviews of this very New York eatery. Mr. Shopsin has even written his own book detailing his food philosophy. There are rules of the road, here: wait in line along the wall for a table-the place seats fewer than 20-everyone must order a meal, no more than 4 in a group, everyone has to order something different. (that last one may not really be a rule).

The menu is a dense two sided  legal sized sheet of paper. Pancakes, Eggs, Sandwiches, Soups, Sides, Salads, and more. Food from many cultures and combined in interesting ways leads to entertaining reading.

And leads to difficulty in choosing what to order. I downloaded the menu ahead of time so we could "digest" it before arriving. Even then,decisions were difficult.


Luckily we had time in line to think about things: we waited about 40 minutes for a table, with 2 parties ahead of us. Food came out in about 30 more minutes. We noticed that food was coming out of the kitchen one dish at a time, often with long waits for others at the same table to get their food. At one point, the cook called out to a woman telling her to "eat while your food is hot, don't wait for them to get theirs," because she was obviously being polite and waiting for her table mates to receive their food. The cook repeated that "just because we're being jerkoffs you shouldn't wait, don't let yours get cold." So that's another rule: when your food comes, you eat.


We ended up with:

The Gulf Pride Sandwich: bbq shrimp, avocado, garlic spread on toasted bread.

The Symphony: Pumpkin cheese french toast with grilled onions and maple bacon and fried eggs.

The Mo'Jemima: Poached Eggs (3) with maple bacon stuffed mac and cheese pancakes.

Served with maple syrup and hot sauce.

We enjoyed our meal and got a kick out of being in the space

Our waiter was very friendly and we never felt rushed. From where we sat we couldn't even see the line so we never had that feeling of being vulture prey. We paid our bill with the Square credit card technology:very simple and easy.
All in all, a fun food outing. Not cheap (avg meal about $20 pp), but definitely a cool vibe...

Week #3: What can you learn through travel?

When I read this prompt, I first thought about a few of the skills I've learned through traveling: how to read maps surreptitiously so people won't know I'm a tourist, how to hide money and ID on my person (a tip I learned from LV: use an Altoids tin instead of a wallet), how to use the ticket machines at Grand Central and use the Metro Card on the bus, how to drive on the other side of the road in Australia (although some would say that is still a skill at which I am not yet proficient).

 It's also fun to take classes while traveling.
 I took a cooking class in Rome: we made fried artichokes, veal saltimbocca and tiramisu after going to the market at the Campo de Fiori and the bakery. No written recipes, just my frantically scribbled notes. Wonder where those are now?

I also took a cooking class in San Miguel de Allende: We helped make guacamole (with pomegranate seeds), mango salsa, and chile rellenos stuffed with goat cheese. No margaritas while cooking.

A great experience was the "Blend Your Own Wine" class at Wynns Coonawarra Estate winery in South Australia. We got to taste while creating the perfect blend, then took home our mixtures in a personalized wine bottle.

Then I thought of other skills I've picked up while traveling: I parked that houseboat!

 I learned how to pack the back of the car for a cross-country road trip and keep everything organized along the way.

I learned that everyone needs down time and alone time on a trip, even while enjoying the group.

I think I'm still learning to be in the moment every moment while traveling.

What is an Indie Traveler?

This week's topic from BootsnAll Indie Travel Guide : you can be an indie traveler without even leaving your hometown – as long as you’re challenging yourself and your assumptions about the world, learning about people or a place different than your own, and seeking out experiences that help you better understand the local culture.
What does indie travel mean to you?
I think I've always been an "indie traveler." I always want to see what's out there. My vacations are often jam-packed with sight-seeing and museum stops. In fact, there have been some people who hesitate to go places with me, as they know what the pace is going to be like and that museums are always going to be on the itinerary.

I'm not the best photographer, but I like attempting to record what I see. And what I will want to remember. 

I loved seeing the ceramics factory outside of San Miguel de Allende. We toured the show rooms, but also parts of the manufacturing buildings. Each ceramics painter has a chair, a table for glazes and brushes, and an easel or stand to support the object currently being painted. Completed pieces are sent to the kilns for final firing.

I found the deep sea drilling museum in Galveston, TX interesting. Building those rigs is an amazing feat, let alone working on the platforms themselves and getting the oil and gas out from under the sea. We should all know more about how we get our energy.

Museums can be park-like and have little to do with art. I had no idea that Thomas Edison and Henry Ford were good friends and had winter homes in Ft. Myers, FL. Thomas Edison did research in Florida on plants that produce latex. You can tour laboratories and restored homes at the Edison and Ford Winter Estates. Fascinating.

 "See if you have what it takes to join the ranks of noble knights."
I saw this poster advertising knight school in a bookstore in Brisbane, Australia.Really enjoyed taking a minute or two to wonder who would send their kids to knight school and if my son and/or daughter would have liked it.(They do take girls.) Used bookshops are a great way to soak up local culture.






I enjoy a sunset and a sunrise, too. Just kicking back by the water is a favorite pastime. Taking some time to just be in a place is important, too. I am trying to appreciate that aspect of indie travel more. Maybe giving up some of the "forced march" pace will be good for me.

Welcome 2012!

In an effort to post more consistently, I'm signing up for the 2012 Indie Travel Challenge by BootsnAll Travel. They will post a prompt each week, and I'm going to respond. This week's prompt is to list my 2012 travel resolutions. They have a pretty good list on their blog.

What are my travel resolutions? I have some places I really want to see, but I don't know if 2012 will be the year for them: Antarctica, the Galapagos, Alaska's Inside Passage, Western Australia, New Zealand's North Island, Xian, China, are just the first few that roll right off my fingers. There are more.....

I don't have any of those big trips planned yet for this year. But I'm thinking of all the other short trips I make and don't even consider them to be "traveling."

Resolution #1: I resolve to appreciate that every night spent away from home (even if it's only 100 miles away) is traveling and to take advantage of it in the same way I would a more far-flung destination.
 My short trips in the next 6 months that are already on the books: Houston for one night to attend a travel conference, Dallas for one or two nights for family business, Colorado for 3 nights with DH for a business meeting, a week of skiing in Taos with family, a trip to NY with DD to see family. See, that's a lot of travel already!  

Hunziker Bowl, Taos Ski Valley, NM

Resolution #2: To put technology in its place while traveling.
I'm pretty well attached to my smartphone at this point. Love it. I have over 150 apps, with at least 50 related to travel, travel planning, and finding services while traveling like food, bathrooms, wifi, NPR stations, movie theaters, AAA discounts, etc. I need to learn to disconnect more from the ethernet and connect more with the real world. Ask someone for directions or recommendations?  That would be a novelty for me. Come into a town without knowing where to eat? Frightening. I think I need to do that more!

I have app folders now

Resolution #3:  I will never use the term "bucket list." Travel experiences can't be plucked out of a container.

So I guess that's my list for now.  Wishing everyone safe and rewarding travel this year!