Weekending - in "Paradise"

The title of this post is a sort-of pun. We spent a long weekend on the Gold Coast (near Surfers Paradise). I spent all winter in lock-down dreaming of the Gold Coast - sunshine and no COVID. They went 118 days without a case - and then, as we left for the airport, they had a case get out of hotel quarantine. Also the weather was rubbish - it was mild and raining. because we had had a couple of cases in Melbourne we started the holiday with a cotton bud up the nose and down the throat. Ah COVID times, when will you end?

Putting all that aside and it was a wonderful holiday. We stayed with Fiona - Leon's sister - and their family. Leon's parents have been up there since the borders re-opened, and his oldest brother lives on the Gold Coast as well, so it was a wonderful family weekend.

We did Parkrun, for the first time in a long time - it's been closed in Melbourne. I swam in the sea, which was my "resolution" for this year. Mainly we relaxed and hung out.

I didn't get as much knitting done as I expected on such a relaxing 4 day weekend, I think because they live in a big house, and it felt like I was always moving from room to room, and leaving my knitting bag in the wrong place.

We got to spend time with Dusty, which is always a highlight.

And went to a beer festival, which was so nice, after they were all cancelled last year.

We did (finally) get to sleep on the boat, which was really fun. Also it felt like (probably because it was true) that we had our own guest cottage. This boat has two bathrooms, two bedrooms, a kitchen and a living room. It was very fancy.

And then they let us come back to Victoria, and we didn't need to isolate or get tested, so that was a good end to the trip!

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