Surfers Paradise & Byron Bay

We managed to get a lift to the Roma Street Coach Station, for our 11.30 journey to Surfers Paradise. The Journey took roughly about 75 mins. We then waited for the free YHA shuttle bus to our hostel in Marinars cove on Seaworld Drive. After we got checked in and settled, we caught the bus to Seaworld for the afternoon, as we has our VIP passes. In the park, I went on the 2 rollercoasters, the Sea Viper and Jet Rescue and We both went on the Viking log flume ride. Once the park had closed, we got the monorail from where we were back towards the main entrance. We left the park and got the 750 bus into Surfers Paradise for some evening wanderings. We had dinner near the esplanade and from here we walked along the beach front. We got the bus and decided to chill and relax as we were up early the next morning.

Wednesday morning we were up early and at Seaworld about 9, which was hilarious as the queue for the VIP passes was down into the car park. However once we finally got in, we had such a relaxing, sunny and fun day. We got unlimited free refill drinks for 10 dollars, and we made sure to make use of it through out the day. During the day we got to see Spongebob Square Parade, Jet Ski Extreme Stunts, and meet Spongebob and Patrick. Throughout the day we got to see various animals and shows such as the Buddy and Clawde Sea lion fish detective show, Dolphin Imagine show and Seaworld is the only place in Australia to see Polar bears and 3 species of penguins. It was unusual to see Spongebob in 3D, and it was funny. A new feature of the park was the Dinosaur Island and discovery centre. We didn't manage to get everything done as there so much to see.

Thursday Morning, we decided to go Wet n Wild water park, the VIP pass queue was low here compared to the one at Seaworld. The water park was very busy, and queues for most rides were unbelievably long. For certain rides, the queues were in excess of over an hour plus. Some of the class rides include Aqua loop, Black hole and Tornado. One of the long queue rides was for the Constrictor, we waiting in excess over 90 mins for the ride, lucky enough the ride actually was worth it, unlike waiting 70 mins to go on the River Rapids. Lucky as the park was open until 6, we got to get on most of the water rides. We got a bus to Helensvale Station and got the connecting 715 back to the hostel.

Friday Morning we went on Island adventure Tall Ship cruises, to South Stradbroke Island - Mclarens landing. This was quite a peaceful, chilled out afternoon with live entertainment provided. As we decided to spend 2 extra nights in Surfers, we had to change room on Saturday morning. So while we were waiting for the room, we decided to do Paradise jet boating. Jet boating involved 360 degree spins and we all got quite soaked, was hilarious yet fun. Once we got back to the hostel, we got our new room and showered before getting the free shuttle into surfers where I meet 2 mates from home.
We managed to get a small lie in on Sunday before, deciding to head to Seaworld to spend a few hours to do the stuff we had missed out on before. When we arrived after ten, there was no VIP queue this time. During our time here this time, we went on the skyrail, saw 2 polar bears - orphaned twin brothers playfully fighting in the water, Niamh got her photo with Mrs Puff, and went to Seaworld's new area, Castaway, where we had fun with the Battle Boats, some how I yet again got totally soaked. After relaxing for a while and dinner back in the hostel, we went into surfers paradise and skypoint. The views up in Q1 area of Sky point, are breath taking both times we have been here. We decided to take the long walk back to the bus stop, by strolling along the Esplanade and through the beach front markets. We spent Sunday night watching Sherlock Holmes in the hostel, with free popcorn provided by the hostel.

Monday morning was an early rise, to pack and check out from the hostel and catch the shuttle to the transit centre. Once at the transit centre, we booked the next bus 11.15, for Byron bay. Although the journey itself only takes in theory about 75 mins, as we pass from Queensland into New South Wales, we lose an hour. However as went entered the areas near Byron, we were meet with traffic due to the Downpour so we didn't arrive into our stop until gone 2pm. Lucky for us our hostel was only 2 mins walk from grey hound and woolworths. The afternoon has been spent relaxing as the weather been quite wet and is a day for been indoors.
   

Dreamworld

The start to the day - Saturday 17th - didn't go quite according to plan, as we got off the bus and walked the the distance to the Park Road train station we got a tad lost, lucky thanks to GPS, we managed to make it to the the station to watch the train we planned to catch, depart the train. However thanks heavens there was train due in another 30 mins, due at 9.05 am. Which actually it seems ended up been more on an express than the prior one. When we arrived into Coomera Station, there was a connecting translink bus to the Dreamworld theme park, which got us there for 10.05, just as the theme park was opening, so click for again, which train we need. Added bonus and time saver was we had previously booked our unlimited world pass tickets online saving ourselves 10 dollars each. As we entered the park, we decided to go to the Dreamworld part this day as the weather at the time was overcast, we got our park map and show time details. We decided  to enter the old wild west first, and go on our ride, Thunder River Rapid Ride, we ended up getting wet but was such a laugh. after this we were strolling towards rocky hollow log ride, however we got sidetracked by a crowd gathering, we found out it was meet the Big Brother winner, Ben and queue to go inside and see the Big Brother House. So we decided sure why not got our picture taken with him and joined the queue to see the house.

  Lucky whilst we were in the house, there was a nasty downpour of rain, we managed not to get too wet. After a tour of the house we finally made it to the Log Ride, if we didn't get wet before, during the downpour, we got soaked on this ride, however was such a laugh and fun. From here we strolled through the Australian Wildlife experience area making a detour through the Avis Vintage Cars and got to experience how actually slow the Model T Ford Cars were lol. From the Wildlife area we got on the Dreamworld Railway which brought us back towards King Julien's Theatre in the Wild and we both went on the Escape from Madagascar rollercoaster. Lucky the sun started to come out around then, we decided to stop for a few mins and had the packed lunch we had brought with us in the Wiggles World area, as we had to go and collect the World Passes from the Pass Centre. Why oh why are the pictures they take for those sort of things always bizarre. After lunch we went on Mick Doohan's Motocoaster, which is a motobike rollercoater. I decided to be brave to try one of the high thrill rides, Tower of Terror II, which is one of the big 7 high rides within the theme park. Omg what a thrill and adrenaline rush. So gotta go back on that ride again when we manage to revisit the park.

In between meeting Shrek and his friends, I went on Shockwave and another high thrill ride called Wipeout, no wonder it called such. I couldn't stop laughing during the whole ride.. It was an experience to say the least. We both went on a so called kids ride called reef diver, we both agreed it made us nauseous, and this is after me been on wipeout, shockwave and tower of terror II. Before it was time to leave we decided to revisit a few of the earlier rides.

We decided to get the connecting bus to Surfers Paradise, stroll around and go visit the SkyPoint Q1 area which has 360 degrees views of the area and is the highest residential tower block in the southern hemisphere. We had a quick bite before the long trek home. It was a roughly an hour bus journey to the nearest train station and then another hour back to Brisbane. When we finally managed to arrive back, we were welcomed with the onslaught that was the thunderstorms and rain, we got soaked before we got to the connecting bus and saturated in the unpleasant sprint from the Gabba home. For hours on end, we were in complete darkness due to the weather and was just a night for the bed.

The following day was a complete and utter  washout, we were unable to even leave the house cos the weather was that bad. At least Monday so far been nice.