Learning to love the Gold Coast

My new post I decided to dedicate to the Gold Coast, a place where most of us will have to spend some time regardless of loving it or hating it as our campus is here.

When I came back to Australia and started to live on the Gold Coast there was no end to my disappointment with it. Maybe it was because I had some unrealistic expectations, maybe because I used to live in Cairns and it was very different to the Gold Coast, maybe because it turned out that I am city person. Anyway, I was stuck here.

Well some of you would think “how could you not like it?!” I do like it now, but at that time, the place seemed to me like big long village. I should say that I started my exploration from Parkwood and some of you would know that there is nothing nearby, even the simple task of getting groceries requires you to catch a bus, and buses require you to obey timetable frames. When you want to be disappointed, you are guaranteed to find millions of reasons.

So that was when I decided to get to know the place and find my own reasons to like it. And I succeeded! Here are the reasons (or I should say places).

• Burleigh Heads. That was the first place that I found at the Gold Coast and I just fell in love. Where rocks and sand meet, where surf is great, where beach and bushwalk are just meters apart, where you get to see real Australia! Take bus route 700 and slowly explore it. Get lost among countless coffee shops, wander through art craft shops, come for the market on Sunday morning, or make a picnic near the drum circle in the evening. I’m sure that everyone will find something for them here!

• Palm Beach (Currumbin Creek) – if you want try something new, come here for Stand Up Paddle Boarding session. You can hire board here for an hour for $10. No lessons required. I really think it is a very meditative activity. Because while you are trying to be stable and follow your friends who are far far away already because they turned out to be better learners, you do not have much time to think of anything else. By the way, I saw a dolphin there!

• Broadbeach is best place for you to try so many different cuisines. You just have to choose a restaurant and that is not easy: Greek, Thai, Italian, Japanese, Cuban, and lot more. Besides delicious food Broadbeach is offering musical treats, for example a Blues Festival coming in May. And if you feel adventurous and lucky you can go to the casino 🙂

• Robina is home to biggest shopping centre on Gold Coast. You easily can spend whole day there just going from one shop to another, having lunch in one of the nice cafes, or staying for movie after a long shopping day.

These are just some examples of where to go and what to do here. It just took me a little longer to get to know the place and be grateful for the chance to live near the ocean, in a place that has over 300 sunny days a year. Hope this knowledge will empower you for your exploring trips!

My kind regards and good luck with your exploration,

– Alina