It blows my mind how a day wraps up so quick, even when you aren’t working anymore. It’s a Sunday afternoon here in Coolangata, Australia. For those of you who don’t know where the heck this place is, pull up a map of Australia and pinpoint Cairns with one finger and Sydney with the other. Slowly pull your fingers together and when they meet, you should be highlighting an area called the Gold Coast.
The Gold Coast is Right-hander heaven. It is home to world class point breaks: Burleigh Heads, Kirra, Snapper Rocks, and D-bar. Coolangata is situated between two of the largest: Kirra and Snapper. It’s beautiful here! Hard to believe we have had the opportunity to stay here with our friend’s family for over a week!
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I’m not kidding. The surf here is pretty frightening. There are a few days I didn’t even attempt a paddle out. The size was way out of my league and the side sweep (currents) was insane! I’m not too sure I’m a friend of point breaks yet! Haha. It was killer though. We had the opportunity to surf with so many professional surfers and work on our patience skills. There are so many good waves, yet so many people at battle for them! That’s all right though. Crowds are good for us! We are still learning how to be aggressive out there, but at the same time catching some of the best waves of our lives.
We’ve also spent a bit of time in Brisbane and Noosa. We went into Brizzy the first day we were here in Aussie! So busy! I couldn’t believe how massive the area was! Skyscrapers accompanied by coffee shops and alley way cafes! The one thing that parts Brisbane from other large cities I know is its cleanliness. The streets were pristine! Lack of rubbish lots of public bathrooms changes the entire scene.
Brisbane still didn’t knock my socks off! Even though on the map, it looks so close to the coast, its still a fair drive away. Brisbane can get sticky in the summertime. I’ve been spoiled with an ocean/bay breeze my entire life. I will tell you, no breeze here! It’s miserably hot. Keep in mind, hardly anyone here has air con. So some nights, we became like Velcro to the sheets because of the 90 lows.
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Coolangata has been my favorite thus far! All the homes are in walking distance of the sea and there is plenty to do! Surfing and Surf rescue are some of the biggest activities. It’s also a great place to run. At the points there are massive hills to compete against and wicked hills to bomb if you own a skateboard.
On rainy days, were able to walk to the movies and to a local chocolate bar next door! Yes, I said it! Max Brennar’s Chocolate Bar. It was like a Willy Wonka wonderland. Endless jars of gummies, peppermints, and chocolate jaffas. Just imagine, thick chocolate swirling around in smoothie machines and special shaped mugs for their creamy chocolate coffees. It was like heaven on land. Haha not the best for the lactose intolerant at heart.
I musn’t forget to add that TODAY is Australia Day! When you ask Aussies what it celebrates, question marks fill the sky. I had to do some research of my own. On the 26th of January, 1788, the first fleet of British ships landed in Port Jackson, New South Wales. This date marks the start of modern Australia. It’s celebrations are very similar to that of American’s “Independence Day”. Barbeques, picnics at the park, and lots of bottles skulled away to the red, white, and blue.
It is our last night in Coolangata with the amazing Peate family. I’m definitely going to miss them! There are so many more places to see and new things to experience. I love this. It’s really hard to imagine life without a bit of traveling. You learn so much. Even so much more when you travel with a partner.
Alana’s love for yoga came from firsthand experience with just how powerful the practice is. “In 2009, Yoga found me. Inside the studio, she experienced a deep sense of belonging, but the most profound part was what happened after. “I felt as though I was at true peace. I finally knew what the word meant. Until that moment, I had just understood it cerebrally. There is something profound to be said about Peace dropping into the heart.”