Sunday, Plastic Girl and I head down to the Gold Coast for a day trip. I grew up on the Gold Coast, a short walk from one of the world best beaches, however I was a fish out of water, I wasn't a beach chick. While I frolicked on the beach as a child as grew I longed instead for trees whose leaves changed colour and for a climate where clothing other than shorts and t-shirt were the norm. It is no wonder then that I chose the frosty Australian Capital of Canberra for a place to study at University.
These days, I live in the tropical Queensland Capital of Brisbane and I'm comfortably enjoying its warm and sunny clime. With the new highway, the Gold Coast is only an hour's drive from Brisbane city and so with my "still in its wrapper" Driver's Licence it was off on a road trip to visit my old stomping ground and give Liana the cook's tour.
So much has changed in Surfers Paradise and then some things haven't. As we walked along the beach, in my woefully inappropriate city clothes, I remembered how much I loved the beach. I was transported back to my childhood when my sister and I made dribble castles in the sand or wrote our names in huge letters with pieces of driftwood. The surf on Sunday was clean and the whole scene was postcard perfect. People were everywhere enjoying themselves in the layed back fashion Australia is so known for. I had to wonder at myself and at the opinions of a younger me who's eyes where so blind as to wish to flee from such a place whose golden gifts are free to all.
I look forward to more homecomings.
