Sunshine V Unshine

As Taylah said as she was getting on the plane home..."I'll bet the weather is great tomorrow!"

And it was.  It was cracking.

Coolum rocks...no really it does!!

So we made a hasty beeline back up the M1 to the  Sunny Coast to take advantage of the blue skies and warm weather.  We booked into the Coolum Caravan Park where the sand starts at your van's side door and the noise of the ocean is a constant reminder of just how close you are to the beach.

The van was literally 5mts from here!

At this stage cabin fever had well and truly kicked in - and so then did our energy levels.  Bikes were dusted off, flippers and goggles were found as was the path to new us!  We quickly found the local 25m pool and with further proof that karma exists we found out if was heated when we dived in. We were also going from beautiful home cooked meals (consisting of roast pork and potatoes, curries, stews, bread and rice as well as enough cocktails and alcohol to make David Boon blush) back to simple and nutritious meals and a lot less liquid. For the next four days we hit the pool, the beach and the bike tracks and ate wisely.

Then the rain started on the Thursday night.  The van leaks. Jamie was rudely awoken at 4.30 in the morning to drip,...drip,.....drip on her forehead and the grabbing of towels to stop the leak.  The leak was stopped but the rain and the wind didn't.  A text from Mrs Bell telling us to come "home" was inviting but a quick meeting decided that we needed to harden up and deal with the wetness.  We know that we can't just run back to comforts of home at the first sign of precipitation!

The Sunny Coast had 250mm of rain on Friday night which meant Saturday morning we had more chance of surfing the flood water than the ocean!  We've now learnt that if the weather looks like rain during the night we have to rearrange the inside of the van and pull the pop-top down before sleeping. If there's any chance of high wind we have to take down clothes lines, clothes and towels and anything else that isn't concreted into the ground. The ladies camping next to us found this out when they returned to their tents and found all their belongings blown from asshole to breakfast, then trying to dry out pillows, books and all their smalls.

Say no more....

There's not much to do in shit weather, so we decided to stock up on the essentials for when the the sun does shine. A good boogie board and surf board were top of the shopping list, so heading to all the surf shops from Sunshine Beach to Perigian and Noosaville to Coolum Beaches only just made the urge to get back in the ocean so much stronger!  Chatting to the old dudes in the surf shops are awesome - they really do have a massive love for the ocean and so happy to tell you what you need without selling you anything in their own shops!!  We picked up a boogie board and were told that the surfboard we were searching for are rarer than rocking horse shit.  On Saturday we were the proud owners of a sweet second hand 7'6 mini mal that had been traded in just half an hour before we got there.

Our new addition!

Back at Le Hotel Bell for what we thought would be only a day or two before we could get back on the road but alas the weather gods weren't playing the game!!  Fear not - we stood tall, raised our glasses,  played cards and by eating fabulously home cooked meals made lovingly by Ramon!!  I've found a new BFF - the outdoor gas heater.  While everyone is getting burnt from the searing heat, I can be found sidled up right next to it - complete bliss when the Sunny Coast feels more like Tasmania.

The bad weather allowed us to catch up with some old mates.  A trip to Caloundra was on the cards to crash at the fabulous Reynolds Family at Little Mountain for a few days.  Liz & Peter & Phred's (the crazy poodle!) gorgeous home is in a super quiet and leafy suburb just near Caloundra.  Liz's garden is full of lavender plants and home grown cherry tomatoes amongst pretty flowers - I'm still in awe at the different types of flowers that grow down here that would never survive up home due to the hot climate!! No amount of cool weather could make up for my lack of gardening skills though.  So more wine, more great food and more great company and a tonne of laughs got the better of us and we knew if we didn't get a move on our livers were going to go on strike...again!  We said our goodbye's to the crazy Reynolds household to catch up with an old mate of Ramon's.  A quick coffee and chat in the morning with Hamish that lead to Ramon taking me out to lunch on the Caloundra beachside.  More (great) food but most surprisingly the best coffee I've had that wasn't made by me or Ray!

Ramon surfing...ahh gammin!

The weather actually started to come good again but we're suckers for punishment...

And it was back to Le Hotel Bell to the 'family' and a very pregnant BooBoo...

On Tour with Triple Sec

For those not familiar with the interior dimensions of an 1985 Toyota Hiace, I can reassure you there ain't a lot of room to swing a cat. That said off we head to the Brisbane airport to pick up Taylah and reduce everybody's personal space ratio (PSR). Drinks have been a big factor in this adventure so far and catching up with The Seccos, Chopper, Toy & Heather can only mean more of the same.

Our king size bed
(Look Mum!  My rooms tidy!!)

Built in cupoards & walk in wardrobe

Carpeted throughout

Our spacious kitchen

Freshly painted and open plan living

Home office

Plenty of storage

Friday was seeing some of the sights over at Southbank and had a squiz through the museum - Burke & Wills were mugs!  Gray, now he should be in the history books cos he was the only one who survived!!  Caught a ferry along the murky Bris River and bailed at Bulimba and a quick walk around Oxford St darling!!

Wake up and back to the Sunny Coast to reunite with the all Bell's (Arch & Cath) and whistles (Jimmy & Dana) and down to the Maroochy River and pick up our pontoon boat and cruise about in search of fish!  The Ladies were most impressed that the boat had a toilet, the blokes more excited about the Bbq and esky!

Sunday morning and off to Point Artwright and get amongst some waves.  Cracking day, with great surf and beautiful weather, it was very hard to get Taylah and I out of the ocean.  The arrival of a non-swimming kiwi (Chopper) and a great idea to have some lunch.  Over to Noosaville and lunch at The Boathouse - a bit of an institution it is a floating restaurant/bar with a smashing view of the yacht racing on the Noosa River. The problem with being jobless is when you are walking the streets of Noosa, window shopping becomes a massive tease, because not only can you not afford to buy anything, you've got no room to put anything!!  Sorry Jamie!

Pt Arkwright looking to Mooloolaba

Beach Belles!

The weather gods were pretty kind to us for the first half of the week so Jamie, Taylah & I, the newly christened "Triple Sec", were able to get ourselves a couple of boogie boards, and some good quality surf time.  We made our way around the very trendy Mooloolaba, where during the school hols, its a mighty fine place to avoid.  The surf club is sensational with its deck stretching down to the sand and amazing views.  We have noticed that all the surf life saving clubs are in the PRIME spots of any town and their food and beer prices are great.

Archie & Cath's mate Stokesy just happens to be a Surf Instructor, so we were able to tee up some lessons and under the expert guidance and encouragement we were up and into it!!  Taylah in true form, stood up on her very first wave, rode it all the way into the beach and came back out for another go - and didn't even get her hair wet!!!! Much to Jamie & my disgust, as we did our best to drink as much salt water as a human can!  Taylah did however prove to be fallible, falling off repeatedly and drinking her fair share of the oceans finest.  Stokesy's brilliance shone through and by days end we had all stood up and all agreed it was one of the most fun day's we have had. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR ALL!!

Two hours of surfing leads to a couple of things.  Solid sleep, and the next day being sore in places you didn't even know about, which meant that we were happy to jump in the ocean with boogie boards and splash about.  The waves at Marcoola were sensational and after Jamie telling me several months earlier she wasn't too keen on the ocean and the creatures which inhabit it, it was a surprise that I was the first out of the water and Jamie and Taylah (not surprising) did not want to get out, even as the rain clouds came rolling in. Unfortunately the clouds signaled the start of some ordinary weather, so our plans to practice our surfing and join the Roxy Pro circuit were dashed - for a little while anyway.

The Eumundi markets are renowned for being a "must see", so we did what every other tourist on the Un-Sunny Coast did that day - and jostled our way around these massive markets.  Lots of clothes, jewelry, dream catchers, anklets and friendship bands for sale as well as heaps of massages, tie dyed clothes and all things "alternative".  The markets have pretty much everything you could want (except bric-a-brac) from your market experience, with heaps of leather craft, wood working, fresh fruit and veg, live music and amazing food stalls.  We love you Paella Fella!!  Oh yeah and we also love the guys making the Spanish doughnuts with the chocolate sauce!

The weather continued to be crap, so we headed back to Brissy after going through Caloundra and checking out if there was any possibilty of swimming - but NO.  The lovely Sophie & Woosa requested our presence at their gorgeous home, on the good side of the tracks in Morningside, for a BYO BBQ.  BYO in the way of "Hey can you guys grab some steaks, salad, nibblies and drinks before you head over!  Hey Woosa was providing the ambience and the company and of course Toy was the Entertainment.  Jamie apparently kicked Taylah & Sophie's butt on the Wii (I am only getting Jamie's version) in dancing and from all the cackling, one had to assume it was fun!  I was giving the Woosa & Toy a darts lesson!! (I am only getting my version).  Hey but I did hit a very nice ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY.... ah gamin 140 but.

Brisbane was not missing out on the rain and while the Secco's went to try their luck on the ponies, we thought our money was safer over at Southbank.  Jamie very coyly kept our dinner date a secret until that night when we all headed back over to Southbank to catch up with Heather and her "mystery man"..........PEGO!!!  Much red wine consumed with plenty of laughs and old stories and Pego giving Taylah a hard time about everything!!  Sunday morning and the rain was pelting and Taylah was maybe a little relieved to be getting out of a very wet South east corner and go back to school.. maybe!!  But it was a great 10 days and we are looking forward to the Christmas holidays.

A Spoon Full of Maryborough

Long time no post.

Sorry friends & followers!

We left the lovely little town of Elliott Heads (which we fell in love with) and headed out to Aunty Lynny's place for a few nights.  I hadn't caught up with Lynny & Peter for three years and Ramon hadn't yet been introduced so it was awesome to spend time with them again!  Lynny & Pete's lovely little acre of bliss (with cows and horses next door!) is just a little out of the Maryborough CBD and so began our two week drinking binge which is why there have been no updates to said blog.  We took a day trip to Hervey Bay and decided to go to Torquay instead...school holiday traffic got the better of us!  The weather wasn't the greatest so checked out the bay for a few hours and wandered the beach. The day we left Lynny & Pete's place we took a look around Maryborough at all the lovely historic houses and businesses there.  We were so impressed that the council is obviously leaning towards keeping the history of the town by renovating what they have and not tearing the old buildings down to replace with flash new ones like most city's are doing.

Mary Poppins was born here!

An old pub

Lynny has just started to learn to play the guitar and quickly got Ramon to teach her a few chords and a couple of easy songs - we hope that Pete isn't sick of hearing Stand By Me!!  

Lynny & Ramon jamming!

We headed off to Tin Can Bay & Rainbow Beach the next morning and two things were clearly conspiring against us...

The weather (it was poo...) and the dreaded school holidays.  I'm not exactly sure which was worse.  The moment we turned the corner to get to our camp site at the Rainbow Beach Caravan Park and were confronted with more kids than at a primary school picnic.  The serenity was special - children screaming a being screamed at by equally annoying parents - we made a hasty beeline to the surf life saving club to watch the footy.  Ahh bliss. Welcome to School Holidays!

We were keen to hang around Rainbow Beach for a bit but the dismal weather forced our hand.  We decided that after our gourmet brekky jaffells and lovingly barrista'd coffee's we'd have a look through the hinterland and make a track to the Sunny Coast to annoy Archie & Cath Bell.  Using the 'All roads lead to Rome' theory (not always correct) Ramon decided if we kept turing left we would surely get to Amamoor.  Getting to the end of the bitumen left us in a dilemma until some locals overestimated the capabilities of the van and sent us on a four wheel driving adventure through the Kennilworth State Forrest.  The little van that could did just that and safely got us nowhere near Amamoor but past the Gympie Muster site.  Great news was that after an hour and a half we found the bitumen again and made our way towards the lovely spots of Kennilworth, Malaney & Montville.  It was pretty cold so there and the mountains were so lush with great views of the hinterland.

Montville

Having driven pretty much all day we limped into good ol' Yandina just past Nambour and camped up for the night (in a pretty dodgy area - Ray say's it was fine - it was dodgy)...woke up the next morning to rain and got ourselves to Archie & Cath's with our fingers crossed that it was indeed the Sunshine Coast.

The great thing about rainy weather is you can still drink in it and with that we did.