Coolum
Sunday, 10 October, 2004
On Saturday 2nd October we slept in, ate all the perishable vegetables in the fridge, drove to Sydney in the rain, got my mum to drive us to the airport and caught a plane to Maroochydore airport which was running almost an hour late. (This was the first time I had ever flown Jetstar and encountered the whole no-reserved seating, no-food thing.) We were met at the other end with clear sunshine and the rest of the Beilharzs who had been to Eumundi Markets that morning and run into Erin's parents (again). They had rented a car for the weekend and so they were able to drive us to where we were all staying—the ninth floor of Clubb Coolum Beach. They left us to settle in and so Ben and I unloaded our bags and took a walk along the main shopping strip. We had a barbecue dinner.
On Sunday 3rd October we all drove up to Noosa Heads and took the coast walk around the headlands to Hell's Gates which isn't as far as Devil's Kitchen. (Ben and I amused ourselves by coming up with alternative names for significant landmarks: “Devil's bathroom,” said he. “Monster's kettle,” said I.) We got ice creams from Royal Copenhagen (which, for the record, weren't that great) and did a bit of poking around on Noosa's main shopping strip (we found these really cute Gund soft toys which we bought for the babies who had been recently born to members of the staff team. I do declare that Gund make the best soft toys in the world!) In the afternoon I read Archer's Goon by Diana Wynne Jones and mused on the similarities and differences between Archer and his siblings and the Endless. Lizz and I watched Holes which was heaps better than I was expecting and I highly recommend it (even though it is a kids' movie).
On Monday 4th October Ben and I took a stroll along the beach. We had fish and chips for lunch. I went for a swim in the sea in the afternoon and was reminded once again how salty the water is (I haven't been swimming in the sea since Easter). Lizz and I started putting together a $5 1000-piece puzzle of a white kitten among Christmas baubles and presents.
On Tuesday 5th October I went swimming in the sea with Hans, Cathy and Lizz (leaving Ben to snooze in the flat). Lizz and I took a walk along the beach together which was lovely. We had nachos for lunch and gelato for dessert. Cathy and Lizz were watching Mona Lisa Smile and I watched the tail-end with them while knitting, remembering all the problems I had with the movie the first time I saw it. In the evening Lizz and I watched Uptown Girls which, I have to say, I really enjoyed. It has Dakota Fanning in it, the little girl from I am Sam and Jesse Spencer who, Lizz tells me, used to be on Neighbours (I was impressed that he actually sang all his character's songs). Oh, and I loved all of Brittany Murphy's costumes.
On Wednesday 6th October Ben and I took a stroll along the boardwalk (which isn't that long) and then sat on the beach near the rocks, tormenting the ants and throwing handfuls of sand into a pile for the waves to wash over. Deb, who is in the middle of thesis hell, found us there and we had lunch together at Spaghetti Legs and gelato from the other gelato place (that was playing Aimee Mann instore). We sat on the beachwall and ate gelato and talked (Deb told us that her minister thinks that Moore College is too liberal) and then Deb came back to the flat with us to see Ben's movie and my NTE slideshow (which failed to convince her to come to NTE but that's okay). I felt like I'd completely forgotten how to make conversation—I kept forgetting my train of thought and what I wanted to say or comment upon—and I felt like that I was becoming really boring to talk to. We walked Deb back to her car when it was time to go and she gave me a mix CD she had made for me the week I was down, a fridge magnet and Deep Secret which I finished reading on Friday. We had a barbecue dinner again and played Boom-O.
On Thursday 7th October we had to be up before 10 to pack. I left out my swimmers and, when we had to clear out of the room and put our luggage downstairs in the lobby, Lizz and I went for a swim in the Clubb Coolum pool. There were a number of kids and parents in it so we kept mostly to the deep end and also sat for a while in the spa (which was awfully hot!) When the chlorine started stinging our eyes, we got out (I'd forgotten that pools do that but then the last time I swam in a pool was probably last Christmas). We got as far as the Clubb Coolum shower door when we realised that we no longer had a key to get in. Luckily for us the reception people were very nice and lent us one for long enough to have a shower and get changed. There was still about an hour to kill so Hans and Lizz played air hockey and Ben and I played ping pong (I am atrociously bad at any sport that involves a racquet). Ben and I also played cards. At 2:30 the airport shuttle arrived and took us and a whole bunch of other people to Maroochydore airport where we said farewell to the beautiful weather that God had given us for the entire duration of our holiday, boarded a plane and headed back to overcast and drizzling Sydney.
Blinks:
A way of funding writing in the future: pitch and idea and get people to support it.
Place where you can hire play equipment for parties, etc.
How to recalibrate the home button on your iPhone.
Unsolicited manuscripts accepted by Pan Macmillan with certain conditions.
Thought Balloon is a group blog in which the writers tackle a new theme every week? month? with one-page scripts. This URL is for their Phonogram ones.
How to sew a zipper on a knitted garment.
Issues organised by tale.
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