Returning from the Waves, Unforgettable Blue Sky, White Clouds, and the Sea! — 2019 Australia Self-Drive Travelogue (Part 4)

📍 Dublin · 👁 1 reads · ❤️ 37 likes

It's February 11, 2019. Today marks the start of the final leg of our Australia road trip — driving from Sydney to the Gold Coast, then to Brisbane! The journey is about 1,000 kilometers, with planned stops at Port Stephens, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, Gold Coast, and Brisbane.

February 11, a sunny day. In the morning, we packed our luggage, checked out, and the Marriott Hotel was quite reasonable, charging only 55 Australian dollars for three days of parking. The bellboy brought the car around and helped us load the luggage. We set off in our little Mitsubishi toward today's destination — Port Stephens. Following the GPS, 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, hoping to get a bird's-eye view of the Opera House, but it felt like entering a tunnel—we saw nothing. Oh well, when Dou Gongju is a bit older, we'll climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge and enjoy the panoramic view 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 described as a hotel, but it's actually a dozen villas, just a few minutes' drive from Anna Bay. We chose this hotel for convenience to participate in tomorrow's sandboarding at Anna Bay. Since we arrived early, we dropped off our luggage and headed to the beach to scout the sandboarding location.

Wow, as soon as we arrived at Anna Bay, our eyes widened. The scenery was incredibly beautiful. On one side, an endless ocean; on the other, vast yellow sand stretching to the horizon. We never imagined how blessed Australia is by heaven.

We rushed onto the beach, which stretched endlessly before us. 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 the sandboarding spot to see if we could use today's ticket. Good idea! Without delay, we went to the sandboarding area. The Australian guy in charge of sandboarding saw our booking and, upon hearing our request, said, "OK, OK, Welcome!" We were incredibly lucky. We quickly returned to the hotel to change clothes and headed back to the sandboarding field. We hopped on the field'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 explanation of the technique and safety precautions. At first, Little Dou didn't dare to go alone, so we took her with us. After a couple of tries, she got the hang of it, and a sandboarding little champion was born. The sun was scorching, and our mouths were dry. Most people would stop after half an hour, but our Little Dou kept going until the field closed. She slid down and climbed back up repeatedly, her crisp screams of excitement echoing across the dunes. Seeing her so happy made all our fatigue worthwhile.

Back at the starting point, the sandboarding big brother awarded Little Dou a certificate for first place. Whether it was really first place or not, in Mom and Dad's eyes, you are number one. Though we were tired, we didn't want to leave just yet, 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!" Exhausted but overjoyed, she had a great time but also got covered in sand. Dou's Mom quickly brushed her clothes and washed her hair, while Dou's Dad busied himself cooking dinner. The joyful day slipped away unnoticed.

February 12. We slept in comfortably until we naturally woke up, because today's main event was visiting the world's only Koala Hospital in Port Macquarie. Leaving the hotel, we drove under sunny skies with white clouds drifting above. After three hours, we arrived at our hotel in Port Macquarie. We dropped off our luggage and headed straight to the Koala Hospital.

We learned that this is a hospital dedicated to treating koalas injured in various accidents, entirely supported by caring individuals, with all staff being volunteers. For koalas, it's more of a harbor of love than just a hospital.

The hospital is small and free to enter. We could see koalas that had recovered (though unable to survive in the wild). Most of them were sleeping in trees, looking incredibly adorable. Every day at 3 p.m., there was a free English explanation session. Little Dou listened attentively and watched with focus.

Next to the Koala Hospital was a very beautiful Earl's Villa. The villa's owner had a glorious historical story, and due to inheritance taxes, later generations donated the villa to the government.

Life often reveals its brilliance unexpectedly. After visiting the Koala Hospital, we came to the Port Macquarie graffiti breakwater, known by tourists as the "People's Gallery." On the beach, some were surfing, others playing in the sand, and some walking their dogs. The town's life was so leisurely it made us envious! Seeing these "famous paintings" on the rocks, I thought, without a love for life, how could such romantic ideas exist?

The next day, we woke up early. The town slowly awakened in the morning light, with dewdrops still clinging to the grass, sparkling under the sun. We set off toward the sunrise; today's main course was the Big Banana Park in Coffs Harbour. After nearly two hours of driving, we arrived at another famous graffiti embankment, Nambucca Heads. The huge rocks covered in artistic graffiti stretched for nearly a kilometer, all the way to the river mouth. It is said that tourists can paint their own postcards on the rocks. Unfortunately, I had no paint and no artistic talent. If you wish, remember to bring a paintbrush next time and paint your dreams on these boulders.

The Nambucca River mouth was beautiful, with colorful sand, a long boardwalk, and clear water. In the river, people fished from boats; on the shore, water birds stood on wooden posts, staring at the water as if betting on who would catch a fish first.

We quietly enjoyed two hours of peaceful beauty at Nambucca Heads, then soon reached Coffs Harbour. We dropped off our luggage and rushed to the Big Banana Park. We arrived before 4 p.m., thinking the sun wouldn't be too harsh, and planned to let Little Dou enjoy the water activities. But when we asked at the information desk, we were told the park was closed. What kind of work schedule is this? Do capitalists treat workers like this? Alas, daytime doesn't understand the night's darkness. We could only take a disappointed photo under the big banana.

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

When you're traveling, you find time flies. In a blink, it was February 14, 2019, Valentine's Day in the West. I would take my two valentines to the Surfers Paradise — the Gold Coast. The car sped along the Pacific Highway; the road widened. Listening to music and humming a tune, we planned to first check in at Byron Bay. Byron Bay is famous for its long surfing beaches and iconic lighthouse.

Exiting the highway toward Byron Bay, heavy rain poured down. Dou's Mom was very nervous and advised me to turn back. I thought to myself that this would leave a regret. So I said to her, "We are old sparrows of Dongting Lake; this little rain doesn't scare us." We continued driving and soon arrived at Byron Bay. In the heavy rain, the wind was strong and the waves high, with a thick fog shrouding the sea, giving a mysterious feeling.

Following the GPS, we continued. The road narrowed, and the lighthouse was on a high hilltop. The mountain roads were winding and steep. Sigh, if I had listened to my wife, I wouldn't be in trouble now. Trembling, we drove to the top. The rain continued. The parking lot was still several 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 a front and backyard, lush green grass, fragrant flowers, and a few wealthy families even had private docks. Crossing a bridge, we arrived at the Gold Coast CBD. Our booked homestay was in the tallest two apartment buildings in the CBD.

Even with a beard, one can still be unreliable. We confusedly mistook the homestay for a hotel. At the destination, we drove around twice without finding a sign (Sir, what sign does a homestay have?). This time, we wisely parked and went to the apartment front desk for help. The beautiful Australian lady took pity on us; seeing our broken Chinese-accented English, she proactively called the landlord. Ten minutes later, the elderly landlady arrived and guided us to a private parking space. We took the elevator with a card swipe to a two-bedroom apartment. Pointing to the refrigerator, she said, "These all belong to you!"

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

The next morning, we had a delicious meal. As planned, we went to visit the Q1 Building for panoramic views. Upon reaching the Q1 observation deck, the scene before us was utterly breathtaking. The entire Gold Coast looked like a paradise, as if every home was built by the water. The commercial area was filled with skyscrapers, a strong modern urban vibe, and the beautiful coastline stretched endlessly into the distance.

We had some snacks at the Q1 Building, then descended and continued along the inland coast to enjoy the scenery. The beautiful Gold Coast truly has scenery everywhere, and every view is a masterpiece.

As the sun was about to set, we went to the beach. The Gold Coast beach lives up to its name as a surfer's paradise: strong winds and high waves, with waves rushing to shore like crowds. Due to strong winds that day, yellow flags were posted, and we missed the chance to watch surfers perform. I held our Little Dou, running toward the sea and then back to the shore. Soon, the seawater soaked our clothes.

February 16. Today, we planned to visit Paradise Country to have close encounters with the land's spirit animals — kangaroos, koalas... As soon as we entered Paradise Country, Little Dou got completely excited. She fed kangaroos, held koalas, watched sheep shearing, rode horses, watched shows, panned for gold... From morning until dusk, she kept having a blast.

The three days at the Gold Coast were short but happy. Today (February 17), we returned to Brisbane. It took just over an hour to drive from the Gold Coast to Brisbane, and we soon arrived at Brisbane's South Bank Parklands. The park was full of happy people: some splashing in the water, others sunbathing...

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

If I had to sum up the Australian journey 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 brief 25 days, we traveled through South Australia, with blue skies and white clouds all the way, and laughter all along the journey.

It's been almost two years since our Australia trip ended. Whenever I flip through the photos, every little moment on the road comes back to me. So, I decided to write a travelogue, recording these memories with words and photos, hoping they won't fade with time, and hoping that Little Dou will often look back at her past self as she grows.

The world is big; we should go see it! Travel is not just about scenery, but also about many interesting things, and even some unpleasant ones. During the journey, the world in a child's eyes becomes more colorful, and her 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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