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On the Beach
Coolum Beach, Australia |
Coolum Beach, Australia
It’s been a long time since I was last in Queensland. Seventeen years, in fact. I was up here with one of my best mates, Chris, just after high school. We spent a few weeks in Maroochydore with his family. I don’t remember much except the weather was overcast, I bought a Mambo T-shirt I still wear and I went so fast down a waterslide at Sea World I received a severe wedgie that took a few minutes to recover from.
I also remember we drove back home to Melbourne. I’ve never been in a car so long. His dad wanted to watch the Bathurst 500, so he had his wife sit a portable TV on her lap and every few minutes he’d glance over to see if Peter Brock was winning. He hit a flock of cockatoos during one long glance and we didn’t discover the dead birds wrapped around the bull bar until the next morning.
This time we were staying close by at Coolum Beach in an exceptionally nice five star apartment thanks to a contact at work. The family came up with Jenny and Mum. Aidan’s first time on a plane and I’m glad it was only an hour. He vomited everywhere and got the wriggles, but overall he was good.
There’s something about Queensland’s air I love, especially as Melbourne was extremely cold when we left. I know why retired people come up here to live. The early autumn sun was invigorating. At first I was worried that 21oC was the wrong side of pleasant, but it was hot. The first time I’d worn shorts and sandals in months. Fantastic.
Coolum Beach was quiet and not as built up as I thought. The beach is expansive and the locals look like they’re on a permanent holiday. It’s the sort of place where you feel OK wearing bathers in the supermarket.
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