My last day at the Gold Coast. Who said parting is bitter sweet? It’s just bitter!

The Gold Coast has been really good to me - and Sandra has been phenomenally good to me - but most of all, God is good. Truly, almost everything in the Gold Coast has been a spiritual experience - nature at it’s best, the way I’m sure, God intended it, be they rainforests or beaches, people cheerful or the weather great.

Every morning I’d awake & see this “Waterway Cruises” boat pass Sandra’s home as they did the “Millionaire Tour” - and it gave me a childish kick to stand there & wave to the people on the cruise! There I was, the (very pseudo) millionaire, who was very thrilled when they waved back

My flight to Sydney wasn’t until 9pm though, so I thought I’d get some stuff done today too. First up though, brunch! And, among other things, I polished off a good plate of Octopus! Yummmy!

My appetite thus satiated, I headed down to the Gold Coast Seaway, which I found out “is on the northernmost tip of the mainland beaches. Across the channel is South Stradbroke Island which extends a further 22km (13 miles) The seaway was built in 1986 to stablise what was a very dangerous bar, and incorporates the worlds 1st permanent sand bypass system” (cf pano.com.au)

I particularly liked the Seaway because it exemplified Gold Coast weather (as I see it) to a T. As long as it’s not windy, the sun at the Gold Coast makes it terribly hot - this mumbai girl couldn’t bear the heat (perhaps because I’m very used to the air-con). I actually went around the Gold Coast quite a bit with an umbrella much to most people’s amusement! Of course, when it’s windy, even if you’re completely in the sun, you may feel quite pleasant, even chill.

Before you get onto the actual Seaway, it’s hot in the beachy area that precedes. There were also lots of sailboats out & plenty folks trying their luck at fishing at this end.

I went from this the hot Gold Coast sun at the start of the Seaway (see the long passage that literary goes into the sea!)…

The seaway is flanked by rocks, and trust me when I say, despite what they may look like in these pics, they were Large!!

I finally reached the other end, where there’s a lighthouse for obvious reasons. The salty sprayed winds make it very cold & wet at this end of the Seaway:

See the pics above & imagine what it was like, Huge loud waves, bashing themselves into these huge rocks! I imagine that during a storm this place will such you into the sea - like Scarlet, I too was nearly Gone with the Wind…

There is also a parallel path built some distance away which is higher & more suitable for fishing, which I believe is very popular here.

It was towards the beginning of this parallel path that I saw many surfers & swimmers doing their thing in the waters despite huge “Not safe for swimming” boards put up everywhere!

I also got my favorite pic of the trip so far off the beach at the near end of the seaway:

Yes, ever the narcisstic, I’m in it

Since time was still on my side, decided to visit one more place - this time the Mariner’s Cove. This cove is just off the Marina Mirage, where we had danced away just the previous night.

Someone more into ships would have gone mad here - even I, a total idiot when it comes to these things - was floored by the beautiful boats (ships? yatchs? whatever, they were all gorgeous). There were dozens & dozens & dozens of them all over in separate (parking?) lanes-ish sort of thingies. Very cool.

I had this sudden urge to run down one of them with a gun chasing some bad guy down, who was romancing a very sexy hooker with some champagne on his private yatch. Ok, fine I’ll admit I watch too much TV sometimes. And I didn’t act on my urge, so there.

The place also looks fabulous in the night time - didn’t get pics last night, so took this off the planner/developers website. Later found out that these are the same guys who planned out Sahara India Pariwar’s Amby Valley!

Finally had to head back home & get ready to get to the airport which is at Coolangatta - and though officially called the “Gold Coast Airport” it is still refered to “Coolangatta Airport” which is an Aboriginal word meaning “Place of Good View” - which I think could be used for a multitude of places on the Gold Coast.

I had a flight on Jet Star, Qantas’ internal airline & I reached Sydney peacefully, despite being seated next to a Sri-Lankan guy who was trying to chat me up - I just pretended to fall asleep & pretty soon, I was! (a feat which my mum attest to, comes very easily to me).

I was a tad worried that when I reached Sydney it would be cold (brrr??) but I’m happy to say I didn’t feel anything of the kind. Didn’t even put on the jacket I had carried with me just in case. Got picked up at the airport by Sim & Nick (if you’ve been following my travel blog, you’ll remember them from my fabulous Goan holiday). I was promptly fed a nice hot meal & tucked into bed.

Seriously, this is life! Goodbye Gold Coast, hello Sydney!