December 2020 - another year looming, another big adventure on the horizon as we move over one thousand kilometers to be closer to family, from Glorious Gold Coast Queensland to Adventure Awaiting Albury, New South Wales (in Australia obviously.)
And as we pack up our latest rental once again and clear out all the dead weight (while making some okay coin for it through Facebook classifieds) the list continues to grow daily as I ruminate on what I'll miss a lot after four years here.
And for the yang to the ying, there's quite a few things I'm looking forward to turning my back on..
THE GOOD
NO NAME LANE CAFE - Everyone has their favorite café here on the Gold Coast, it's almost expected of you to work your way through the multitudes to discover your personal pick as soon as you arrive. And for a while while we lived in Pimpama, One Tree Cafe near the supermarket was the go. When we decided on a move closer to my work in Broadbeach, Park Espresso and Eatery in Highland Park was an absolute delight. Earlier this year we shifted again to Carrara and my café allegiances shifted with the move too - I'd been enjoying the coffee's made by No Name Lane Cafe near where I worked but after having breakfast there recently, that topped it off. Chili scrambled eggs cooked to perfection washed down with a brew. Lovely.
(Special shoutout to Elk in Broadbeach who do incredible coffees and the well priced brews and very friendly staff at Base in the Oasis shopping center.)
LLYODS CARRARA - You never know what you're going to find at Llyods auction house and that's part of the thrill on a monthly visit. And while we've done okay with our purchases (top tip, stay away from the apple products unless you know it's unlocked because dealing with Apple themselves in ridiculously painful and permanently turned me to Android), it's the cars that have been a highlight for me. In what car yard would you usually find a Japanese hearse, possibly the oldest taxi here in Australia or even a small tank? Llyods, that's where.
HINZE DAM - Even on a terrible day weather wise, Hinze Dam is a wonder. I'll miss the views, the cafe at the start of the walk/ride (and the end when you turn around and come back again) and the wonder when you drag someone along for the first time. I won't miss the mountain bike trail because both myself and my cheap and nasty bike were rubbish at it but when it's not flooded with tourists, it's such a calm and majestic place.
COFFEE AND CARS MUDGEREEBA - Okay so coffee and cars events are the world over but my son and I have really enjoyed the truly eclectic mix of vehicles that show up each month here on the GC. It seems the Gold Coast really loves its Porches (no surprise there) but also its classic Holdens, Mercs, Beamers, drift spec Japanese Metal and drop tops just to name a few. Also I was so proud to own the nicest Stagea there (on account that I drove the only Nissan Stagea there..)
MT TAMBORINE - It is it's own beautiful world up there when you drive to the top and such a scenic drive it is too. Great places to eat, a winery, a brewery, a chocolate shop and even a place where you can buy a $12000 hand crafted cookoo clock, I kid you not. It gets cold up there sometimes but the views and escapes are magnificent.
THE BAD
GOODING DRIVE ROUNDABOUT - You could land a small plane in the middle of this massive roundabout and there's a fair chance someone probably has during it's history although usually if anything is parked on the inner part of this massive circle, it's because it's broken down or just been involved in a smash. I've had a jeep plough into me one night on the way home because the owner was too busy watching for cars coming in from the right...and not what he was about to crunch into (me) on the right. I've broken down turning off this thing because obviously it's cursed. While waiting for a tow truck, I watched another three cars from separate incidents be pushed onto the roundabout grass. And don't get me started on the idiots who fling themselves around it with mad abandon..
THE OVERZEALOUS PARKING INSPECTORS OF BROADBEACH - I've had a grand total of five parking tickets in my life (and one for parking my car 'in a direction against traffic' or something that I tried to explain but they wouldn't hear it) and 80% have hailed from parking near work, in Broadbeach. One I copped was just 6 minutes past the limit. I've never seen a bunch of more excited inspectors combing through the Kirra Surf Club carpark ready to pounce on anything and everything. Yeah I get it's a job but when I'm stuck at work and 6 minutes late in moving my car, I'm really not keen on paying $80 because some millionaire who doesn't work might need my spot so they don't burn their precious feet so much on the short walk to the nearby beach.
I park in a private carpark now provided by work but I bet they'd love to prowl and fine that too given half the chance..
THE M1, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT - It used to be a 70km round trip to work and back when I first started and half that journey was around 9pm where you'd cop either idiots or roadworks or occasionally stuck behind an idiot who was crawling through roadworks. Even though it was only twenty kilometers of that notorious stretch of road I had to travel on to get home, I saw more than my far share of accidents and there was more than one occasion where had I been there a couple of minutes earlier, I'd see the car fireworks first hand. Quite a few drivers that I saw figured the 110kph section of road was a great place to start and work their way from there in as quick a time as possible. I can't tell you how thrilled I was not to have to be on that road for work when we moved closer to it..
SOME OF THE REAL ESTATE AGENTS WE'VE MET WHEN RENTING - We've had three since first moving up here and only one has been a pleasure to deal with. (Here's a hint, if you have to wonder if it's you, it's not you.) I've been renting for a while (20 years and counting) and never have I met more indifferent or uncaring rental agencies in one area ever. It must be the theory that there's more renters moving up every day but wow, could some of them do with an update of people skills/personality. A shoutout to the ones we called but who never called us back and the ones who performed an open inspection like they were being punished for some infraction and they couldn't wait to get the hell out Dodge.
Would it kill you to be nice?
Well at least one we rented through was, so thank you for that!
Also if you're new here, expected to be competing with twenty other families in some areas to land a rental. I wish I knew that earlier!
THE CLUMSY TRADIES - I'm averaging about 1.5 flat tires every year I've been here due to random screws and nails on the roads. Seriously tradies, close your toolboxes on the back of your utes!
Finally the not great, could be better
BAVARIAN HAUS SURFERS PARADISE - The food is good, the beer is cold, the service needs a bit of work. We watched out entree end up on the next table which the diner took as complementary and scarfed it down. We asked the waitress who said she'd investigate with the kitchen and then never returned. Another waitress did track it down for us but it arrived well after the main course. Then they confused the bill and slightly overcharged us.
A nice night out once they get the service part correct.
More to come, standby!
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