Gold Coast

What an adventure.
Saturday: We left on a 7.30 am flight with Qantas, to brisbane, on Saturday 16th June, ready to join my folks and sisters in the Gold Coast! After a 4.5 hr smooth flight, in which sophie slept for around half hour (we were hoping for 2 hours, wish for thinking hey!) we arrived at Brisbane airport around 1.30pm (brisbane time) We msgd my parents to let them know we had arrived while we collected our luggage. Mum and Megan then met us once we had our luggage and we went to find dad and the girls. We the set out in our 'bus' for the rest of the 74km drive down to the Gold Coast! We stopped for a pee break and to grab some food, we were so hungry! Before we arrived at our stay for the week, Crown Towers, Surfers Paradise!
We went up to our room which was on the 14th floor of the apartments. We loved it! 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, spacious living area, balcony even a laundry! Our views were amazing too! We could see out to the canals around Surfers Paradise, and we could see down to the adrendaline park which was colorfully lite up at night time.
We then went out for a drive into town, so we could do some quick groceries and grab something to make for dinner.
We then enjoyed an earlish night, in our comfty bed.
Sunday: We met together in mum and dads apartment for bible reading and listening to a sermon on the laptop. After which we enjoyed yummy custard cake + coffee together. The rest of the day was spent reading in our rooms, and then heading down to the indoor heated pool for some swimming fun.
Monday: Today we headed out to Pacific Fair, which is a HUGE shopping centre. With its own kids playground in the middle! Where we had to pop into the post office and also buy our morning tea at Krispy Kreme. A must do for Chris, because he had never done it before! We then headed out on our way to Movie World! Gates opened at 10, and we were there around 10.30am. First thought- WOW! what a place so much to see and marvel at. We headed to the arena, for a stunt car show. It was terrific. Cars narrowly missing eachother at high speeds, cars on 2 wheels, cars being split in half, it had it all. After this amazing show, we walked to the Warner Bro's Kids Zone, to see if there were any rides for sophie (and pregnant mum) to do. Nope all to scary for her :) Oh well. We then went to the Wild West Area, where we watched another show. Then mum, dad and chris waited in line for 20 mins (felt like an eternity) to go on the 'Wild West Falls.' Its a ride where you sit in a 'boat' and ride up and through the 'wild west' then free fall down a water drop. They all loved it, then me and mum went for a go, because although i am 22 weeks pregnant i still wanted to be able to do at least one ride on my holiday. It was awesome, thrilling, wet and fun! The rest of our day at Movie world was spent looking at the different 'movie sets' getting photos with movie characters, watching shows in the main street and then watching the big parade at the end where all the characters come out and 'show off'. We headed back to our apartments around 4, to freshen up then decided to go to Pancake house for dinner. YUMMO!!  Dad and Chris tried the all you can eat pancakes option, but only got down 4 each. I had a yummy chicken salad, followed by passion fruit pancakes with strawberrys and bananas, so good.

Tuesday: Today was another busy, busy day. We went to Sea World! The folks and sisters had already been last week friday? but were still just as excited and ready for things they hadnt seen. We stopped first for morning coffee (fuel to keep us going) then started walking. First Stop Penguin Empire. Unreal to see the penguins walking on ice, and then being able to also see them jump and swim in the water. They are also bigger then i thought they would be. After that we walked on stopping in at Dinosaur Island (was good for a laugh) before stopping at different stages to see seals perform, and also get a photo with one, to watching Dora sing and dance, we watched a 3D movie of sponge bob square pants. Viewed some amazing jet ski skills. Looked in at the shark aquariam, wouldnt want to swim in those waters! before ending the day watching the dolphins do tricks with their trainers. We then walked down a path we didnt before and found some rides, one was where you sit on jet skis and go around a track at 70km. Dad really wanted to go on a roller coaster, but after watching decided not this one! We then walked past the kids area, and all hopped on this ride where you have to pull your body weight up and then drop. We had fun racing eachother. Then megan and mum, chris and sophie went on a  train ride. Sophie wasnt at all impressed! We headed back to our apartments around 4 again, entirely tired after 2 full days of walking.

Wednesday: Today was a quiet morning as we all needed to rest and recouperate. Mum, Megan and myself went out ot Pacific Fair to get our nails done, and enjoy some yummy morning tea at the Chocolate Place. Gotta love so much chocolate! We then met the rest of the family for some lunch before we walked into town to do Ripleys Believe it or not, Odditorium. It was really cool seeing all these displays and laughing at crazy things people do. We grew up watching the show, so was cool to see it in 'real' life. After this we left mum with the girls and dad, chris and myself headed out to Dracula's Haunted House for a bit of a scare. It was quiet unexpected! You enter into a lobby where you are given instructions, then you hop into a creepy old lift which takes you up the the start of the 5 floors you encountor. We walked through these floors, sometimes gettting scared others times just laughing at the fun. One room was a room of mirrors, which was actually quiet hard to get through and find way out. Another room we had to crawl into John Howards Mouth, and make our way through his body till we 'executed' ourselves from his rear end. There was also a phobia room with a GIANT spider in it, and a lot more spooky things. After we had finished there we headed back to the apartment to met mum and girls, got dressed and went to Jupiters (Casino) Food Fantasy for a scrumptious buffet dinner. Wow what an assortment of foods. and the dessert section! Sophie was an angel falling asleep about 15 min after we got there, so we could all eat in peice and not have to entertain her.

Thursday: Today we decided to go back to Movie World and also check out Wet 'n' Wild which is next door to it. We dropped off mum and Jessie + Emma at Movie World, then the rest of us headed into Wet 'n' Wild. Chris + Dad were the only ones going on the rides, me missing out being preggos and megan missing out, because the rides were just a little to wild. The boys started with a tame water slide, then moved onto a water slide, where you have to stand in a capsule and the floor disappears and you go shooting around the slide. The grins on there faces! apparently was the most adrendaline filled ride both had ever done. They then went to do the Tornado, where you sit on a floatie and free fall into a funnel and then glide into the pool. If the weather had been warmer Wet 'n' Wild would have been great fun for the family, but it was a bit chilly. So the boys got dressed and we went back to Movie World. Dad still wanted to do a rollercoaster, so we stopped for some lunch watched a Batman show, got some Ben and Jerrys icecream (it was the best ever) and then went and watched Dad go on the Batman Rollercoaster. This ride you had to sit on the seat which is dangling from the coaster, and you do flips upside down etc. Dad loved it, wish i could have done it with him, no one else daring enough in the family. After watching the Main Parade again, we headed back to our apartments. Dad, Mum , Megan + I then headed into town to go into the Infinity.  It is a 20 room place that you have to make your way through, all of it in the dark lite up with various lasers and lights. There was even a wobbly room floor, which mum freaked out becuase she was expecting. And a pitch black room with silicone gloves on the walls that feel like they are after you. We then headed back for  an easy dinner then we headed downstairs to enjoy a coffee together at the cafe.

Friday: Sophie was getting a little crabby and had a bit of a cough and temp so we decided to spend the morning at home. Folks and sisters went off on a drive down to NSW to see Byron Bay and some other sights. We enjoyed our lazy morning, Chris headed to the gym then we went for a walk along surfers paradise beach front and ended at Starbucks for some morning tea. Then headed to apartments so that sophie could have a sleep. The folks then picked us up around 2pm and we went to Wax Museum. It was quiet impressive some looked so real! After the  wax museum we headed back to the apartment to put warmer clothes on, the wind was a bit nippy before driving to the Q1 Tower. What an impressive sight. 360 o view of Surfers Paradise just as the sun was setting. After getting out fill of sights we decided to walk around in search of something to fill out tummies. We were pretty keen for some hearty Italian style food and stumbled upon a little Italian Resturant. The best food ive eaten out in ages. Our tummies were full with glorious pizza's and pasta's, Sophie slept almost as soon as we got there, so we could enjoy our meals too. The staff were amazing and even showered us with free entree's and also free coffee liqour shots to end the meal. We then walked lazily to the car, before heading home to finalize our packing because tomorrow was home time.!

Saturday: What a rollercoaster of a day. It all started off nice and cruisy. We had packed and then decided that we would head downstairs to share a nice fulling breakfast at the downstairs cafe, seeing as we dont know what kind of food you get served on the airplane. We said we had to leave by 8am, if we wanted to comfortably be at airport before our 11am flight. Well after waiting and also eating our breakfast's we didnt leave the apartments till 8.30, detoured past surfers paradise beach for a quick photo and then on the road. As we were driving the 1.5 hour drive, we were all slowly realizing that it would be a quick dash in the airport. We arrived just at 10am with dad dropping us off as he had to fill up the car, drop off and then run back to us. We all happily checked in, no oversized baggage and regrouped. Except mum gets a phone call, dads lost! oh crap. He cant find the car rental place, so mum rings find instructions and relays to do. 5 mins later, dad rings, still lost. Can he park anywhere. mum rings rentals, yes thats fine park car at airport. At this stage chris, sophie, sisters and myself had headed upstaris, leaving mum talking on the phone. Dad rings again, cant park at airport car too high. Arrgh and the clock keeps ticking, at this stage a security guy overhearing mum gave directions to oversize parking, where dad could head to. Which he did leaving keys in the glovebox and running the airport and arriving at 10.50!!! Meanwhile upstairs we had heard the call that our flight had been delayed for about 10 mins due to catering purposes. WHich means toilet break for us, and chris runs to get something to eat. And i realize that ive left our tickets downstairs in the parents room. So i leave megan with everything and run , passing the parents running our way. Luckily the tickets were exactly where i'd left them. I made it back to the gate just as we could all start boarding, we werent even the last passengers! Well we were all feeling a little stressed out, so we just sat for the first half hour in silence. hehe. It was uneventful flight, chris and I managed to get a seat between us for sophie, which was great, because after the 5.5hr it took to get back home she had, had enough of flying!!!
All in all it was an amazing holiday, one that we wont forget in a hurry. Thanks mum + dad, and sisters for everything and for the great memories!!