Gold Coast

Goodbye gorgeous Byron, and thankgodness because we missed the bad weather by a day.  It poured all night and it was so loud on the caravan that we couldn't hear the waves crashing, which is pretty impressive given how close we were to the water.  Snacks packed, kids on board and we were en route to the Goldie. There were lots of road works on the way, so we put a DVD on and scoffed the snacks.  We spotted the strip of high rise from a distance and the kids were impressed, for a second.  It wasn't a great day, so the view wasn't at its best.  We got on to the Gold Coast Highway from Broadbeach which snakes its way through the action to Southport where our caravan park was.  Lots of bright lights and new buildings, theres just nothing like the Gold Coast.  Our caravan park was awesome, right on the beach across from Sea World.  We had a very fancy ensuite complete with soap, bathmat, shampoo and conditioner and mop to keep it clean.  Again everyone was super friendly with neighbours moving cars to help us park the caravan.  Perhaps they sensed we were green. One neighbour even directed Ricky in, which was much appreciated by the co-pilot.  All grey nomads, sitting in the sun reading, listening to the radio, enjoying retirement.  Sadly the couple next to us had lost their daughter to breast cancer not a month before.  They were in their 70's, their daughter 52 with a grand child on the way.  Heartbreaking and you could feel their sadness. I get teary even writing about it.  That's only 13 years away for me, which would make Zachie 15.  Too young to die. Anyway they took much joy from our kids which provided some distraction albeit momentarily.  The kids also took a particular liking to a couple with a bird four caravans down whom they promptly sniffed out on the way to the playground.  So every morning out they'd go off to visit their friends for a chat.  Too cute.  The weather still wasn't great in the afternoon so we headed to Robina Waters shopping centre for a browse in the afternoon.  Heaven.  Very impressive, thanks for the tip Danielle.  Sadly trading finished at 4PM.  We got sidetracked in Big W which closed at 6pm so all escalators back to the carpark were closed by the time we surfaced.  And so began a hunt through the shopping centre to find our way back to the car.  Not happy Jan with three tired kids in tow.  Some consolation, on the long trip home we got to talk to the happy holidayers back today from Sicily.  Welcome home Nanna, Nonno, Zio Noono, Bets and Chontelle.  We miss you and hope you can join us on our travels soon.