Sojourn in Queensland

Aargh...it's been almost a week since I've posted an entry. Missed me, people? har har har... Well, the entire family has been travelling. Despite our sophisticated handheld gadgets, no updating could be done as the Aussie government are still dilly dallying on the nationwide broadband project. Notwithstanding one objection after another by the Opposition. Politicians!

Anyway, we spent most of last week in Queensland. It was about one and a half hours' flight from Sydney to Gold Coast and then another three-hour drive to our first destination - Gympie. Mama and Dad were on their annual abattoir duty while the felines were on escort duty. Merrier this year as we have grumpy Pingu and cheeky Ginger in the party as well.

Interestingly, Brad didn't do much of his "Are we there yet?" routine. Threats to feed him to the cows did it this time. har har har...he doesn't know the difference between omnivore and carnivore yet. And I'm not going to teach him otherwise. Pingu and Ginger? Equally clueless. Boys!

Day 1: Gympie and Sunshine Coast

Now, let's talk about the places we visited. First off - Gympie.

Gympie is a former gold mining town in country Queensland, about 260km northwest of Gold Coast. Now, the place relies heavily on agricultural produce, notably beef. It's where an abattoir called Nolan Meats is located.

We reached Gympie at around 1pm, slightly more than three hours after we started the journey from Coolangatta. Didn't take too many photographs of the town as Mama and Dad were trying to determine the exact location of the abattoir. It's a small town but unfamiliar territory definitely. Although equipped with a map, we managed to go round and round and lost our way a few times.

A very welcoming sign - that the people of Gympie care for their animals.

We had this nicely presented seafood lunch....yummm....

The suburb leading to the abattoir....looks very peaceful and serene. 

Cattle before the slaughter...what would they be thinking, eh? Sorry folks, I'm a carnivore.

OK, I skipped showing the slaughter pix here but this is quite gory too - the worker is taking out the internal organs of the slaughtered cow.

Mama inspecting the boxes of meat that were going into storage before shipping.

This is how meat going to local butcher shops is packed.

We left Gympie around 4pm and went to Sunshine Coast to look for the hotel that Mama booked us all in. It didn't look far in the map. About halfway, we left Bruce Highway (M1) and took the coastal road that links all the places in Sunshine Coast.

The north-most town is Noosa (famous for its beaches and the Ironman series), and then on to Noosaville, Peregian, Coolum, Yaroomba, Marcoola, Mudjimba, Bli Bli and by mistake, Maroochydore, before making a U-turn to Twin Waters where the hotel is located.

Downtown Coolum where we stopped to stretch our legs and bought some food stuff.

Hmmm...interesting art installations in downtown Coolum.

The only highrise in Coolum.

We stayed here, a luxury resort at Twin Waters, near Maroochy river. Our room faces the lagoon. Everyone snored coz everyone was dead tired.

No, Mama didn't take me cycling though those cute girls invited us. The hotel has a host of activities skewed towards families and small groups. Unfortunately we stayed for just one night.

Day 2: Sunshine Coast & Brisbane

We had a lazy morning at the hotel. Everyone was reluctant to leave such a peaceful place. Wish we had stayed longer but Mama had other plans, as usual. We passed by small towns like Mooloolaba and Buderim before hitting Bruce Highway again. Then we took the Landsborough exit as Mama wanted to take us to an adventure of a lifetime, she said. Hmm....I was thinking perhaps Australia Zoo?

Yummy mangoes...of course we stopped to buy heaps when we saw the sign. The good chap also sells lychees, strawberries and watermelons. Mama and Dad argues how many mangoes we can buy as we're supposed to travel light.

I was right! We made the detour coz Mama wanted to take us here - the Australia Zoo at Beerwah.

And saw this invitation. So, anyone happens to be in the 'hood on Dec 1....

But then this sign changed everything. Mama was mad as she won't be able to take us all in so all animal visiting plans were abandoned, including plans to feed Brad to the crocodiles.

We buried our sorrows by eating tons of nuts sold at a petrol station....and ice cream too...

This bridge at the Gateway Highway just before we took the exit to Brisbane reminds me of the movie Wars of the World. Don't ask me why.

We had rice and rendang at this small restaurant off Logan Rd in Mt Gravatt.

Then prayers at the Al Farooq mosque in Kuraby....hmmm...interesting architecture.

Interesting shop on Logan Rd....does it really sell what's written there?

Next stop: Gold Coast. 

Will continue when I have the energy, OK? Gold Coast is my kind of place. purrr....meow!