With the smell of orange peel becoming a distant memory to our fingers, we have busied ourself with many an activity since leaving Benyenda Citrus. We decided to make our way to Mount Tamborine for a spot of walking in the mountains and a day of adrenaline pumping theme park rides all just a stones throw away. The drive from Gayendah to Mount Tamborine was a long one taking nearly six and a half hours. We had read about a camp site to stop at that evening and by the time we had got there the night had set in. Nothing worse than arriving at a new place when it is pitch black, its a nightmare trying to get sorted out and finding things. The Australian winter has set in and even though the days temperatures are still in the 20's the mornings and nights are a chilly affair. So a night in the van watching a few movies it was.

The next morning we drove down the mountain to one of the many Gold Coast Theme parks for a day of fun and thrills at Warner Bros Movie World. Packed with movie themed rides and shows, a day of childish fun was ahead of us. The site itself is quite big and there was plenty to see and do. First off though, we hit our first ride of the day, The Batwing Spaceshot. It is a rapid 4.5G vertical launch up a 60 metre tower, followed by a drop into a breathtaking negative descent, so much so that I even let out a little scream as Ashleigh held on for dear life. But like a teenage lad popping his cherry, it was over in seconds. With our feet firmly back on the ground we headed off to catch the Hollywood Stunt Driver show. From the moment you enter the arena you are immersed in a real live action working movie set. This purpose built and designed arena is the backdrop for the miniature movie that is made whilst you watch. The show itself was rather gripping as it incorporated breathtaking stunts, precision driving and scenes of exhilarating action. There was also a large slice of cheese thrown in for the kiddies and the Americans in the crowd who could not contain their whooping! The driving stunts were great and they were washed down with a nose full of burning rubber. We have to admit that even though quite a lot of the action was as corny as corn on the cob, we couldn't help but getting into it and finding ourselves enthralled and entertained. Walking around the park you are treated to great treasures out of Warner Bros movies like the Batmobile, Gotham City Hall and many others. We even managed to see the Dark Knight himself fighting crime in the street. It was the real life Batman too, Ashleigh said it was just some guy in a suit pretending to be him but that's just crazy talk.

We watched Journey to the Center of the Earth in 4-D and we loved it. All cinemas should be 4-D, it was a right laugh. There is a part in the movie where one of the kids sneezes and when he does you are sprayed in the face with a fine mist of water. I challenge anybody to sit there and try not to wipe the water off your face as all you can think is "...what if they really use real snot?". For a laugh we though we would have a blast on the Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster thinking it would probably be a crappy ghost train for the kiddies. We were wrong. You enter the creepy dimly lit courtyard and move into the heart of the 'Spooky Castle' and you are greeted by ghouls, gargoyles and the odd moving suit of armour as you make your way down the cue for the ride. The ride started of as we predicted and for the first few minutes it was a cheesy ghost train. Then all of a sudden things got interesting. The carriage was slowly elevated upwards and it started to roll backwards. Now going down roller coasters forwards is still a bit scary but backwards in the dark is a different kettle of fish. Rather shocked that we got a bit of a fright from what we thought would be a kids ride, we made our way outside to the warmth and safety of the daylight. After walking around and taking in more of the sights and shows, we had saved the best till last...the Superman Escape. Now this was good. The pre-show for the ride is an attraction in itself, themed around the popular DC Comic's Super Hero. As you cue for the ride you wait in a Metropolis subway, as you travel through messages of an earthquake hitting Metropolis are played on the screens in the subway. To escape the catastrophe, you have to get aboard your carriage and there is only one guy for the job to save you from this mess, you've guessed it, Superman. Pushing the carriage out of the subway then vertically upwards at 100km per hour defiantly gets your attention. It travels from 0 - 100 kilometres per hour in just 2 seconds. Now that's not fast, that's Superman fast. It has 760 metres of vertical climbs, weightless drops, head spinning twists and giant G-force turns. Ashleigh laughed her back off all the way round, I loved it too but the colour seemed to drain from my face once I was off the ride "LET'S GO BACK ON!" Ashleigh said like a kid at Christmas "Na, it's give me a headache" is all I could say. It was brilliant and it was over in a flash but once was enough for me (I can hear you calling me a little girl from here).

The next morning we drove back up Mount Tamborine to stretch our legs around then many walking trails throughout the national park. Tamborine Mountain isn't a giant but still impressive at 525meters, it has a small plateau community full with quaint little shops selling home made sweets and antiques. Starting at the peak of Tamborine Mountain we made our way along a walking track that dipped down and into it's dense rain forest. The sights were amazing as we cut through the beautiful natural settings and our minds were cast back to the treks we had done in Laos and Cambodia. As we walked we passed gently tumbling falls and rock pools until we reached the spectacular cascades of the Cameron Falls. We had to take five, not to catch our breath but just to be able to take in the sights that were before us. I know it sounds like a line from a rubbish movie but the views really were breathtaking. After our walk we hit a quaint little cafe and scoffed a tasty lunch before driving to one of the lookout points on the mountain to watch the hang-gliders and para-sailors launch themselves off the mountain and float lazily away on the breeze. With us working on the farm we hadn't drank for a month and we decided to end the drought at a German themed bar/winery/restaurant. They were the real deal, German owned, German staff, lederhosen, Oom-pah music, the whole 'nein' yards. The German beer did not disappoint either and it was served in a glass big enough to drown a small horse. Ashleigh's wine was a drop of alright too and we sat in the sun enjoying our drinks. The Oom-Pah music flowed into 90's German pop, so before one of David Hasselhoff's hits came on (as they love his music do the Germans) we finished our drinks and said auf wiedersehen.

The next day we took a drive out to Coomera Markets for a sticky beak and then drove on to Southport to check out the beaches in the hope of finding some good fish and chips. From Southport we drove along the coast in our never ending search to Main Beach and Surfers Paradise. When it comes to Surfers Paradise, I would say the paradise is tragically lost and has been replaced with a trashy party zone, Blackpool with sunshine and more impressive buildings came to mind. As you walked down the beach the paths are adorned with images of times past like the Life Saving Club and the original Meter Maids. Ash saw the Meter Maids of today and could only describe them as looking tacky, it seems Surfers Paradise has lost it's class of old and has been replaced with a tourist trap. For example the only fish and chips we could find were small, expensive and straight out of the freezer. When you cant get fresh seafood at the beach there is something wrong I say. It's a shame really, we had heard mixed reviews of the place from other travellers but we had to see it for ourselves. But nothing ventured nothing gained, at least we have seen the place I suppose. If we were 10 years younger maybe we would love it.

Disappointments aside, the good times have out weighed the bad and it has been a great way to get back into life on the road. We are ready to hit our next destination further up the coast so Brisbane...we are on our way.

Love Peter and Ashleigh x