This was a very rushed day trip during my last day in Australia, but I just had to do it.
Gold Coast, especially Surfers Paradise, has always been the Australian city I wanted to visit most after Sydney.
It started with Forza Horizon 3, my first Horizon game. I played it a ton in high school, and the place stuck in my mind. Then I’d occasionally see photos/videos of all those tall skyscrappers right beside the beach, which is so unique and gorgeous that made me want to see it in person.
The schedule on that day was just too tight. But I kept thinking this might be my last chance to see it. PTO days are limited, and there’s so much of the world I still want to visit. I honestly don’t think I’m very likely to make another trip to Australia’s east coast, at least not in like decades.
So last night in Rainbow Beach, I looked at my options. I’d already booked a hotel in Brisbane (I wasn’t particularly interested in doing anything there, I mainly chose it because of there is direct flight to YVR), and I was flying from BNE back to Canada the next morning.
My bus would leave Rainbow Beach at 8:30 AM and arrive in Brisbane at 1:00 PM. From there, I could catch a Greyhound at 2:00 PM, get to the Gold Coast at 3:20 PM, then take the 5:45 PM bus back and reach Brisbane at 7:00 PM. The bus from Brisbane’s Roma Street to Surfers Paradise is actually faster than the train because it goes directly to the centre without all the stops.
That meant spending pretty much the whole day on buses just to see Surfers Paradise, with only a little over an hour to actually walk around...
But that skyline didn’t disappoint me. I didn’t have time to visit Miami Beach where the views are supposed to be even better as I've heard, but a stroll on Surfers Paradise Beach was already worth it.
The skyscapers reflected in the wet sand, and the sea made the lower parts of the buildings in the distance look a little hazy and foggy. Photos really don’t capture what it feels like to see it in person.
Huge towers right next to a wide beach that seems to go on forever. It’s such an unusual sight.
The streets also felt just like being in Forza Horizon 3 ( just a bit narrower and more people). I have never been here before, but the streets and buildings looked so familiar. I even happened to see a Porsche GT2 RS and a modified Subaru BRZ. Pretty fitting for the theme of this little daytrip.
I also just read an article that the Gold Coast published around the release of Horizon 3. The city’s economic development director said the game could inspire thousands of players to consider visiting.
At least I can say that’s true for me. Without Horizon 3, I might never have come here.
I didn’t have much time. I took a walk along the beach and grabbed some fried chicken from the Australian fastfood place called Papa Flock on the nearby open air mall. It was not cheap, $15 for a small sandwich— but pretty good.
That was also the end of my trip around Australia. I haven't posted other parts of my trip in Sydney and K'gari but will do that in the future.