Gold Coast and Christmas 23/12/11

We arrived at Burleigh Heads Friday 23rd December in time for Christmas and parked the caravan on a parking pad outside of Carol's mums house. As there were so many people staying, Carol's brother, Dave, set up his tent on the front lawn so it really looked like a camping ground. Christmas and New Year was spent with relatives, Carol's sister Jill and her two sons who are living on the Gold Coast and Brisbane, 2 Asian girls (friends of Jill's son) Carol and Jills brother Dave from Ipswich and Stephen and Janine who flew up from Melbourne to join us.

One of the highlights of Christmas
Day was the 2 hours we spent opening our 100 $2 presents 11 of us had bought each other. It was a lot of fun and we voted on the most original (which was a $2 coin) and the worst (which was a pink pen with a pink feather given to one of the boys) and the best (which was 5 computer games). Great day with lots of food and fellowship.



Christmas Dinner





Janine adding her gifts to the already 100 presents around the Christmas Tree

We have spent the rest of the time here relaxing, going for bike rides, swimming, going to the beach, great food and company.  A really lovely holiday.  We have had good weather, only one day was hot and humid and a couple of days with heavy rain which filled up the pool and the water tank.  There has been cooler southerly winds keeping the heat down so it has been quite pleasant.



Nigel on Burleigh Beach



  

Burleigh Beach looking South from Nobby's Lookout



  







We also caught up with my neice Helen, her husband Alan and their two young sons Lewis and Harvey who are on a 6 month world tour. They are travelling up the east coast of Australia in a campervan and were spending a few days on the Gold Coast,    



Helen, Harvey, Lewis and Alan Martin




Jill, Carol and Nigel at the Spit, Surfers Paradise  



  












After spending 4 weeks at

 

this beautiful place we reluctantly have to say goodbye and head off on our journey heading west, leaving on Saturday 21st January. We had not planned to stay this long but we were very comfortable living in this resort style environment enjoying the company of Carol's Mum and sister Jill. Many evenings we found ourselves playing the card game 'Phase 10'. Not Nigel's favourite game!!! 



Carol's brother, Dave, Mum, Carol, sister Jill and her son David



On to the next blog and another part of our adventure.