To Byron Bay, not very far. But there were heavy traffic jams and slow driving, five lanes wide, almost an hour.
We decided to drive along the way to the Gold Coast, Australia's number one holiday destination. It might be nice to stop by the Germans we met on the submarine at the Great Barrier Reef; they live there.
I called, and it worked out, in the afternoon. And they even had a nice suggestion for lunch. First, we had lunch in that park by the beach. With the uni-coffee shop sandwiches from yesterday. Right by the beach.
Then on to the Germans, Lasse and Anna. They live in a part of the Gold Coast called Surfers Paradise (!). Unfortunately, a large stretch of beach was washed away by the last hurricane, so there are better surf spots nearby. But there's plenty of surf vibe. And paradise too.
They haven't been living in the Gold Coast for very long, in a drive-in house with their two young children, ages 1 and 3, who are real tightwads. The house cost 700 TP4T/m² and doesn't have air conditioning. They'll need it in the summer. He's a researcher at the university, working on artificial heart pumps. The children go to daycare part of the week, partly to learn English. That way, they're growing up bilingual. Incidentally, "Kita" costs more than the rent.
Had a cup of tea, chatted a bit, then spent half an hour getting ready to go out with the kids. Wandered around the city, which thrives entirely on tourism. High-rise apartment buildings everywhere, as far as the eye can see.
Had ice cream at the frozen yogurt club.
And everywhere beautiful beaches with lifeguards, showers, and a beach promenade.
Apparently, all this goes on for dozens of kilometers. With 750,000 inhabitants, it's no small city; it's not far from Amsterdam. It was already quite busy in the spring, and I imagine it would be packed in the summer. Lasse told me there are five amusement parks and two water parks nearby.
We walked along the beach for a while, and the three-year-old girl, of course, loved playing in the water. After half an hour, she was soaking wet.
Passing a small market on the Esplanade, which is here every other day.
And we also admired the luxurious houses built on inland canals.
It was nice to get a little tour like this and get to know each other. And it was great that they had some time on a Saturday afternoon.
Late in the afternoon, we drive to Byron Bay, where we have a cabin on a holiday park. We arrive in the dark, outside office hours, and it was a bit difficult to get onto the property. But oh well, we called a few times, reached the evening doorman, and we made it.
Everything closes early here. This office closed at 5 p.m. (arrival time starts at 2 p.m., you have to aim carefully). Drinking coffee after 3 p.m. is often difficult, too; people drink coffee in the morning, to go. The Germans also said that people here eat out at 6 p.m., go out at 7 or 8 p.m., and then it's all over by 11 p.m. In the Netherlands, the night out sometimes doesn't start until then. Culture, you know.