Welcome to the Sunshine State, Australia

 It was hard to say goodbye to New Zealand after the wonderful time we had with the Bellamy-Lees, but we were hoping our next destination Australia would live up to our expectations. We were heading to the Gold Coast first to find our feet and figure out a plan for the next few months in Oz. We had a phenomenal flight to Brisbane over the snow capped mountains and beautiful turquoise sea which was wonderful to witness. Plus we were with Air New Zealand which was by far the best plane experience we've had, have a look at their Lord of the Rings themed safety videos if you haven't seen them before! After four hours we touched down into Brisbane and got the train over to a place called Surfers Paradise because doesn't that sound like a pretty good place to start! 

It was a shock to be in the bustling streets of Surfers Paradise after our quiet travels around New Zealand. We spent a lot of time enjoying the main attraction which was the vast, beautiful beach and huge waves, it was easy to see why it's paradise for surfers. We settled for playing around in the ocean although when a big wave hit us it was like being inside a washing machine as the water crashed around and we tumbled helplessly in the surf for a few seconds. It definitely made us realise how easily you could be swept away in these turbulent waters and how important it was to have lifeguards patrolling the beach. The Gold Coast has a rather enjoyable 300 days of sun a year which is certainly something we could get used to as we were making our decision where to head next. We were lucky to bump into an old friend who had been working in Goldie for the past few months who took us on a drinking tour of the city. There are A LOT of bars in surfers so it was fun to have a drink in each one, particularly the crazy steam punk themed cocktail bar, and dance the night away at a Brazilian club night. It wasn't so fun the next day when I had a hangover from hell that wouldn't shift, but that's the price you pay! We also experienced some of the most violent thunder storms we've ever seen whilst hanging out here. One night the sky ominously turned yellow before the heavens opened and the atmospheric orchestra began with lightening crashing across the landscape. We stayed in a few different hostels across the city so got a good feel for the area and marvelled at how they would host the Commonwealth games here in just a few weeks. 

Whilst in the Gold Coast we thought it would be the perfect time to get ourselves a car. We wanted to have the freedom to travel wherever our hearts took us for the next few months and we decided a golden Holden Astra Wagon was the one for the job. In all honesty sorting the paperwork and ensuring we weren't being ripped off wasn't an easy process but we got there in the end after a few stressful days. We chose a car rather than a camper so we had the best of both worlds, a vehicle that wasn't too big to drive around town but one we could sleep in on our road trips. We decided to head out of the pricey Gold Coast as soon a possible and chose nearby Noosa with its alluring charm. This drive was pretty magical once we hit the Sunshine Coast as the gorgeous beaches came into view. When we arrived in Noosa we couldn't believe a town could be so perfect! 

To begin with we were staying in a lovely guesthouse to find out feet and ultimately secure a job and somewhere more permanent to live. Luckily for us another couple from the UK, Joe and Melissa, were staying in the room next door so we ended up exploring the beaches and bars of Noosa with them. I don't think I could accurately put into words how quaint this little town is with tree lined streets full of boutique shops, independent bistros and stunning beaches. There is a real connection to nature here too with lots of hikes through natural forests full of animals. By some sort of magic we both managed to secure jobs with Josh at a beach front restaurant whilst I worked in a bar with my main lady Melissa. We were really settling into life in this amazing town and couldn't imagine ourselves ever wanting to leave. We found a longer term flat to rent with Melissa and Joe so we could stay in Noosa for the next few months, watch Married at First sight on the sofa together and drink Hollandia. 

One of our favourite parts of Noosa is the National Park which has some fantastic hikes through the sandy forest where you can admire the stunning turquoise coastline. On our first coastal walk we lucky enough to see the resident dolphins mere metres away from a big group of surfers who both flock here to enjoy the long rolling waves. Noosa has wildlife in abundance with koalas hiding away in the trees, giant fruit bats flapping across the sky and possums scurrying around at night which is certainly something we both enjoyed. One night whilst driving home after work I was lucky enough to see a Dingo padding around in the road. Unfortunately my only other witness was a very drunk Melissa who was snoozing away in the passenger seat so no one believed my story. Another fantastic welcome into our lives was Tigger the very fluffy cat who lived with the landlord above our flat. He is probably the soppiest cat we've met and loves a cuddle, but most definitely on his terms. If you tickle the wrong part of his belly you will leave with a few scratches on your hand and a grumpy cat, but he'd always be back to get some tasty treats from Joe. The four of us adored him buying toys, treats and tempting him onto the sofa with fluffy blankets. 

We're currently very happy being in Noosa with a plan to work for the next few months to save some money for further adventures up the Queensland coast. Living with Melissa and Joe is such a breeze too so I guess we must be lucky we couldn't shake them off, spending Valentines day together must have been when our love blossomed. There is lots to see and do, in and around Noosa so the next blog will be filled with those adventures with our new pals.