Esmond's 5th Aunt and Uncle have flown from Sydney to Gold Coast for a 5 day break...
Both of us took Friday off to bring them around Gold Coast and Brisbane....
We decided to spoil ourselves so we booked two nights at Holiday Inn at Surfers Paradise.
I left work on time and took the train from Central station to Nerang, where Esmond picked me up. We promptly headed to Holiday Inn to check in before we went to pick them up at their hotel at Mantra Hotel. We had Spanish food for dinner... Pity it had been raining the whole day and the Surfers looks like a deserted city... there were hardly anybody on the streets! After dinner, we went back to their hotel for a chat before going back to our hotel to rest up...
We were allocated with a room on a high floor (level 17?) and we could see the ocean from the balcony of our room... Pity it was raining and the wind was howling the night before, we didn't get to enjoy the night view then...
And to fulfil on what we have missed out the night before, we proceeded to the tallest building in Gold Coast - Q1.... Why?
Because it ran a super duper promotion. It was 110% off the entry price. That's right. We don't even have to pay to go up to Level 70 to enjoy the view. They have to pay us! Look at the brochure above! That's what it said.... NOT.... It was our eyes playing tricks on us...
It was two brochures stacked on top of one another at the perfect position.... but we did have some discounts off. The discount coupons were from the Mantra Hotel and we only paid $13 each (normally it cost $16 if I'm not wrong...)
It didn't take too long for us to get to Level 70 on their express lift... and the view up there was amazing (even with the heavy storm clouds rolling in....)
not to mention scary as well....
We also saw rows after rows of waterfront multi-million dollar homes...
And a lot of construction going on in the Gold Coast.... (however, given the current economic condition, there were a few construction / projects that had to be halted due to insufficient funding. One of them Raptis' Hilton Hotel....)
The Q-Deck is inspired by the Sydney 2000 Olympic flame torch.... Their viewing deck allows you to have a 360 degree view on Gold Coast.
We spent a good hour and a half up there.... and when we've had enough of the view, we headed back to Brisbane. On our way back, we stopped by for some Yatala Pies... We thought it was overrated....
We brought Aunt and Uncle to Mt. Cootha.
Then to Tibetan Kitchen at West End for dinner, before going to South Bank to walk it off...
After that, we headed back to GC. This time, we get to see the night view from the hotel room's balcony....
The next morning, we explored the hotel grounds before checking out. We picked up Aunt and Uncle and proceeded to Byron Bay. Before we reached Byron Bay, we stopped at Point Danger...
(standard position to take photo at Point Danger....)
Then, we continued on to Byron Bay....
It was a hot day and not a rain cloud in sight....
Uncle and nephew enjoying the ocean view....
After admiring the ocean, as usual, we went for ice cream before heading back to Coollangatta, where Aunt and Uncle took their flight back to Sydney. Their flight was delayed for 45 minutes (which gave us an opportunity to sit down and have coffee).
We had a beautiful day and weekend with Aunt and Uncle and we hope to visit them in Sydney soon...
Another standard position where photos are taken at Byron Bay....
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