From the Gold Coast to Sydney

We didn't know what to expect when we went to the Gold Coast. We just knew that it was supposed to be very beautiful. And it was, but in a completely different way than we had imagined. We were thinking of untouched beaches and small holiday resorts along the coast. But what awaited us was a real holiday town called Surfers Paradise, with huge hotel complexes, countless restaurants and shops. It reminded us of Miami. We spent two sunny days here. We strolled along the promenade, went swimming and enjoyed the view from the 77th floor of the Q1 Towers. Then we headed slightly inland to Springbrook National Park. The mountainous rainforest is crossed by many rivers and features interesting rock formations and waterfalls, such as the Natural Bridge. Our next stop was Byron Bay. This small hippie town is located at the easternmost point of the Australian mainland. It is also a hotspot for surfers and is said to offer particularly good conditions for beginners. Beginners like us. We took a two-day surf course there. After a short time, however, we realized that it looks much easier than it is. It is incredibly tiring and requires a lot of endurance. It was very annoying that I sprained my big toe during the dry exercises. Luckily, it was better on the second day and I was still able to get on the board. What a huge fun to surf on a wave! Often we fell right back into the water, but those were definitely not our last attempts at surfing. With sore muscles, we continued our journey through Port Stephans to the Blue Mountains, a mountain range just before Sydney. The landscape resembles a wide canyon and offers beautiful lookouts on steep cliffs. The Three Sisters are probably the most famous here. The Lincoln's Rock was particularly exciting, where we could sit right on the edge and dangle our legs over the abyss. And then came the last night in the camper, a very cold one at that. We were all the more looking forward to a bed in a hotel. In the morning, we set off for Sydney. You can tell that this is the largest city in Australia, especially from the traffic. It was very exhausting to find our way around there. Especially since we still wanted to visit the famous Bondi Beach. So we had to cross the city and got lost several times ... When we finally arrived there, we walked along the beach and admired the Icebergs Pool, which is located right by the sea. Just in time, we made it to return the camper. The next two days, we explored the city on foot. Of course, we first visited the main attractions like the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. It's incredible to stand in front of these landmarks, it takes a few seconds to realize it. The city center with its skyscrapers and Chinatown was also a must-see. But we also enjoyed spending time in less crowded neighborhoods, going to markets or parks. Even though we had already seen some whales from a distance, we went on a whale watching tour here. And it was a complete success! We saw a female humpback whale, which was courted by five males. The 40-ton animals surfaced just a few meters from our boat. It was impressive to see them gliding through the water. Again and again, a fountain shot up into the air, they took in air and disappeared into the deep blue. On Fraser Island, we were lucky enough to see one jump out of the water, but not this time. On our last evening in Australia, we made the most of our remaining cash. Delicious food! By chance, we found a tapas bar that didn't serve typical Spanish dishes, but tapas in Asian style. Small fish skewers, seaweed salad, lamb with peanut sauce and much more ...

Then it was time to pack our backpacks and head to the airport. Fiji is waiting for us! We look back happily on our journey through Australia. This country deeply impressed us with its beauty and diversity. Our hearts lean a little more towards the west coast, where we were simply closer to nature. Someday, we definitely want to complete the circle and explore the north and the center as well.