been back for a few days, and boy, am i feeling jetlagged. It's quite ridiculous, actually, cos its not even a very long flight back from sydney. Its a mere 6 hrs, (compared to the flight to London or LA, which is more than 10 hrs).ok shall update abt my trip now.. Basically my family went on a 7 day trip to Gold Coast and Sydney. Free and easy, self drive kind of trip, the ultimate way to enjoy yourself. tours are too hectic and rigid, self drive holidays are real holidays.
my dad rented a car and drove straight to surfer's paradise, where we spent abt 3 days. stayed at legends hotel, then we found a better hotel nearer to Cavil Mall, which is the main shopping strip in surfer's paradise! its the courtyard, by marriott.
really great hotel ocean views, high floor.. me and my bro had a great time just feeling powdery sand underneath and splashing about in the water. The people there are so easy going, and everyone is gorgeous. The girls are all tall, leggy, tanned and prance about in bikinis and tube tops and miniskirts, guess its the holiday atmosphere and beach culture! the waves really sparkle under the bright summer sun and has different shades of blue.. nearer to shore, turquoise azure blue, further out at sea, a deep indigo kind of blue. pple are parasailing, body surfing, surfing tanning, and its so casual everyone is in slippers, no one's wearing long sleeves, jackets or trousers at all. its as if the australians are so deprived of summer sun that they are out in full force trying to get as much sun as possible on their bodies.
went to Harbortown, a great factory outlet, and visited a few surf shops but the prices here are not exactly very cheap. i would say singapore prices are much cheaper. but the merchandise here is astounding, i saw this whole wall of roxy slippers in many many designs!! and about like 40 different designs of billabong and roxy wallets, belts, accessories.. and i haven't even looked at the clothes yet. one whole floor for gals and one for guys. but i resisted and went for those at the factory outlets where all the stuff with minor defects) were at about half price. so there's a good bargain!
great fish and chips too, its like the main beach food. the fish is super duper fresh, flaky and just lightly battered without too much seasoning so that you can taste the ocean in the fish. that's the only phrase i can think of to describe the fish! its dory or cod, and crisp calamari, with fresh battered prawns and crispy wedges of fries. all topped off with drizzles of lemon and that's it, maybe some tartar sauce but no ketchup of chilli and all tht nonsense. just pure, unadulterated fresh fish and chips. eaten by the sea on a cardboard plate. ain't that heaven.