Brisbane to Byron Bay On leaving Brisbane our first destination was Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast to see if it lived up to all the descriptions we had heard. It did not let us down. Fantastic beaches with golden sand, azure blue sea and surfers. There are some very attractive high rise developments with old single or two story houses mixed in. Still don't think I would want to spend too much time here except for the beach. We then just drove down the rest ...

The walkabout has begun, or is it the floatabout in the WhitSundays ? Up early to finish packing as taxi coming around 08.45. In fact it is here slightly early at 08.40 and we have checked in and gone through security by 09.10. Impressive. Virgin flight left Sydney on time, arriving into Brisbane early. Time for lunch before the flight to Proserpine for Airlie Beach. Some good views to the coast on both flights. Unfortunately, we did seem to be taking a long tim...

Saturday and a bit of a late start but Paul is beginning to feel better. We decided breakfast out again was the order of the day, downside was we had to join the queue for breakfast at Coogee Cafe today as being the weekend lots of people with the same idea and other large groups having breakfast on the way to the beach. Popped into Sydney on the bus again to pick up a cheap phone and sim needed for our travels but back to Coogee by lunch time. We decide to hit t...

First full day in Australia, albeit, a familiar part having been to Sydney twice before and on both occasions stayed in Coogee. Awake early as the change in the body clock had not quite adjusted so down to the Coogee Cafe for breakfast and the internet. Great bacon and egg sandwich. Off on the bus to Circular Quay and a day to check what has changed or not ; more the same than changed as it turned out. Looked around downtown then to Darling Harbour. All this ar...

Arrived Sydney 09.00 forty minutes late. Unfortunately, as we were about to leave Hong Kong a passenger was taken ill so we were delayed as their baggage was removed (no indication it was Percy) Great flight on a Qantas A360 airbus. I have to say the space and comfort of the Airbus was much better than the BA Boeing 777. Great food and wine also provided with PJ's if you want them. Most people did get changed into them but British reserve suggested we did not. Du...