Friday, we went to Nan and Pops, and AMAZINGLY I actually won some money playing cards! They said I was officially the big winner of the night; I still haven't figured out whether that was because they let me win, or if all of the practice I've had at home has actually paid off! :)

Saturday meant GOLD COAST day! :) Tina, Trevor and I hopped in the car and headed South. At one point Tina told me that we were crossing into New South Wales, but we turned back north shortly after that. Some of the most amazingly beautiful sights I've seen since I've been in Australia were in Coolangatta. The rocks and the waves crashing up against them were unbelievable. It was also REMARKABLE to see the beach LINED with surfers! I definitely had a good time observing their skill.... I don't know if I could do it! After Coolangatta we headed to Burleigh Heads. Much to our pleasure, there was a whole assortment of sculptures lining the beach on this particular Saturday. We enjoyed those as we walked the coast, sinking our toes into the silty white sand. It was also at Burleigh Heads that I had my first sausage sizzle... essentially a sausage in a piece of bread. I simply LOVE hot dogs, so I found it quite good. Tina explained that sausage sizzles are a popular fundraising idea. After Burleigh Heads we stopped at a cafe for morning tea (lunch) on our way to Surfers Paradise. CaffeRepublic served me a WONDERFUL BLT sandwhich that I enjoyed very much, all the while soaking in the ocean air. Eventually in Surfers Paradise, Tina and Trevor showed me Cavill Street.... the main shopping drag of the city. We were greeted by an extrordinarly tall, skinny lady clad in a gold bikini and heels. She explained that she was a "Metermaid", someone who goes around putting money in parking meters that have run out. I, however, did not take a picture of her (I'm sure that this is much to the disappointment of my fiance and brother). After doing some browsing we headed across the street to the Surfers Paradise beach. It was humorous to see the amount of people laying in the direct sun and avoiding any shade! It's no wonder Australia has the highest number of skin cancer patients! After our time in Surfers, we headed home. I was WIPED and fell asleep for much of the trip. When we arrived home, Tina and Trevor went to a show while I stayed home and worked extremely hard on my final presentation for my time here!

Sunday was my day with Shannan on the Sunshine Coast! After I showed her much of my final presentation, and she corrected me on a few things, we hit the road! Our first stop was Kings Beach in Caloundra. It was simply beautiful outside, and we had a nice walk along the coast. I was stricken by the fact that there was an outdoor swimming pool RIGHT on the coast. It was so close that Shannan told me that when it is high tide some of the ocean water splashes over the pool walls into the pool. Apparently the water in the pool is actually ocean water anyway, so they don't have to worry about mixing or anything. After Caloundra we headed to Cotton Tree, another little beach along the coast. It was here that Shannan described for me the unreal effects nature has on itself. For instance, there was one point of the bay that at one point was connected to the other side, then was an island and has recently (as in the last 5 or so years) connected to the other side. She also had me walk through a caravan park (campground) in which half of it has eroded away. Where her grandparents had once had a plot was now a big piece of Pacific Ocean. We then went to a mall and I had a wonderful milkshake and pancakes for lunch. After that we headed to one more beach a little further down the road, and Shannan described "cable skiing" to me. Apparently, instead of being pulled behind a boat, there is a place here that has cables hanging from above that pulls you on kneeboards, skis, wakeboards, etc... I've never seen or heard anything like it! Once leaving here, we accidently made a wrong turn but made the most of it by visiting one of Shannan's friends. For tea, we went to Bethany & Wesley's for pizza. Zander, as always was a darling and a stinker at the same time! He's at that adorable age where he knows what he's doing, but can get away with it. :) We all enjoy a good laugh with him.

Tomorrow marks my first day of my last week at M.E.S.S.. UNBELIEVABLE! Hopefully things run a bit more smoothly this week. I'm planning on being in charge of EVERYTHING this week... lining them up, all lessons, etc. I'm QUITE excited. :) Wish me LUCK!

written by  cowane1 on September 12, 2010 from Burpengary, Australia
from the travel blog: Australian Adventures!
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LUCK!!!!

written by  Marcie Cowan on September 13, 2010

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