Returning from the Waves, Unforgettable Blue Sky, White Clouds, and the Sea...! (2019 Australia Self-drive Travel Documentary IV)

📍 Brisbane · 👁 1 reads · ❤️ 37 likes

The time came to February 11, 2019. Today marks the start of the final leg of our Australia self-drive trip—driving from Sydney to the Gold Coast, and then to Brisbane! The journey is about 1,000 kilometers, and we plan to stop at Port Stephens, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, the Gold Coast, and Brisbane.

February 11, a sunny day. In the morning, we packed our luggage and checked out. The Marriott Hotel was quite reasonable, charging only 55 Australian dollars for three days of parking. The bellman drove the car out and helped us load the luggage. We set off in our small Mitsubishi towards our destination for the day—Port Stephens. Following the navigation, not far from the hotel, we encountered a three-way intersection and almost took the wrong turn. Soon, we drove onto the Sydney Harbour Bridge. I thought we could get a bird's-eye view of the Opera House, but it felt like we were in a tunnel and saw nothing. Never mind. When Little Dou is a bit older, we'll climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge and enjoy the panoramic views of Sydney from above.

The car quickly left Sydney's North Shore and entered the Pacific Highway (actually the M1). After a three-and-a-half-hour drive, we arrived at Birubi Beach Holiday Park. It's not so much a hotel as a cluster of a dozen villas, just a few minutes' drive from Anna Bay. We chose this hotel for easy access to tomorrow's sandboarding at Anna Bay. Arriving early, we dropped off our luggage and headed to the beach to scout out tomorrow's sandboarding spot.

Wow! As soon as we reached Anna Bay, our eyes widened. The scenery was breathtaking. On one side, the endless ocean; on the other, vast stretches of golden sand. We couldn't believe how generously nature had blessed this land down under.

We rushed onto the beach, which seemed to stretch endlessly. The waves were gentle, the beach wide, and the water shallow. We played in the sand and splashed in the water. After a while, Dou's mom suggested checking out the sandboarding area to see if we could use today's tickets for a session. Good idea! So we immediately went over. The Australian guy in charge of sandboarding looked at our booking and, hearing our request, said, "OK, OK, welcome!" We were incredibly lucky today. We hurried back to the hotel, changed clothes, and returned to the sandboarding site. We boarded the site's shuttle and soon arrived at the dunes. Thus, we had our first sandboarding experience at Anna Bay.

At the dunes, a staff member gave us a brief introduction to the technique and safety precautions. At first, Little Dou was too scared to go alone, so we went down together. After two or three runs, she got the hang of it, and a sandboarding champion was born. The sun was blazing, and we were parched. Most people would call it quits after half an hour, but our Little Dou kept at it until the site closed. Again and again, she slid down and climbed back up, her crisp shrieks of joy echoing across the dunes. Seeing her so happy made all our exhaustion worthwhile.

Back at the starting point, the site staff awarded Little Dou a "First Place" certificate. Whether or not she was truly first, in her parents' eyes, she is always number one. Though we were tired, we didn't want to leave, so we went to the seaside to watch the sunset.

Back at the villa hotel, Little Dou kept saying, "Mom, I had so much fun today!" She was overjoyed, covered in sand from head to toe. Dou's mom quickly brushed off her clothes and washed her hair, while Dou's dad busied himself cooking dinner. The day's happiness slipped away unnoticed.

February 12: We slept in comfortably, as the day's highlight was visiting the world's only koala hospital in Port Macquarie. Leaving the hotel, the sun shone brightly all the way, with white clouds drifting overhead as our car sped along the road. Three hours later, we arrived at our hotel in Port Macquarie. After dropping off our luggage, we headed straight for the koala hospital.

We learned that this hospital is dedicated to treating koalas injured in various accidents, run entirely by volunteers and supported by donations from caring individuals. For the koalas, it's more a harbor of love than a hospital.

The hospital is small and free to visit. We could see koalas that had recovered (though they can no longer survive in the wild). Most of them were asleep in the trees, looking utterly adorable. At 3 p.m. daily, there's a free English explanation, and Little Dou listened and watched with great concentration.

Next to the koala hospital is a beautiful mansion, the Earl's Villa, whose owner had a glorious history. Due to inheritance taxes, the villa was donated to the government.

Life often reveals its wonders unexpectedly. After visiting the koala hospital, we went to the Port Macquarie Breakwall, known by tourists as the "People's Gallery." On the beach, some were surfing, some playing in the sand, others walking their dogs. The town's leisurely pace was enviable! Looking at the "masterpieces" painted on the rocks, I thought: without a love for life, how could such romantic ideas come about?

The next morning, we woke up early. The town slowly awakened in the morning light, dewdrops still clinging to the grass, sparkling under the sun. We set off towards the sun, today's main attraction being the Big Banana Park in Coffs Harbour. After nearly two hours of driving, we arrived at another famous graffiti jetty, Nambucca Heads. The massive rocks covered in artistic graffiti stretched nearly a kilometer to the river mouth. It's said that tourists can paint their own postcards on the rocks. Sadly, I had no paint and no artistic talent. If you'd like, remember to bring a paintbrush next time and paint your wishes on the rocks.

The Nambucca River estuary was stunning: colorful sands, a long boardwalk, clear waters. In the river, some were fishing from a boat; on the shore, water birds stood on wooden stakes, staring at the water, as if betting on who would catch a fish first.

After quietly enjoying two hours of peaceful beauty at Nambucca Heads, we soon arrived in Coffs Harbour. We dropped off our luggage and hurried to the Big Banana Park. We arrived before 4 p.m., thinking the sun wouldn't be too strong and planning to let Little Dou enjoy the water activities. But at the information desk, we were told the park was closed. What kind of work schedule is this? Is the capitalist treating workers like this? Alas, the day doesn't understand the night's darkness. Disappointed, we could only take a photo under the big banana.

With regret, we headed to Coffs Harbour Beach. It was dusk, and the white clouds in the sky were wrapped in a gray mist. On the beach, a group of Australian young men were repeatedly practicing surfing under their coach's guidance, so focused they seemed oblivious to everything else. Little Dou built sandcastles on the beach, because a princess dream lived in her heart.

When you're traveling, you find time flies. Suddenly, it was February 14, 2019—Valentine's Day in the West. I would head to the surfing paradise—the Gold Coast—with my two sweethearts. The car sped along the Pacific Highway, the road widening. Listening to music and humming tunes, we planned to check in at Byron Bay first. Byron Bay is famous for its long surfing beaches and iconic lighthouse.

Exiting the highway towards Byron Bay, the sky poured rain. Dou's mom was very nervous and urged me to turn back. I thought to myself that this would leave a regret. So I told her, "We're old sparrows from Dongting Lake; a little rain doesn't scare us." We continued, and soon reached Byron Bay. In the heavy rain, strong winds and high waves made the sea surface shrouded in thick fog, giving a mysterious feeling.

Following the navigation, the road narrowed. The lighthouse was on a high hilltop. The mountain road twisted and turned, steep and long. Sigh, if I had listened to my wife, I wouldn't be in this mess. Nervously driving to the top, the rain continued. The parking lot was still a few hundred meters from the lighthouse, and we had no umbrella. Should we get out or not? Forget it. Byron Bay Lighthouse, today we can only gaze at you from afar, unable to enter your heart!

Leaving Byron Bay with regret, we soon reached the Gold Coast. Entering the city, villas lined both sides of the road, each with front and back yards, green lawns, fragrant flowers, and a few wealthy families even had private docks. Crossing a bridge, we arrived at the Gold Coast CBD. Our booked Airbnb was in the two tallest apartment buildings in the CBD.

"Haste makes waste." Mistaking the Airbnb for a hotel, we circled around twice without finding a sign (sir, how could an Airbnb have a sign?). This time, we wisely stopped the car and went to the apartment front desk for help. The beautiful Australian lady, seeing our poor Chinese-accented English, kindly called the landlord. Ten minutes later, the elderly landlady came and guided us to a private parking spot. We took the elevator to a two-bedroom apartment. The landlady pointed to the items in the fridge and said, "These all belong to you!"

Since it was Valentine's Day, the Gold Coast under neon lights was bustling with crowds, the streets fragrant with flowers. Below the apartment, lively lion dances and street performers added joy to the festival.

The next morning, we had a delicious breakfast. As planned, at noon we visited the Q1 Building for a bird's-eye view. Going up to the observation deck of Q1, we were utterly awed by the view. The entire Gold Coast looked like a paradise, with every house seemingly by the water. The commercial area was full of high-rises, radiating a modern urban vibe, and the beautiful coastline stretched endlessly.

We had some snacks at the Q1 Building. After coming down, we continued along the inland sea coast to admire the scenery. The beautiful Gold Coast truly had scenery everywhere, each view like a blockbuster photo.

As the sun was about to set, we went to the beach. The Gold Coast beach truly lives up to its name as Surfers Paradise—strong winds and high waves crashing towards the shore like crowds. That day, due to strong winds, a yellow flag was hoisted, so we missed watching the surfing champions perform. I held Little Dou in my arms, sometimes rushing towards the sea, sometimes back to the shore. Soon, our clothes were soaked by the seawater.

On February 16, we planned to visit Paradise Country to get up close with the land's spirits—kangaroos, koalas, and more. Entering Paradise Country, Little Dou was completely thrilled. She fed kangaroos, held koalas, watched sheep shearing, rode horses, saw performances, panned for gold... from morning till dusk, she was in high spirits.

Our three days on the Gold Coast were short but happy. Today (February 17), we would return to Brisbane. It took only about an hour to drive from the Gold Coast to Brisbane. We soon arrived at Brisbane's South Bank Parklands. The park was full of cheerful people, some playing in the water, some sunbathing...

Little Dou had a great time at South Bank, swimming, playing in the sand... until 3 p.m. We refueled the car, returned it, and went back to the airport hotel. Tomorrow, we would happily go home! On February 18, with joy and reluctance, we left Brisbane and returned to our own wonderful country.

If I were to sum up our Australia trip in one sentence, it would be: Hamilton's rain, Melbourne's blue, the Great Ocean Road's wind, Sydney's awkwardness, and the Gold Coast's beauty. In those short 25 days, we traveled through South Australia, under blue skies and white clouds, with laughter all the way.

It's been nearly two years since the Australia trip ended. Whenever I flip through the photos, every detail of the journey floods back. So I decided to write this travelogue, recording these memories with words and pictures, hoping they won't fade with time, and hoping that Little Dou will often look back and see her past self.

The world is big, and it's worth seeing! A journey is not just about scenery; it's full of fun stories, and even some unpleasant moments. During the trip, the world in a child's eyes becomes colorful, and their life experience grows. Perhaps that's the reason we keep moving forward!

Travelogue Directory:

1. Chapter 7: Continuing North, from Sydney to the Gold Coast!

2. Chapter 8: The Beauty and Fun of the Gold Coast

3. Afterword

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