Oh and a quick one of the beach as the storm rolled in!

Quick lesson in Gold Coast geography: the large, blue, pointy building is the Q1, it’s the highest residential tower in the world or something.  Whatever, it’s big, and it’s actually how I navigate around this end of the Gold Coast, haha.  North of the Q1 (right of the picture) is Surfers Paradise, then Main Beach, etc.  South of the Q1 (left) is Broadbeach, Mermaid Beach, Nobby’s, Miami, Burleigh, in that order.  It’s an unofficial divider between Surfers and Broadbeach.  Very helpful when you’re last and can’t work out north vs. south!

Most Gold Coast beaches have a rather significant population of seagulls, but Burleigh’s population seems particularly massive.  I think it’s because so many families picnic there and feed the little bastards.  I really kind of hate them.  Sure, they look innocent enough when you see them like this, all coy with their face hidden…

But look at those pissed off, disdainful eyes.  I imagine that if they could talk, they’d sound like a disgruntled English butler.

And most of them don’t even have reason to look pissy.  Except maybe that seagull in the right of the frame who is missing a leg.  It’s not uncommon, only a side effect of every other species hating them.  Don’t feel too sorry for it, they eat baby turtles, you know!

LOOK AT THEM ALL!

While I’ve still got your attention, I’d also like to point out the rather gnarly rocks lurking beneath (and above) the water at Burleigh.

They seem to be of little consequence, until you notice the surfers throwing themselves off the rocks and into the water.  Seriously, this is why I’ve never mastered surfing – I don’t think people should get in the way when waves and rocks collide.

But here’s the thing.  I sit there feeling all terrified someone is going to kill themselves, fully convinced one would have to be a moron to engage in such activities.  Honestly people! Rocks! Water! Ouchy!

But if I sit there long enough, I start to forget about all that.  It looks really fun.  I start to get all jealous of the people out there…

Even the little kids are doing it!

But mostly it’s the big kids.

Sometimes it gets pretty crowded out there.  When you get three people on a wave, at least one person has to stack it…

Even worse is when you get a kayaker and a surfer on the same wave going in oppposite directions…

Yeah, ouch.

I was digging the contrast between industrial and beachy surroundings.

Look at these people exercising.  Lunatics.

Anyway, so the room itself was pretty spesh too…

And it came with a fully-equipped kitchen that was so nifty, Pat had to cook me dinner.  I photographed him in action because uh, it doesn’t happy very often and I always want to remember it.

It might have been the greatest ravioli I’ve ever eaten!

After dinner we went down to the beach, even though it was getting a wee bit stormy.  I love this shot – they sky is so angry it looks like Pat is marching (barefoot) into battle, haha.

I just wanted to point out that Coolangatta boasts one massive beach.  Soooooo much sand.

I then set my sights on Pat and tried to get a few candid shots.  Didn’t really pan out though, I just caught him unbuttoning his shirt, hahaha.  (Shuddup, it was a very hot day.)

After that he decided to photograph me, to “get even” or something.  Clearly I feel completely at ease in front of a camera.

Apparently the people across the lake thought it made for prime swimming conditions though.  Yeah, something about lightning and a large body of water must have sounded magical. 

We got so much rain it filled a pot with water in the space of like, an hour.

The rain made the water all nice and warm, so this swan came floating past by house all chilled out…

Well it was chilled out until Indy came barelling down the hill to bark at it.

What can I say?  Another day in paradise.

This is what I look like in the fifteen minutes after waking.

When I got home I found Jazz committing a pretty major crime.  Not only did she have a bone inside the house, she had it on a bed and – wait for it – was trying to bury it in the mattress!  The dogs hate the camera so I pointed it at her as some kind of punishment.  It didn’t work.

I then noticed that the people across the lake still have their outdoor Christmas lights on.   It’s almost Australia Day!

Yeah, I need a tripod.  I took this shot and was like, “OMG, accidental bokeh!”

On closer inspection it was just accidental fail.

Here is the front of the Treasury Casino.  It would have been way more interesting if Pat stood in between the giant balls as instructed,  but he didn’t want to be part of my vulgarity.

 I remember when I was a little kid and they first built these trellises.  It’s cool now that the vines have grown over them, very funky!  I wanted to snap pics of the lagoon, as it was completely packed despite it being about 9.30pm.  But it was full of kids and you know how parents feel about people snapping their kids in speedos…

Ch-ch-check out the ferris wheel!  I know that basically every city in the world is trying to do the London Eye thing, but whatever, it’s big and cool.  I was too chicken to go on it, so I basically ran laps around the thing taking photos from all different angles…  Totally normal, yes?

Now the other side!

Yeah, I’m pretty sure I looked like a massive hillbilly as I marvelled at the ferris wheel.

I don’t want to be hating on my state’s capital, but Brisbane is sooooooo much prettier at night.  You can’t see all the beige.

It was an obscenely hot and muggy night, but being by the river was so refreshing.  We kind of meandered through the parklands, taking in the scenery…

I couldn’t help but feel like I was in that completely inaccurate and annoying Brisbane ad.  The one that shows Miranda Kerr swimming with dolphins in the Brisbane River…  I think the use of “Save Tonight” is the only redeeming quality of that ad.

I’ve always wondered what happens when tourists show up and realise the Brisbane River contains neither Miranda Kerr nor dolphins.

Make really delicious and meaty hamburgers!

Or something like that.

Kinda like my life, actually.