Travelling Worm

A bookworm's travelogue

Tag: Surfers Paradise

  • Dawn in Surfers Paradise

    This is the blog of a 25-year-old bookmark. I proudly boast my own Hallmark serial number, 95 HBM 80-1. You’ll probably want to read all about me and my Travelling Companion (the TC) .

    Today’s travel notes

    Me and the TC flitted back to Surfers Paradise on the Australian Gold Coast last weekend.  We’ve been there before. This time was just a quick hop, to join the TC-once-removed at the end of a week-long conference.

    Me, I’m no adrenaline junky, so I stayed comfortably lodged in a good book while the TCs went cavorting around Movie World. They came back gibbering and quivering, having mistakenly got on the Scooby-Doo coaster with the expectations of a gentle ride interrupted by a few spooks popping out of corners. Hah, I could have told them what to expect. They were also sizzling with excitement after the Hollywood Stunt Driver show, where they claim they had to duck flying cars and douse burning eyebrows after the explosive finale.

    Later, the TC dragged me and the TC-once-removed out to see the dawn on the beach. Some people just can’t be persuaded that the sun rises every day, even without their being there.

    My impressions? Here comes the grudging admission: It was worthwhile. The low-angled rays from the sun yielded interesting effects of light and shade.

    Word of the day: Toes

    Another blog about bookmarks and related oddities

    My friend the Sandgroper recently tweeted me a link to the Forgotten Bookmarks site. What a cool idea! The blogger works in a bookshop that specialises in rare books. She blogs about the weird, interesting or touching things that she finds in the books. If you’re in a mood for macabre juxtapositions, take a look at the entry called From The Library of Paul Bunyan.

    Of course, this worm was once a forgotten bookmark. I stayed buried in a book for many years, neglected and forgotten until the TC found me again about two years ago. That’s how I’ve managed to retain my youthful appearance and zest all these 25 long years!

    Travel tip

    Things happen. All the time. Whether you’re there or not.

    Recommended restaurant

    Montmartre by the Sea, corner of Elkhorn Ave and The Esplanade, just across the road from the beach. It’s one of the few places in Surfers Paradise that serves good coffee. Get there in the early morning for freshly-baked raspberry muffins.

    The book I’m in

    The Street Philosopher, by Matthew Plampin. A taut, realistic view of a newspaper correspondent’s experiences in and after the Crimean War.

    The photos

    Take a walk with me through the evening and early morning in Surfers Paradise. It’s a little surreal there. Things will happen. That’s guaranteed. Join me in contemplating your toes, if you’re lucky enough to have any.

    Me getting bluesy:

    Evening and Dawn in Surfers Paradise
    Dawn in Surfers Paradise

    The TC took this snap when about to set off in all innocence on the Scooby-Doo ride at Movie World:

    Dawn in Surfers Paradise
    Dawn in Surfers Paradise

    Here comes the sun, it’s all right:

    Evening and Dawn in Surfers Paradise
    Dawn in Surfers Paradise

    A lone surfer in paradise:

    Dawn in Surfer's Paradise
    Dawn in Surfer's Paradise

    Early sunlight glancing off a footprint in the sand:

    Dawn in Surfer's Paradise
    Dawn in Surfer's Paradise

    Sunlight forming a halo around your toes:

    Dawn in Surfer's Paradise
    Dawn in Surfer's Paradise

    Now it looks like the foot is bulging up at you, as if someone is walking upside down under the sand:

    Dawn in Surfer's Paradise
    Dawn in Surfer's Paradise

    Jonathan was there too:

    Dawn in Surfer's Paradise
    Dawn in Surfer's Paradise

    Shell shadows:

    Dawn in Surfer's Paradise
    Dawn in Surfer's Paradise

    This dude is finding the early morning pickings slim, just a cigarette but or two. He does have impressive toes:

    Dawn in Surfer's Paradise
    Dawn in Surfer's Paradise

    That’s all for today dudes.


  • Surfers Paradise

    This is the blog of a 25-year-old bookmark. I can proudly boast my own Hallmark serial number, 95 HBM 80-1. Twenty-five years, and I don’t look a day older than one! Alas, I can’t say the same for my Travelling Companion. I spend most of my time inside a book (well, duh) while my TC sees the world. Read all about me and follow my blog posts to share my experiences as bookmark and travelling worm.

    I’ll keep it meaningful. Like a t-shirt.

    Today’s travel notes

    I’ve spent the last few days in Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast. That’s in Queensland, Australia, dudes. I spent most of my time tucked away with a book, because the Travelling Companion was working. Still, we did get out and about. The TC is depressingly awake at ungodly hours of the morning.

    My impressions? Laid-back luxury.

    Surfers Paradise is treacly-beautiful. Chocolate-box stuff. And never mind “Surfer’s Paradise”, it’s definitely a shopper’s paradise.

    Did we come away with the mandatory souvenir? Oh yes. Though I have to concede here that we avoided the usual bit of arty attire. Instead, we acquired “Dracula’s Crawling it’s alive! Hand”. It’s noise-activated and comes with an SM-type leash. This souvenir I approve of. It suits the TC to a T.

    The Gold Coast is about 45 minutes’ flight from Sydney. We flew Virgin Blue — highly recommended. Straight up, a bit of a swoop around some thundery cloud-peaks, then back down for a fast landing. Do it at sunset for maximum view-value, if you’re into that kind of thing.

    Once you’re in the Gold Coast, there are only two things you need to know: “Beach Side” and “Dry Side”. Once you understand that these are the two sides of the Gold Coast Highway, you can get anywhere any time.

    We didn’t do the big xxx-world attractions. We did do the “Haunted House”. Clever disorientation techniques, mirrors, uneven flooring and sticky dangling face-stroking bits in the dark had the desired effect on the TC. I was safely tucked inside a book in a bag, but I felt the tremors and heard the hesitant giggles. This is where we found Hand.

    Travel tip

    A peg comes in handy when you’re travelling. Use it to seal your bag of coffee. Or just to hang out with. Like I’m doing in the photos.

    Recommended restaurant

    The Tandoori Place, 30 Laycock Street, Surfers Paradise. (Web site.)

    Delicious food and winning service.

    The book I’m in

    Sleep, Pale Sister, by Joanne Harris.

    The photos

    Me walking on the wild side (Jonathon Livingstone S was a bit close for comfort):

    Me with Jonathan\'s footprints

    Me hanging out with some fishermen, an ibis, Jonathan and Peg:

    Me hanging out with Peg

    Me and Peg on Neptune’s chair:

    Me and Peg on Neptune\'s chair

    Pre-dawn, and nobody is awake but me, the TC and an ibis:

    Ibis at dawn

    Surfers Paradise (that’s what it says):

    Surfers Paradise sign

    Dawn over Surfers Paradise:

    Surfers Paradise at dawn

    The main drag in Surfers Paradise, with Neptune’s chair:

    Surfers Paradise main drag

    Just some of the shops:

    Surfers Paradise shops

    Hand — his complete handle is “Dracula’s Crawling it’s alive! Hand”:

    Dracula\'s hand

    Haunted House (Hand’s erstwhile home):

    Haunted House

    Q1, the tallest residential building in the world — that’s its claim:

    q1_surfersparadise

    A worm’s eye view

    Dawn on the beach:

    Write your letters in the sand — a wave washing over a footprint:

    Wave over footprint

    Other travelogues of note

    • Kamil‘s travel photography blog. Aaaasome, he’s been kite-surfing.
    • Jessicaca found herself in Surfers Paradise during Schoolies week, and left. Oh dear oh dear, you poor thing.
    • Shah thinks Surfers Paradise is Australia’s version of Miami. I’ve got news for you: Miami is but a pale imitation 😉
    • Austin has some golden-hued photos to complement my silvery snaps.

    That’s all for today dudes.