Sumner

We were up early showered and porridge eaten before walking into the city devastated by an earthquake in 2011. The city is a mixture of building sites, roadworks, huge cleared areas awaiting rejuvenating and some new buildings dotted around the area. We had a look around Re:Start Mall and area of where businesses are operating out of shipping containers.

Add caption

Bank in a container

Cathedral being held up by girders.

Re:start Mall.

We met up with with our old mates Keith & Pam who took us on a trip to Sumner where we saw some of the devastation to homes over looking the beautiful bay, after being  treated to lunch we had drinks back at our hosts handsome residence. Here we met with K&P's daughter Amy who I haven't seen for 20 years, grand daughter Grace and hubby Steve.

Sue Keith & Pam

Amy Pam Grace Keith Steve and Sue

It's was good meeting up with our friends, stories of the old days flowed during the day. One story I forgot to mention today but will do so here. I worked with Keith at British Airways and when my dear old mum flew to Chicago to visit my sister, Keith met her in departures got her an upgrade to business class took her by the hand on to the aircraft made sure she was comfortable and gave her a kiss on the cheek as he said "goodbye have a good flight". When I visited mum on her return I asked her if she remembered  Keith at the airport. "No" she said . Do you remember the guy who helped you onto the aircraft and gave you a kiss goodbye. "Was that Keith ? 'Oh' I thought that was all part of the service".

To Christchurch

We are leaving Australia today for New Zealand unfortunately there isn't a direct flight from Cairns so we have to fly to Sydney to pick up a flight to Christchurch, this makes it a 12 hour journey arriving in Christchurch at 23:55.

We are really looking forward to meeting up with our expat friends Keith and Pam while we are there.

Quaintarse wouldn't check us in as we didn't have a ticket out of NZ (it's a requirement that you have an exit ticket when you travel), we never plan that far ahead, so we bought a fully refundable ticket back to Sydney at the sales desk (mega expensive) I wont use it and when we decide to leave NZ we will get a refund and buy a cheaper ticket.

Great Barrier Reef

Had our day out on the Great Barrier Reef today, the fast catamaran visits three dive sites during the day with breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea served by an attentive crew.

Unfortunately for me I wasn't able to scuba dive, the meds I take banned me from that activity, no worries, the snorkeling was ace, we saw thousands of the reefs inhabitants large to tiny and plain to colourful. The Wrasse below was probably the largest fish we saw although we did see a reef shark while we were out of the water.

Wrasse.

Sue with the captain

Obligatory pose

Cairns

Rear deck.

Green Island.

Finding Nemo

Sue with the other captain.

The day was great fun and would recommend if you ever find yourself down this way. The crew were excellent the food good and the ship fast, it takes just over an hour to get to the first dive site. Four hours of snorkeling is quite tiring though, I sat out the last session preferring to observe from the sun deck, there is a bar on board.

Bush tucker trial.

We have moved north to Cairns, a 2.5 hour Virgin flight from Brisbane (there are as many Virgin aircraft here as Easyjets at Gatwick). We are staying in an apartment at the Harbour Lights overlooking the water, the skyscraper type accommodation and buildings of the Gold Coast have not reached this area yet....the city is made up mostly of low rise buildings, some attractive parks and a large lido type lagoon,  We have been nosing around the harbour and the city most of the day. I did book a sunset dinner cruise for the evening but it got cancelled because of lack of bookings.....where are all the tourists? I have booked us on a barrier reef tour for tomorrow, snorkelling for Sue and a scuba dive for me, hope that doesn't get canx. It has been very humid today until the rain came and freshened and cooled the climate for the evening.

We had dinner at Micks place; we both opted for the bush tucker trial taster plate of Emu sausage, Crocodile tail, Kangaroo steak, Barramundi, prawns and sweet potato... luckily no fish eyes, marsupial penis or cockroach made it to our plates.

A  $12 beer - don't know why I'm smiling.

Lagoon

View from the hotel

Bush tucker.

Brisbane

Sunday - We have a late flight out of Brisbane to Cairns result of bit of a cock up on my part, I hadn't noticed Virgins tiny little pm against the 08:05 flight I booked our journey, when the email confirmation came through it was in the very large 24 hour clock 20:05. We got to the airport early enough for the 16:00 flight but Virgin, bless them, wouldn't let me change flight as we had been "locked into the 20:05 flight" but I could buy a new ticket for the earlier flight $300 each but without a refund for our original tickets! Thanks but no thanks I'll consol myself with a  $11 Peroni and wait.

Earlier we drove to Jacobs Well and had a bacon & egg breakfast at a small cafe. At the harbour car park there must of been over a hundred 4 x 4's with large empty boat trailers their owners all gone of for a Sunday cruise/fish/sail. Then it was over to Frank Doyle Park in Moreton Bay where we sat and watched the boats coming and going from the estuary.

Low tide at Moreton Bay

We dropped the Avis car at Brisbane Airport, complained about the useless Satnav they had rented us( the screen keys printed a random letter when pressed and the unit didn't know where Brisbane Airport is located), they promised to credit us for the rental, I'll wait and see.

Ted's Tours

Friday - We haven't seen any Aussie wildlife yet on this trip .... so today we took ourselves off to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary.

Saturday our Aussie buddies Ted & Jill picked us up from our hotel and took us on a tour of the Hinterland; a fertile mountainous region ( The Great Divide)  with vast lush valleys, plateau's and  huge forests, Ted being a committed biker all his life took us on some of his favourite biking roads. Up over Tomewin Range through the Tweed valley to Tumblegum Tavern  on the Tweed river for where we were treated to lunch. Through Murwillumbah, Tyalgum and along the Numinbah valley stopping at Chillingham for coffee. Up through Beechmont where we stopped to watch paragliders launch themselves of a hill. We made a final refreshment break at a Canungra Hotel for a cool beer, then it was  through Nerang  back to the Gold Coast.

We had a terrific day with Jill and Ted, their pride in their country shone through during our tour... we last met over seven years ago when they visited us for the IOM TT, as with all true friends you make in life, today seemed as if we were never apart.

Sue waiting outside the hotel for Ted's Tours

Sue with Jill & Ted at the Tumblegum Tavern

Coffee stop.

Tourist map.

Over looking the Tweed valley

Megget Reservoir

The Gold Coast 

Paragliding off a hill

Magnificent 

Nautical clock.

 I have been looking for a suitable time piece for FL's saloon..... I found this one on a beach market stall.. just the job!

Surfers paradise

It doesn't matter where you stop along this coast you are rewarded with pristine beaches. We are now on the Gold Coast at Surfers Paradise. The weather has continued to be overcast and showery but the temperature hasn't dropped below 26C.

In the evening we had dinner at Skypoint observation deck while the sunset.

Skypoint

After dark.

A few more canals for the adventurous narrow boater.

Pacific Highway

Saturday we hired a car, leaving Sydney to start a casual drive using the Pacific Highway route towards the Gold Coast and Brisbane. We overnighted at  Coffs Harbour a coastal city in a banana and blueberry growing district, it's harbour has a large fleet of small fishing vessels. We had an exceptional meal in a Thai restaurant that was next door to our hotel, the owner who had more than a passing resemblance to Benny Hill dressed  as a Chinaman gave us a bottle of Thai beer to take away with us.

Sunday and we are at Ballina Beach resort a 100yd stroll to the beach where the life guards on duty out number the surfers 2-1.

We took a trip over to Byron Bay the town has a laid back hippy feel to it, with artisan shops, bars and backpacker travel agents surrounded by first class beaches.

It was a bit of a sodden day with the rain becoming torrential at times.. we stopped for lunch of tapas at the Balcony bar in town while we waited for the rain to stop. It never did, we had a warm shower on the way back to the car. 

Captain Cook's lookout.

Tomorrow we are off for a week of slobbing about on a beach at Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast.

Friday

Friday and all is well. Took Sue on the trip I had done earlier in the week.. a tour around the Opera House site including lunch in their open bar area. Thieving sea gulls are the same the world over.. an Aussie shite hawk snaffled an unguarded burger from the table opposite ours.  Lunch over we made our way onto the Manly Ferry, a great boat trip in it's own right and good value to boot($15 return).

On this trip we are armed with note's from a well  known blogger from Manly, Paul advised us about a 'local's ' bar at the skiff and sailing club so along we went and joined the club as temporary members(FOC). An absolute gem of a place overlooking the wharf and a sandy cove, we spent a while sipping and taking in the atmosphere and views, the food being served looked excellent too. From here we strolled over to the ocean beach.. finding a suitable shady seat along the promenade we watched the young and fit do their stuff in the surf while younger and fitter body's stood guard.

On the Skiff Sailing club veranda.

Our hotel is in Chinatown and every friday they hold an open air market, the food being served up at the various stalls was to tempting.... I tried a few different dishes.