Surfers Paradise.

I had to check out of my hostel early and then had to wait till Paul was done with work before I could go over for my first couch surfing! It was really reassuring that I had met him the night before that I felt like I was going to stay with a friend rather than a stranger. And boy did I pick the right couch surfing host - he lives in the Q1 building which is the tallest building in Australia/Southern Hemisphere! Apparently it was the tallest in the world until one in Dubai out-talled it last year and now it is 5th in the world. I couldn't wait to see the views. 

There wasn't a whole lot to do during the day in Surfers Paradise. It seems like a busy place, lots of shops and restaurants so I wandered around the streets looking at the things I couldn't afford to buy, but there isn't much to actually see in Surfers. The beach wasn't one that takes your breath away. There is a small space between the safety flags where you're allowed to swim and that was quite packed as it was really hot out, but there weren't many, if any, surfers in the water. I tried to sit on the beach, but it was so incredibly windy that within 5 minutes I was literally covered in sand and there were dunes building up on one side of me. I was trying to write an email on my ipod but physically could not do it with all the wind-blown sand. I wandered back to the hostel and wondered why there were people there sitting in the courtyard, some playing pool, some laying by the pool, some watching tv and was a bit confused why they were in a hostel in the middle of the day rather than out seeing things, doing stuff. But alas, there was me, doing exactly the same thing. Tired. Waiting. Broke. I wasn't overly impressed with Surfers and was ok with leaving. 

Tall high rises line the shore. 

The Q1 above. 

Sat down and saw him..her...him...highlight of the day!

Later, as Paul and I were lounging, literally couch surfing - HA - laughing ridiculously at Family Guy and I was trying to figure out what and where to go next, I got a message from Mic who was in Coffs Harbour and had a horrible hostel experience and decided to come up to see me in Surfers. Just as I had written off the place, she asked me if I would stay and I said of course, I was so excited to see her again. Because of the hostel attack (not on her) she decided she needed a recovery treat and booked a room in a proper 5-star hotel for Tuesday night. It had two king size beds and invited me to stay with her! There were three guys I met in Sydney who were coming up the following day and had rented an apt for the weekend and said I could stay with them so I had three nights in a row of unpaid for accommodation. I was getting good at this traveling thing!