NATTER: MY HOUSEHOLD ON HOLIDAYS - QUEENSLAND 2008

The beach on Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast, Queensland

Helloooo everybody, I’m back……after two glorious weeks on holidays in sunny Queensland – well actually, not so sunny cos there were some serious storms whilst I was up there, didn’t I???

However, I was lucky enough to dodge the worst of the storms but even when it was raining, the temperature was still perfect. Which is not what I can say about the temp in Canberra at the moment! It is nearly the beginning of summer and when I arrived home on the weekend, the temp here was 9°C! Go figure??? And it has not stopped raining here since.

This is where I stayed in Surfers Paradise

The beach at Noosa Heads, Gold Coast, Queensland

I stayed in Surfers Paradise at the Gold Coast and also in Noosa at the Sunshine Coast. I was in heaven with all the yummy shops around. My favourite was Elkhorn Avenue in Surfers Paradise as the street houses all the designer shops. I had a tough time deciding on a Louis Vuitton or Gucci handbag – I finally opted on a Gucci bag…..always been a little partial to Gucci. I also went crazy at the Wedgewood and Villeroy and Boch factory outlets. My bank account is looking so pathetic at the moment!!!

Louis Vuitton on Elkhorn Avenue, Surfers Paradise

My favourite shop, Gucci, right at the end of the designer lane, opposite Louis Vuitton on Elkhorn Avenue

My purchase this trip.

Even on holidays I was waking up at 6.00 am but I actually enjoyed it - it gave me a chance to have breakfast by the pool and read my books before the sun was up. I actually found some old Mills and Boons and it made great reading. I can't remember the last time I read those books....actually I do...20 years ago!!! I was really glad that I found some Janet Dailey books at the Carrara Markets. She used to be my fav M&B author. I also watched a few movies (the wonders of having a portable DVD player).

My holiday reading and movies

My favourite Thai Restaurant - they have won numerous awards and the food is divine! Within walking distance from our apartment, which helped.

Make sure you visit Norma and Frank Bailey of Zanette's Gelati at the Chevron Renaissance Shopping Centre in Surfers Paradise. They make the best ever Italian ice creams, truly! My favourites - Macadamia, Pistachio and Ferraro Roche, yum, yum.

Anyway, am I pleased to be back? Yes and no. I definitely do not miss work. In fact I am dreading going back to work; having to catch up on 3 weeks of work. One consolation - Christmas holidays are coming in less than a month's time! Yipee.

My total journey these holidays was 3007 kms.... Oh yeah and I drove all the way!!! It's a sixteen hour drive from Canberra to Surfers Paradise and I drove in one go on the way back to Canberra. I also had my first ever puncture since I have been driving a car. On the way up, I broke journey in Coffs Harbour, New South Wales and spent a day there. I took over 600 pictures (no joking) and it was so difficult to decide what pictures to put up on my blog. It is going to take me forever just to sort out them out. So, I hope you enjoyed the snippets of my happy shots from my holidays!

PS: I would have put more pictures up but as it took me 2.5 hours just to load these few pictures on the blog, I am afraid that my patience is running quite thin. We are not amused!!!