Sunshine Coast

Now this is more like it. I flew from Melbourne to the Sunshine Coast in the morning, arriving just after lunch. Despite the name, it was overcast, but still warmer than it was in the south, which is a definite improvement. A 15-minute shuttle ride later and I am at my hotel to check in. This place was recommended by one of the locals and is much more a condo than a hotel (so no maid service, but a full kitchen, bedroom and living room).

Just across the street is Coolum Beach, and as beaches go, it is amongst the best I have ever seen. Its at least eighty yards wide and stretches for miles towards Noosa in the north. I can’t resist taking off my shoes to feel the sand, which is the fine powder sort that squeaks under your feet. Even though it’s Sunday, there are only a handful of people as far as the eye can see.

Over the next few days (all of which are sunny and warm), I get to mix some business with a bit of pleasure as one of my business partners offers to show me around the area. Compared to the bigger cities I have come from, this area is downright rural. It swells a bit with tourists in the summer, but in the off-season, the whole area totals less than a half million people. I’m told though that it is the fastest growing area of Australia as the general population ages and retirees leave the cities in search of warmer climes.

In my original schedule, I had left a full day empty to try and do a short excursion, debating between Steve Irwin’s zoo and Fraser Island (a 90 mile long island a bit north of here comprised complete of sand that is supposed to make for an interesting). The Great Barrier Reef is still a bit north of here so that one has to wait for a future trip for sure. Unfortunately, this are a little chaotic back at the office, which appears set to keep me tied to the laptop instead.

With my flight back to Seattle starting on Friday, for the most part I’ve seen pretty much all I’m going to see here. It’s not a lot, but I guess will be something to start with when I have the chance to come on an actual vacation. From the limited time I’ve had here, there is enough to let me know I need to come back one day, and with my regular travel partner back in the mix (the word on the street is that we might also have some bushy-haired company) we can definitely get a little further off the beaten path.