Yesterday we went up to the SkyPoint Observation Deck at the top of the Q1 building in Surfers Paradise. This gave us a 360-degree birds-eye view of the whole of the Gold Coast and Hinterland.
The next thing that we did was a fun morning cruise on the waterways around Surfers and out onto the Broadwater with Wyndham Cruises.
Wyndham Cruises are very popular amongst Seniors and retirees. Often groups of friends or groups from retirement villages come together and enjoy a relaxing 2-hour canal cruise and delicious morning or afternoon tea.
Seniors especially love their Devonshire tea, so that is an added benefit of this cruise.
Around 10 minutes into the cruise the hot scones are all ready for passengers to enjoy their Devonshire tea for morning or afternoon tea. The scones, jam and fresh whipped cream remain available for much of the cruise.
For the whole duration of the cruise the tea and coffee facilities remain open and travellers are able to help themselves and make their drinks just how they like them.
The cruise begins at the wharf behind the Tiki Village and travels down the waterways in a southerly direction. It goes past homes of the rich and famous that are valued at multiple millions of dollars.
Shortly after the cruise starts the boat turns inland and travels around Chevron Island and then north past Cronin Island along the Nerang River.
Continuing then towards the bridge on the Gold Coast Highway that joins Main Beach with Southport and under this bridge into the Broadwater.
On the Southport side of the bridge is Outback Jacks bar and grill. Greg and I love going to Outback Jacks for their tasty steak meals.
The boat continues travelling north in the Broadwater, past Australia Fair shopping centre, Mariner Mirage, Versace, SeaWorld Theme park, Sea World Resort and right up to the end of the Spit.
At this northern point, near Wave Break Island, the Wyndham cruise boat turns around to return to Surfers. The southern tip of South Stradbroke Island is clearly visible at this time in the cruise.
The cruise boat then goes back south, under the bridge to Southport. It travels past Macintosh Island and Budds Beach then under the bridge joining Chevron Island and Surfers Paradise.
The Wyndham cruise trip lasted the full two hours and was totally enjoyable! We hope to be able to go on the cruise again and to take visitors to the Gold Coast with us to give them a different way to view the coast.
Rating
I would rate Wyndham Cruises as 9/10.
The cruise itself was educational, fun and relaxing.
The staff were happy, helpful and informative.
The food and drinks were fresh and delicious.
The boat was easy to move around on.
Toilets on board.
Shop on-board for drinks, snacks and souvenirs.
Continuing with our Surfers Paradise holiday, Greg and I will go to Infinity at the base of the Chevron Renaissance towers and enjoy the worlds of wonder where the fun never ends.
So come back next time to read all about our experience at Infinity Gold Coast.
Until then, Remember to Enjoy Life, Smile at a Stranger and Make a Difference in the World!
We began our holiday in Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast with a trip to level 77 of the Q1. This is where the SkyPoint Observation Deck is located.
From this high vantage point it is easy to take in the 360-degree view of the surrounding Gold Coast and Hinterland. Due to the high level it is possible to see up to around 60 kilometres in every direction on a clear day! These are amazing views.
Entry Prices (as at October 2012)
General Admission
Day & Night Pass
Annual Pass (Locals-Only)
Adult
$21.00
$29.00
$29.00
Child (5-14 Years Inc)
$12.50
$16.50
$29.00
Pensioner
$17.00
$22.00
$29.00
Family Pass(2 Ad+2 Ch)
$54.50
$74.50
n/a
Hours of Operation
Sunday to Thursday: 9am to 9pm Friday and Saturday: 9am to midnight each night
Note: Sometimes there are special events and functions on at the SkyPoint Observation Deck. Hence it is important to confirm that the night that you are planning your visit it will be open to the public.
Address: Corner of Clifford Street and Surfers Paradise Boulevard, Surfers Paradise, Qld Parking: Approximately 50 Free parking spots are available under the Q1 for SkyPoint Observation Deck visitors. Entry is via Hamilton Avenue.
After we walked around and enjoyed the gorgeous views, we decided to relax and grab some food at the cafe on the SkyPoint Observation Deck. Mum ordered a bowl of potato and leek soup. She gave me a taste of it and it was so delicious. I definitely will order this on our next visit.
Greg and I shared the high-tea for two. It came on a three-tiered metal stand and included fruit skewers, cakes, yummy sandwiches and, of course, scones, jam and cream! It was very tasty!
Each of us also enjoyed a banana milkshake and mum had a lemon, lime and bitters as well.
Not only do you get to relax and enjoy the delicious food and drinks, but you also can look out and take in the gorgeous views around you!
Shortly after we ate our snack, the sun began to set. It was really a beautiful sight! The orange glow in the sky and ball of sun descending behind the Hinterland, was so lovely.
Check out the video below to see for yourself.
Once the sun set we waited a little and then the lights of Surfers and the surrounding suburbs began to appear. Before long, right around the Q1 were beautiful scenes of night lights as buildings, cars and streets all began to glow.
We were really happy that we had decided to arrive in the afternoon in order to see the views by daylight. Then caught the beautiful sunset and then were able to see the colourful lights of the Gold Coast, so clearly from this great vantage point.
We recommend the SkyPoint Observation Deck at the Q1 as a great first stop on your holiday at the Gold Coast. This was you can gain your bearings and see where the different places are located that you are planning on visiting.
The next thing that we did on our Surfers Paradise holiday was to enjoy a relaxing 2-hour cruise on the waterways around Surfers and the Broadwater on Wyndham Cruises.
So tomorrow we will share with you about this cruise and our delicious Devonshire tea!
October 2011 is a month of celebrations at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary on the Gold Coast.
The founder of the Currumbin Bird Sanctuary, Alex Griffiths was born in 1911 and he is now being honoured in October with special discount entry prices for adults and children.
Special 100 Years Celebration Prices
[10th to 31st October 2011 only]
Adults
Kids (4-14 Years Inclusive)
Kids (Under 4 Years)
$19
$11
Free
Normal Entry Prices Online (as at October 2012)
Adults
Kids (4-14 Years Inclusive)
Kids (Under 4 Years)
Concession
$49
$33
Free
$40
Hours of Operation
Daily: 8:00am to 5:00pm
Closed Christmas Day Anzac Day: 1:30pm to 5:00pm
It is important to also keep in mind that with the normal entry prices there are also discounted family tickets. So ask about discounts when you arrive at the front gate or check out online prices at their website.
There is also the Wildnight Adventure that you can purchase at an additional cost. This allows you to a scrumptious Aussie BBQ buffet dinner, Aboriginal dance and a nocturnal wildlife tour.
You can also enjoy the Green Challenge while at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary or perhaps the Segway Safari.
There is so much to do at Currumbin Sanctuary that it is easy to spend the whole day enjoying the wildlife and everything that this venue has to offer.
With these extra special discount prices this is the perfect time for you to grab your family and some friends and all head over to the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary between the 10th and 31st October 2011 for a fun day out. Come and enjoy our Australian wildlife, feed the wild rainbow lorikeets and learn how you too can make a difference and help our Aussie animals survive for future generations!
In a few days from today, Greg and I are going to Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast for short holiday.
We have not been to Surfers much over the years and so are both really looking forward to doing some exploring and sightseeing during our week visit.
Some of the attractions that we are hoping to enjoy include:
SkyPoint Observation Deck
At the top of the iconic Q1 tower, on levels 77 and 78, is the SkyPoint Observation Deck where locals and tourists alike can come to enjoy the incredible views up and down the coastline, as well as the beautiful hinterland behind the Gold Coast. The owners of the Dreamworld theme park purchased these two upper levels of the Q1 back in December 2009 and now have visitors relaxing and taking in the awesome views all year round.
This is certainly going to be a high point of our time in Surfers. We plan on checking out the SkyPoint Observation Deck at the start of our holiday so that we can gain our bearings, while enjoying a bird’s eye view of this gorgeous part of Australia.
After our visit to the Q1 and the observation deck we will upload our own videos of our experience. Until then, enjoy this video from youtube showing some of the gorgeous views around Surfers and the rest of the Gold Coast.
A 2-hour canal cruise on Wyndham Cruises
We have made a booking for Greg, my mum and I for this coming Sunday morning. Mum and I love Devonshire tea and so are looking forward to this relaxing cruise. The Wyndham cruise will take us along the canals around Surfers Paradise and then under the bridge, on the Gold Coast Highway that joins Surfers and Southport, to view the Southport Broadwater around Sea World theme park. It is going to be fun!
Infinity
We are really excited about going to Gold Coast Infinity and viewing the different worlds, all created with amazing special effects, sounds, lights, music…
King Tutt’s Putt Putt
It has been years since I have had a game of putt putt. Greg and I will enjoy a game on each of the three different courses at King Tutt’s Putt Putt. Two of the courses are inside, Ancient Egypt and Jurassic, and then a third one outside, Tutt’s Challenge. It is going to heaps of fun, putting that golf ball around these 3 unique courses.
Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! Odditorium
I have always wondered about Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! Odditorium and so am excited to enjoy what they have for visitors to see. Looking at their website there seems to be many different and interesting things to see and take in. Once I visit, I will get back to you with more specific details of what they have on show.
There are many more fun and interesting things to do in and around Surfers Paradise. We are still planning out our week and will share with you all of the great things that we do.
So keep your eyes and ears open so that you won’t miss any of these interesting places that we visit.
Until next time, Remember to Enjoy Life, Smile at a Stranger and Make a Difference in the World!
Wow! I have just come home after going to the cinema with my mum and husband to watch the movie, “The Help“. I must say that it is one of the best movies that I have seen for a while. I loved it.
It left me with a good feeling that there are people who will do what is right and stand up against the wrong that others are doing. It is an inspiring movie!
I found the arrogance and ignorance of many of the white people in Jackson, Mississippi to be very disturbing and saddening.
I salute the brave women who stood up and took a stand in the midst of such racism and threats against their own safety and that of their families.
My Rating: 9.0/10 My Recommendation: This is a movie that is well worth going to see!
Cast:
Emma Stone – Eugenia ‘Skeeter’ Phelan
Viola Davis – Aibileen Clark
Bryce Dallas Howard – Hilly Holbrook
Octavia Spencer – Minny Jackson
Jessica Chastain – Celia Foote
Ahna O’Reilly – Elizabeth Leefolt
Allison Janney – Charlotte Phelan
Anna Camp – Jolene French
Eleanor Henry and Emma Henry (twins) – Mae Mobley Leefolt
Sissy Spacek – Missus Walters
General Information:
Released: August 10 2011 [USA], September 1 2011 [Australia], October 26 2011 [UK]
Rated: M (Mature themes) [Australia], PG-13 [USA], 12A [UK]
Length: 2 hrs 17 mins
Genre: Drama
Favorite Line:
I have 2 favorite lines in ‘The Help’.
1. Aibileen Clark (Viola Davis) repeated this to each of the children that she raised over her many years as a maid for these rich white families.
During the film, Aibileen said this to her young charge, Mae Mobley (Eleanor Henry and Emma Henry (twins)), “You is Smart, You is Kind, You is Important!”
Aibileen’s heart was to teach the young ones, that she was responsible for, that they had value no matter what else was happening around them in their family or life.
2. Minny Jackson (Octavia Spencer) saying to Hilly Holbrook (Bryce Dallas Howard), “You can eat my Sh**”
Perhaps this is not the usual kind of line out of a movie that I would select as my favorite, but in this movie and in the context in which it was made, this was a statement that stood out to me! [Watch the movie and you will understand.]
Favorite Scene:
There were 3 favorite scenes in the movie, The Help.
1. My favorite scene is the one in which my favorite line was spoken. When Minny baked a home made chocolate pie and brought it to Hilly after she had been fired from her job, unjustly. Hilly loved the pie so much and after finishing the first slice she took a second piece and began to eat it.
The scene continues as Minny then said then line above.
Hilly’s mum Missus Walters (Sissy Spacek) burst out laughing so loudly in this scene that also followed suit and joined her, and other moviegoers, and laughed out loud in the cinema.
2. My second favorite scene was when Hilly received the check from Celia Foote. The check was written out to “Two Slice Hilly“.
You have to see the movie to understand really, but it made me laugh once I realized what it meant.
3. The scene at the end of the fundraiser evening when Missus Walters held out the winning pie made by Minny to show her daughter Hilly.
Missus Walters said, “I may not remember my name, but there are two things that I do remember. One is that my daughter put me into a nursing home. Two that my daughter ate 2 slices of Minny’s chocolate pie!”
Storyline:
The movie ‘The Help’ is based on the novel, also called, ‘The Help‘, written by American author Kathryn Stockett in 2009.
Set in Jackson, Mississippi in the early 1960’s during the civil rights movement. Life was certainly not easy for the black people living in this part of America at this point in history.
Skeeter (Emma Stone) saw the injustice around her and decided to write about it to bring the evil that was happening in her hometown to the light. This is where the story begins with Skeeter following up and researching true stories that were happening in the lives of the maids in Jackson.
Scenes that Tugged at My Heart
There are too many scenes to mention that really touched and spoke to me, but here are a couple.
1. After Mae Mobley’s mum Elizabeth Leefolt (Ahna O’Reilly) left her daughter with her maid and nanny, Aibileen, the little toddler, Mae Mobley looked up at Aibileen and said, “Aib-ee, you are my real mama.“
I thought that was powerful! These loving, black maids, who spent much more time with their employer’s children than their own kids at home, were basically raising these white children.
2. The scene at the end of the movie, where Aibileen had just been fired, along with false accusations by Hilly, as she hugged little Mae Mobley for the very last time. Mae Mobley begged and said, “Don’t go Aib-ee. Don’t leave me!“
But with tears in her eyes Aibileen told Mae Mobley that she had to go, even though she did not want to. For the very last time Aibileen told this precious little girl to remember all that she had taught her. Aibileen got little Mae Mobley to once again repeat those powerful words, “You is Smart, You is Kind, You is Important!”
I could feel my heart rip out and feel some of the pain that this little girl felt as she saw the one who had loved her and believed in her, when her biological mom had not, walking away.
And the pain that Aibileen felt as she walked away hearing the cries behind her of this young child who loved her and whom she loved.
3. The scene where Skeeter learned why her own nanny, Constantine, who had been with the family for 29 years, suddenly disappeared.
This broke my heart and it certainly did Skeeter’s heart too!
Summary:
This movie, The Help, really spoke to me. It made me laugh in some of the scenes and to cry in others. Even more than that, “The Help” made me think and contemplate relationships and how I relate to others around me.
At some points through the movie all I could do was to shake my head and wonder at the strength that these African-American women had to continue to serve as maids in homes where they were treated with not only disrespect, but also contempt and hatred.
The story outlined how even using the toilet in the home where they worked, often for many years, was considered to be a thing of disgrace and was forbidden by some of these white employers.
The way that some of the white women spoke so dishonoringly of their black maids, even while they were in the room, just broke my heart!
This is a movie which I could watch again as it speaks to the heart of the issue that people are all created for a purpose and all have value.
I believe that each of us owe it to our children and future generations to take a stand and speak out to make a difference in the world around us, just as these women did in this film.
Again, I pay respect to each of the men and women who stood up, not only as shown in the film, but also down through the years to bring more equality to each living person, no matter the color of their skin or other differences that may exist.
Watch the video below to see some Behind the Scenes clips from “The Help“.
Let’s take a stand together and Declare that All People were Created Equal, All have Value and All deserve to be treated with Honor and Respect!