Back from Surfers Paradise!

Yep thats right Im back in Byron Bay... I headed up to Surfers Paradise yesterday (its only an hour away) after splashing around in the most fantastic waves at Byron Bay (the post-storm skies were as clear as anything!). Im back because the accommodation (and general cost of living) is a helluva lot more expensive than what I could get in Byron Bay: last night I stayed in Surfers Paradise for 25 bucks!!! There werent any 1-person prices up there... aaargh! The cost of staying in Byron Bay and then driving the 1-hour trip to Surfers Paradise ends up being a LOT cheaper, hence Im staying here while I enjoy the sunshine and explore the South-Queensland coast. (The cost of petrol is surprisingly cheaper than in NSW too... about 20 cents less per litre, so I can drive the one hour and fill up when I get there! )

Tommorrow Im booked to try my first surfing lesson at 12pm... its 40 bucks for 3 hours (and then 35 for every subsequent lesson ... but most people just need one or two lessons). The waves around Byron Bay and nearby Lennox Head are ironically BETTER than those at Surfers Paradise, and its cheaper to learn to surf here too... cant wait to ride those tubes maaaaan...

Surfers Paradise was a total culture shock and its like San Diego with all the fun parks and expensive shops. Its hard to believe that its only one hour away. Fantastic 35 km long white beach though which shone bright in the Ozzie sun... Ill explore around there a bit more next week and write an entry for Surfers Paradise into the map.

NB: Surfers Paradise is actually just one of the beach openings on the 35km stretch and isnt actually the name of the town (although some would say it is!). The proper name for the area is the Gold Coast but that too is vague since it encompasses several small towns...