Our next stop was inspired by an old Australian comic called Ettamogah Pub. A silly pub in the middle of the bush that was falling apart and tilted sideways. There were a lot of the old comics framed on the inside of the building. I thought some of them were funny, but I didn't understand all of the aussie jokes. From where we parked leading up to the pub were many shops. We went in all of them. I love touring the little shops, I feel like they always have the friendliest people and the coolest stuff. One shop was all fudge, and boy did we indulge. Buy 5 get one freeeeeeee mmmmm. So very good. We also stumbled upon a shop with many cool knick knacks. I loved all of the little trinkets that were made from drift wood. They had boomerangs and didgeridoos! The didgeridoo was one gift I wanted to bring back for someone and they had small ones for sale that would actually fit in my carry-on!! Score! The most ridiculous thing I saw was a metal sculpture of Predator and Aliens; the sculpture of the Predator was $10,000. That'll put a dent in the bank account. The rest of the shops were also very special. I stepped into one that specialized in gems and I was pretty set on buying some opals. Unfortunately they only had a small bag with two slivers of opal so I held out for hopefully finding something better before I left for home.
When we finally reached our destination on the Sunshine coast we had to find some accommodations. We ended up staying at a caravan park. I have never stayed in a place like it before, but it was like a tiny trailer park. Kelli and I shared the room pictured below an slept in beds we barely fit in. I thought they were comfortable enough but everyone else felt like they were sleeping on the floor.
We collectively decided to get some snacks from a grocery store just a few blocks away and then go out for dinner down by Mooloolaba Beach. It took a while to find a parking spot when we went out to dinner but thankfully there were some spots open by Sea Life. Also conveniently located nearby was a delicious restaurant called The Hogs Breath. We inquired about a table for four and were informed that the place was filled up. There were some seats outside but it was dark and breezy and we weren't prepared with sweaters. We decided to move on so we let the hosts know. They apparently would not take no for an answer. They found an open, but still dirty table for us and said it would just be a few minutes. So we grabbed some drinks at the bar while we waited. When we were finally seated we ordered the triple threat (I have no idea if that was what it was actually called, I've forgotten). This involved a meat plate with steak, ribs, and lamb; a plate of salad; and a plate of french fries (called chips down here. What I think of as a chip is what they call crisps... yeah, that got really confusing). It was just the perfect amount to feed four people with a little bit of room left to share a plate of chocolate fondue! It was so delicious Kelli and Heather ended up sucking the leftover chocolate through a straw... classy ladies ;)
We spent the rest of the evening walking along the shops near the beach. It was a lot of window shopping because the shops were closed, but there was one shop still open and everything was 50% off! What a deal. Thinking back I really should have taken better advantage of the deals. They had a lot of interesting jewelry and decorations. I ended up purchasing some bracelets for my homestay mum and dad and Kelli, and myself. They were cheap, simple, and made of leather. We found ourselves at an Irish bar near the end of the night. We talked and watched as the bar changed from casual to nightlife. We left around 10:00 afraid that we would get kicked out for wearing athletic shorts and tennis shoes. They had bouncers at the door enforcing the dress code.
The next morning we went out for breakfast at a nice restaurant that offered gluten free options. It was delicious. I was surprised when I saw a girl, by the looks of it around 11 years old, walking around in a uniform seating people and gathering dishes. I have know some small family owned restaurants in the states to let their kids help out sometimes, but I had no idea what she was doing. When we explained to our homestay family that you cannot get a "real"job in the states till you turn 15/16 they seemed surprised. I guess it wasn't made extremely clear to me but it sounded like you could get a job as soon as you were able to start work. (And when I say real job I mean restaurants, retail, and anything else large business. Some younger kids can mow lawns and babysit for money as young as 10.) After breakfast we walked around and looked at shops. I saw the most adorable dress in a market for my niece and a t-shirt that said 'beach patrol; Queensland Australia' for my nephew. I hope they fit!
When we had finally digested our food we made our way to Maloolaba Beach.
It was beautiful. We spent a lot of time playing in the waves and getting thrown around. It was loads of fun! Except when the salt water got up my nose again. That really is a terrible taste. Besides playing in the water we spent some relaxing time laying in the sun. I did fall asleep, but I did not get burned thanks to the loads of sunscreen I put on. I spent a long time just watching people on the beach. Their were so many families and groups of people. One group of guys were playing footie right along the beach. I was glad they knew how to kick the ball because they didn't have much room to spare with all of the people laying around.
The most interesting thing happened when a helicopter started flying in really low to the beach circling around all of the swimmers. It must be common knowledge to get out of the water when the helicopter does this because EVERYONE got out of the water, and fast. We were watching from a distance and wondering what was happening. Unfortunately we had to get going but we found out later that a school of sharks had been swimming nearby and then ended up closing the beach and other beaches nearby. What timing. I'm glad no one was hurt!
We made our way home around 3:00 because we needed to go pick up the dogs from the kennel. It was a nice drive home and quite a relaxing night. I ended up going to bed early so I could be rested for teaching the next day.
What a weekend!!
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