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10 years ago
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| Gold Coast Airport, Coolangatta |
Travelling South from Dragonfly Mansions (our home-base) down to the coastline (hope no one noticed that) border between Queensland and New South Wales, and sitting just north of the mouth of the River Tweed, lies the cheery town of Coolangatta. Home to what is known as the Gold coast’s airport, the sinking of the schooner Coolangatta there in 1846 and another quite popular holidaying destination.
And the reason I bring all this to light, is we had to go trawl down there the other evening to collect Madi (Jodie’s daughter) off of a plane coming in from Sydney where she had been visiting her Grandad Barry (remember Noah’s Ark?) with her father over the Christmas period.
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| Click here for lots of pics again |
Anyway, with all that in mind, we donned our Dora the Explorer hats and backpacks once again and set off on our way down the King’s highway or to use its real name, the M1 Pacific Highway (We did it, we did it) to see what we could see, do what we could do and somewhere along the line, collect any spare, unsuspecting and vacant looking children found licking windows in the arrivals lounge of what is the official 2nd airport to the city of Brisbane while still continuing to collect all forms of amateurish coloured photographs to document it all and fully bore you all to death with.
So approaching Coolangatta through neighbouring nicety, Kirra, we parked up (or did the putt-putt finally break down? One or the other) next to what is locally known as the ‘big groyne’ which separates the two beaches (oh dear, beaches again. Is there no end to them in Australia?) of Kirra and Coolangatta which sit overlooking Surfers Paradise in the distance heading north across the water.
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| The Big Groyne from Kirra Beach |
And just like many of the other beaches here (all of them in fact) these are also blessed with golden white sands, rocky outcrops, blue skies, crystal clear waters, photogenic scenery and everything else the Australian blueprint for beaches seems to carry (I’m not allowed to mention the bikini clads), this time with the added bonus of world renowned surfing.
Later that evening, we all checked in at the airport just in time to check out with the required extra bodies. It was quite a scary experience actually, not solely because it was Madi we were collecting (honestly), but because it was also bringing home the reality that my time here in Australia was nearly up and I too would be once more partaking of the airport facilities. Eeeek
How can that possibly be with so very much remaining to be seen and done? After all, there’s always time for another beach or twelve isn’t there? And then there are the innards of this great place to explore. Not to mention the fact it is still freezing back home in Blighty (Shivers at the mere thought of it).
I haven’t even considered the likes of Uluru (Ayres Rock), either yet. Then there’s the north, the south, what’s left of the east and then the west to still see. It’s all so very much to do, with so very, very little time. All I can say is thank heavens we got to meet with the legend that is the wombat, an unknown entity found parading on google turf for the last two years, Billy Bob Wombat (fireman extraordinaire) finally became a reality a few days earlier for us when both australian and anglophile worlds clashed head on at the Boathouse Tavern Last Friday. It was a good day and a trans-continental Buzz-up to top them all. As indeed was the one with Cath Slater (almost forgiven now Cath :) ).
And apologies in advance for the intrusion into your privates Bob (or +Ned Kelly as we now know you thanks to the Google nym police) but both Jodes and I came to the unanimous conclusion that both Google plus and the now recently defunct Buzz, made you look a lot rounder in body and face than you do in real life. And it is with that and nothing but that in mind, that we felt almost compelled to post up your mug on here and see if Blogger does it too.
Mmm, for now, the Jury remains out… Maybe you should try dreadlocks?
Mmm, for now, the Jury remains out… Maybe you should try dreadlocks?
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This little old sleepy town of Cooloongatta (Gold Coast) has a pretty busy airport for a regional airport. This only 30 years ago was a tin shed. Both Brisbane and Gold Coast airports have come a long way in the last 10 years. Gold Coast airport now boasts some international flights as well but it is still restricted by curfews for take off and landing. Brisbane however is one of the rare airports in Australia that has 24 hours flight arrivals. Which will come in handy seeing as Andy's flight will be leaving at 2.30am on Wednesday morning!!! Yes I will be staying with him until he has to go through customs. And to anyone who works with me, please just bring coffee to me on Wednesday whenever you pass my desk as i am going to be a wreck.
What happened was I said good bye and then sobbed uncontrollably walking back to the car. Yep, its official, I am a sook. I was fine for most of the drive with the music so loud I couldn't hear myself think.
When I got home, my house mate was waiting for me out the front. Keep in mind this is now 3am (did Andy get to everyone I knew to have them keep an eye on me?) and I have 2 more text messages from girlfriends seeing if I am ok.
I walked in the house and smelled his aftershave, and then lost it again. It finally hit home, he was gone. Trying to sleep should have been easy but it eluded me. 7am I rang my boss, I was an incoherent blubbering mess, he just said, I will see you tomorrow.
SO I am guessing Andy saw this coming, because i sure as hell didn't. I didn't leave my bed until 5pm that afternoon, after a phone call from yet another girlfriend, saying "pity party of one, it is time for you to go".
Yep was my cue that life goes on, time to go get Madi and go to the beach for a walk.
Breaking it to Madi that Andy had gone home was hard, she curled up in my arms and cried. So I went out in sympathy, yet again (that's my story and i am sticking to it). Anyways, we walked along the beach, she posed on the gym equipment for pics for Andy (we meant to get these pics before he went home but every time we went to something else came up) we talked and cried a little more.
After an hour of this getting back to nature and grounding all the sadness, it was time to get back into our routine. I had work tomorrow, Madi had to get back into her routine of sleep as school is back in less than a week. Time to suck up the tears, and get back into mum mode where I am the strong one for everyone. Time to put all this emotional stuff on the back burner.
I miss him like crazy. He impacted our lives in ways I couldn't have foreseen in my wildest dreams. Waking up and not seeing him there 2 mornings in a row now, very hard. Him not being here when I get home from work, harder again. I miss the sound of voice, stirring me up, calling the cockatiels "not budgies" or calling my car a "putt putt". All this in just 9 weeks with Andy. I wonder if he realises the impact he has had on us...