Byron means Surf surf surf
Ipswich means Family meeting
Brisbane means Party with cousin Basel
Gold Coast means more surf and more Party
Byron is the Place to stay for great party time, good surf, delicious food and a relaxed, laid back chill. By the time you roll in the Bay, a bohemian, some say utopian and hedonistic haven, you may feel like you want to drop anchor for a while. Many backpackers including me fall in love with Byron and there are several reasons why this environmentally conscious town is so popular. There are kilometres of unspoilt beaches, heaps of walking and cycling tracks, cool nightlife spots, unspoilt rainforest and the priceless Byron vibe. Rider of the surf, also including me enjoy Clarks and Wategos beaches. Nudist prefer Belongil Beach ;-)
My days were, of course, spent with surfing and going out, meeting new people from Chile and Sweden, and trailing up to the Byron light house.
Crazy Chile made Care Bear suffer from Goon
The Pass…
Wategos Beach where I took my first wave 5 years ago…
The state of Queensland is supposed to be ‘beautiful one day and perfect next day’, this catchcry isn’t too far wrong. Anyway good enough for staying in Brisbane, I’ll need the sun later for the Gold coast and surfing. With its tropical climate, Queensland is nicknamed the Sunshine Coast, for 300 days of the year clouds are a myth (not the days I’m here..) and sands of its surf beaches are golden like the buff bodies that bake on them.
After my chilly days down in Byron I head up to meet my uncle Ted and his wife Marj. When I arrived at the Ipswich train station I was welcomed by a Christmas Parade, how inviting of them.. Arriving at their house I didn't get knocked over by their Shetland sheep dog. Last time I was there as a 4 year old I was knocked over by their St. Bernhard. My English knowledge wasn't the best although I handled the situation with perfection….”naughty dog” was all I could say then in English and that all day long…This dog, “sheltie” welcomed me more elegantly and we became instant friends. Ted and Marj showed me around in Ipswich and to the Wivenhoe Dam with its surrounding Camping places. After many cuppa teas, Mozartkugeln and a Christmas Stollen they drove me to my cousin Basil’s place in Brisbane. 
Had you visited Queensland’s laidback capital a hundred years ago, then you wouldn’t have been picking fruit to earn some money. Back then the Board of Health offered cash reward to people who caught rats. The going rate was two shillings per dozen. Forget trigonometry and business economics, school children were busy learning how to snare rodents. With their agile reflexes and deft little hands, school kids were the town’s top catchers.
Today, Bris-vegas as the locals call it, isn’t infested with rats. Cane toads have stolen the mantel as the state’s biggest pest. They were brought to Queensland from South America in the 1930s, imported by sugar cane growers who thought their presence would eradicate the beetles that were devastating their crops. The amorous amphibians are on the march and have rapidly spread down to NSW and up into Northern Territory. Such is the plague that it’s not uncommon to see Queenslanders swerve to the other side of the road in their car in order to squash one.
It’s weekend, so Basil took me out to Brisys nightlife, having a really delicious pizza at the Vapiano and playing pool in one of the old pubs. After a walkabout through Fortitude Valley we head back home.(I just don’t get it why all the Brisby girls try to kill themselves in those killer high heels..) Next night we met some of his friends to have honey beer and super duper food at the Pancake Palace, stopping at the Timezones for Games, dance machines and Pool, to finally end the night at the ManaBar (where u can also play computer games, cool bar!) ..making new friends.
One day I took the ferry to the city for some sightseeing and souvenir shopping, cruising along Brisbane River, City Hall, Parliament house, Queen St. Mall and Botanical Garden. Thankfully downtown Brisbane isn’t overrun with toads. It’s a colourful city of well-kept parks, riverside walkways and brightly decorated traffic signal boxes. It has a thriving outdoor cafe culture and the relaxed friendliness of a big country town. 
Parliament’s little Christmas tree is nothing in comparison to Vienna’s x-mas-trees…
Starting to miss the Austrian Punsch, Gluehwein (hot wine) yum yum… and hot Maroni…
One of the most popular places to surf is the Gold Coast, the most populous non-capital in the country. Here you find skyscrapers on the beachfront and plenty of backpackers. Surfers Paradise here I come! Crazy, crazy, crazy, arrived at the Nomads Hostel in Surfers and crushed into the two german girls from the Mojo surfsafari! Told u that’s exactly what happens to me aaaall the time ;-) But as soon as I was surrounded by all the drunken and half naked schoolies I quickly decided to take the next bus down to Coolangatta. BEST decision ever!
Coolangatta’s Sands Hotel was the best decision I made, friendly staff, clean rooms, cool balcony and a sweet new friend from Verona/Hossegor. Laura, working for Europe Billabong, and I had a great time together chillin at the beach, I trying the waves at Snapper Rocks (didn’t try D-Bah, what a shame), eating sushi, amusing and chatting along with good aussie beer. I was excited like a little kiddo when I managed my first perfect right turn and then riding along the open shoulder for a while!!!!!, so bloody f... awesome. Finally I really felt the true blues about surfing a wave!!! loved Coolangatta! next step.. jump and do some tricks ;-)
But first heading back to Brisby, packing my backpack, .. nearly exploding… saying Goodbye to Basil and rushing up to Cairns, hopefully not getting into any trouble with the plane… Qantas, u know…
