Australia Day 4 & 5 (Mon & Tue 1 & 2 Dec: Coffs Harbour to Gold Coast)

Weather - Sunny & cool! Another great weather!

Hubby went out to buy Subway breakfast at AUD3.95 which included a 6-inch bacon & egg sandwich + coffee (forgot to take picture).

Then we headed to Gold Coast but stopped for a lunch break at a small town called Ballina (break the 4-hr drive journey). This "box" of fried rice cost AUD10.90. Hubby didn't like it cos too bland for his salty taste bud haha!

Our first meal of rice after 3 days in Australia

Accommodation - Meriton Gold Coast AUD99/night through wotif.com. Room #1214 (asked for high floor). Very new fully-contained serviced apartments. Parking at AUD10/night. Apparently, part of the building was still being constructed and hence the "pre-opening" offer. Well, we didn't hear any construction noise at all with the doors shut. It was really value for money! I LOVE every single piece in the apartment! Aiyoh!!! I told my hubby I wanna stay put, and not go back to Singapore. So, friends, please come visit me in Gold Coast hahhaha!! Well, I guess the next best substitute was to make our next house in Singapore similar to Meriton hahaha!! OOnnzz!! Anyway, very highly recommended if you could still get this deal. Within few minutes walk to shopping malls, and behind the building was a police station (safe right? hahah!) Rating: 8.5/10

View from our balcony
Bedroom - very comfy bed!
Living room
Laundrette

Kitchenette
Pool

Gym

We went out to the beach (Broadbeach) which was about 5min walk from the apartment. Then went to the nearby supermarket to get dinner. Since it was an apartment with a full kitchenette, we decided we could do some light cooking. So we bought a can of soup, chicken & bacon carbonara, a whole chicken (medium size) and some cherries. Total cost AUD21.40. Not exactly cheap but good to be "home" for "home-cooked food" hahaha!! After dinner, we let the dishwasher clean up our crockery.. first time using it.. hehe

Dinner was pasta salad, one whole grilled chicken and beef chunky soup

Next day after breakfast at the balcony, we drove to Purlingbrook Falls @ Springbrook. Technically, the drive time was to be about 35min but because we were negotiating mountains (imagine Genting/ Cameron), it took us an hour to reach there haha!! Safety more important mah..hoh.. hehe.. To enjoy the best part of the Falls, there was a 4km circuit route through the mountains. Great experience but tired out by the end of the 1.5hr walk (return) - our first exercise on this trip haha! Within Springbook there was a "Best of all Lookout" (another 0.6km return).

Our breakfast at the balcony
Purlington Falls from front
The Falls from the back - super cooling especially after the exercise ha!

We had wanted to visit Mt Tambourine (think about 30min drive from Springbrook?) as well but didn't have time cos it was way past lunch time when we finished our mountain climbing. So we went to this Fudge Shop nearby the Falls and bought 2 pcs (AUD3.80 each). Wah liao... damn sweet!! It was really really very sweet! Haha!

The Fudge Shop

Went back apartment to have a rest and freshen up before we took the monorail (AUD2/pax/ride) from Oasis Shopping Centre to Conrad Jupiters, a hotel with a casino within. Not that we were going to gamble but just to have a look. We settled for its buffet dinner at AUD39.95/pax. Ate lots of prawns! Overall the food was ok, not that fantastic ;)