Nirvana in Noosa

                       

After a massive year my soul, body, mind and spirit was in mega need of a big fat break. Two weeks in Noosa ended up being just what the doctor ordered.

A while back I proclaimed that Moolooba was the Queen of South-East Queensland beaches but now I have to swallow my words - Noosa, you have seduced me.

The in-laws booked a pet-friendly house a walk from Sunshine Beach, which is right next to Noosa. We were blessed with perfect, sunny weather and spent most of the time at the beach, eating or sleeping. Here are some of the highlights for this Canberran:

Sunshine Beach

More chilled than its neighbour, Sunshine Beach is a gem surrounded by mansions and apartments tucked between the trees. The best part for animal lovers is the dog friendly section up the North end. Paradise of friendly pooches, families, warm water and happy vibes. Further down the beach is the patrolled area with access from the strip of yummy cafés and restaurants. The Surf Club has a killer view the ocean on the back deck and serves affordable feeds. For a special treat check out Embassy XO for yummy dumplings and Chinese inspired food. Embassy XO's service and interiors are both lovely.

I was lucky enough to catch up with a life long friend during my stay at Sunshine Beach. As our holiday house was packed to the rafters, we escaped for a night down the road to Dolphins Beach House. This is a flashpackers at its best. For $90 a night we got our own private room with ensuite, flat screen tv, air con and balcony. This establishment has a tropical and colourful charm with a killer location. Highly recommend this place if you are after an affordable stay.

Dolphins Beach House

Noosa Main Beach

This is what all the fuss is about. You can spend a whole day here, sun baking, swimming, making sand castles, perving, surfing, eating, drinking milkshakes, shopping Hastings Street and exploring the National Park. Parking can be a nightmare but worth the persistence. It is so darn pretty and full of life. You may come across a celebrity or two and will leave dreaming of lottery wins so you can relocate. I also recommend doing a cruise through the Noosa river to check out the man made beauties competing against nature for the biggest jaw drops. You might even see Richard Branson on his island.

Edmundi Markets

Famous for the huge markets and hippie charm, Eumundi is a short drive from Noosa and the perfect way to spend a morning and lunch. The markets are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Try to get in early because traffic and parking can be hectic. For brunch I recommend Bohemian Bungalow for quirky atmosphere and delicious vegetarian and organic dishes. 

Bohemian Bungalow

Bohemian Bungalow

Nails at Noosa
If you are after some nail love, give the ladies at Nails at Noosa a visit. A girlfriend and I got the deluxe pedicure and my Mother in Law went for an express mani and pedi. The girls were fun, professional and did a killer job, all at reasonable prices.

4WD at Noosa North Shore
For your adventurous types, go 4WD and camping along Noosa North Shore. I had a great time driving along the beach, such a great experience with the stunning ocean on one side and the coloured sands on the other.

So there you have it, some tips if you ever find yourself experiencing Nirvana in Noosa! :)

Book Review: And the Mountains Echoed

And the Mountains Echoed is the third novel from one of my all time favourite authors Khaled Hosseini.

Straight up, Hosseini is gifted and the man can write. Making the ugly shine like jewels. For example, when a character is describing his dementia diagnosis:

They tell me I must wade into waters, where I will soon drown. Before I march in, I leave this on the shore for you. I pray you find it, sister, so you will know what was in my heart as I went under.

Hosseini's ability to write has never been in doubt but I am sorry to say some misgivings have crept in with his latest effort. In all fairness this is still a good read, but when your other two works are masterpieces it is difficult to keep outdoing yourself. 

The downfall with this book is Hosseini's attempts to include too many tales that somewhat intertwine. This leaves some of the most intriguing characters and story lines not fully developed, allowing tad boring scenarios to take up valuable page space. This left me frustrated and I put And the Mountains Echoed down for a few months. However, this was not entirely Hosseini's fault. With a sick toddler, lack of sleep and other pressures of life, I just didn't have the mental energy to read.

I am glad I pursued with this book which, as with all Hosseini's work, has me thinking and visualising long after the last page has turned. It is by no means a disaster and I do recommend you give it a go over summer. The pinnacle events in the book will leave you heartbroken and touched. If you do, please let me know what you think, because I'm unsure if I'm just being too harsh!

My dear sister-in-law Miss T gifted me The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton for my birthday last week. I'm looking forward to reading this Man Booker Prize winner but might take me awhile due to its length! 

Have you read And The Mountains Echoed? What books are on your summer reading pile?

Sunshine State of Mind...

The weather has been scorching, Christmas is just around the corner which adds up to one thing = our annual two weeks break with the in laws in Queensland, specifically South-East Queensland.

A psychic told me once that Queensland would be a special place for me. That it held a bunch of women who would become my family and it will be my second home. At the time, I was a 21 year old girl who loved nothing more than going to gigs, alternative fashion and frequenting cafes. Nah, I thought, she has got me all wrong, I'm going to end up in trendy Melbourne! Well turns out she at least got one thing right, as I did marry a Queenslander who has two sisters and a mum (plus a dad and other relos I adore). Dr Love is the only member of his family that has left the Sunshine state and you can see why everyone else has stayed, pretty hard to give up such a nice lifestyle.

We are blessed with both worlds - fantastic careers and friends in Canberra but the ability to spend time north of the border X 2 a few times a year. So here are just some of the things I love about South East Queensland:

Beaches
Where the land meets the sea is the biggest draw card of this sunburnt state. Dr Love is from Ipswich, which is on the west border of Brisbane. So we either go south to the Gold Coast or north to the Sunishine Coast. We usually choose the latter, which is the opposite direction of schoolies and bad boob jobs. Not that I'm anti Goldy - Green Mount is Dr Love's fav surfing spot, the Goldy has all the theme parks, super malls and Surfers does have its own glitzy style but the Sunshine Coast is more chilled which is more of our vibe*

Maloolaba is my favourite beach because it has the right mix of everything - gorgeous beach, hottie life savers, yummy food and some shops but no snobbiness like its cousin Noosa.

The more I travel the world the more convinced I am we have the best beaches. They are crystal clean with comfy white sand, not polluted water with rocks everywhere. While I love the paradise that is Borocay of the Phillipinnes and the seaside charm of the Greek islands, if you want warm surf, QLD is the place to go.

Queenslanders
Not the people**, but the houses. My dream house is a Queenslander with a massive wrap around verandah. They possess so much charm and character. From the large, regal ones to the cute colorful cottage style, I love them. My love of Queensland arcticher extends to the traditional pubs and shops in old parts of Brisbane and Ipswich. So easy breezy. Totally dig it.

Brisbane
I adore this river city even though I haven't spent as much time as I would like in it. My few visits has left me an impression of a city more laid back than Sydney, less pretentious than Melbourne and full of charm.

Seafood
Enough said really.

Sunshine Coast Hinterlands
Just stunning and so lush. Perfect place to enjoy a weekend.

Wet and Wild
Heaven on Earth. I mean business when I visit - must wear a rashie and compete with the kiddies in the long lines. Word of advice - go in groups of two unless you want to share close proximity aka floating device with a stranger.


Disclaimer: I wrote most of this in December. It is now January and we are in the middle of floods and stuck inside - this also happens a lot in the 'Sunshine State' ;)


* Helps that the in laws share a holiday home three minutes walk from Wutulla beach. Three brothers built this home over 25 years ago and will be selling it next year *sob*.
** The people are grinners as well :)

Not too Big, Not too Small....

I Heart Canberra, source: KateWard on madeit.com.au

I think it is about time that I profess my love publicly for the 'berra, Can-bra, The Can, Can-Can aka Canberra, The Australian Capital Territory. Too long this patch of the Earth has endured unwarranted criticism. True, the place is not perfect. The public transport is horrendous, housing is ridiculously expensive and it doesn't have a beach. However, some arguments against it just don't weigh up. For example, the common statement that 'Canberra is just full of politicians and public servants so it is boring'. I respond to with:

1. Hate to tell you but the politicians of this nation live all across this country, only flying in and out when duty calls. Just because parliament house is here doesn't mean politicians HAVE houses here!
2. Yes the major Federal departments are centralised here, but what is so wrong about that? Can't blame the place when it is one of the only few planned capitals in the world. It seems people like to hate on public servants but I think it stems from four things: firstly, they are just jealous we are well paid and have great benefits SNAP, I said it and you can't deny it! Stop being haters ;-) Secondly that public servants are lazy, which in my experience is true of some individuals but the majority are actually really hard working, care about what they do and how they are benefiting their society*. Thirdly, that there is something not valuable about running the country (for lack of a better expression). Everyday services that Aussies are provided such as welfare, schools, hospitals and housing don't just 'happen'. Someone has to carry out the work to get these things going. Sure, a lot can be improved, but that is what you consider while at the voting booth and has nothing to do with the people just trying to do their best for you in their workplaces. Finally, people think that 100% of Canberrans are in the public service – ummmn, it is more like 50%**. Plenty people work in private enterprise in all sorts of trades and services. You just don't hear people texting into The Today Show going 'I hate Canberra because of all those carpenters, hairdressers, IT firms, lawyers, restaurant owners, retailers, designers, financial institutions...'

I think people compare apples and oranges when viewing Canberra and that is why they give it a bad wrap. It isn't Sydney. It isn't a massive city and if that is what you are looking for here then of course it is always going to fall short. Locations are like people in my opinion, you have to value them for their own uniqueness and not what they 'don't have'. That way, you can probably find good things in almost anywhere you travel. So here are a few things I love about Canberra....

Hipsters at Foreshore musical festival source: foreshorefestival.com.au

The seasons

I love that every year (well almost every year) Canberra experiences four distinct seasons. You can sit by a fire with a hot drink, see the snow on the hills and even have fun at the snow in Winter. Spring is full of gorgeous days perfect for picnics and getting outdoors. Summers are hot (except for last year) and have you partying balmy nights away. Autumn is the most stunning of the seasons in Canberra, when all the trees turn glorious shades of golds and reds.

Autumn glory in Canberra, source: abc.net.au

Meeting place

It is no coincidence that Canberra is an Indigenous word for 'meeting place'. The 'berra is one melting pot and I love that. I know most cities in Australia are as well, but for some reason, perhaps its size or fairly 'lefty' persuasion, people seem to mingle more. For example, some of my Asian girlfriends from other cities have told me that back at home people think it is weird they have Caucasian friends. I found this really surprising but they tell me it is true. One of the best, some might say THE best annual events the 'berra has is the Multicultural Festival that is always a hit with locals and visitors.

It isn't just different ethnicity groups that mingle here, it is also people who are, to use politically correct terms 'from different social-economic backgrounds'. Really rich people live here (driving through Red Hill or Yarralumla proves that), middle class and not so well off people live here too. However, these differences don't seem so divided compared to other places in Australia – maybe that is just my experience but it seems true. Perhaps it is the housing development policies here that require a percentage of each suburb to be affordable housing. I don't know what it is but it seems people mingle with people without so much segregation or prejudice.

Not too big, not too small, just right

Up up and away with hot air balloon rides in the 'berra,
source: Anne Stroud

Goldilocks could have been talking about Canberra when she coined this phrase. Some people disagree but I think there is plenty of stuff to do in Canberra but without the hassle of long distances and big efforts to do things. Plenty of restaurants, bars, pubs, food vans and cafes exist, with different vibes and clientele to suit your mood. The shopping is pretty good (even if online shopping is taking over the world). There is always a cultural delight on such as the Travelling the Silk Road exhibition on right now or art exhibitions from across the world – don't have to  to Europe to see these masterpieces, just 15 minutes down the road. You have choices for places of worship whatever your preference. You have markets for your lazy weekends or to grab the freshest quality goods before cooking up a storm. Plus Floriade isn't daggy, especially if you go to its Nightfest . The open spaces mean you can do all sorts of outdoor activities. The place strikes a nice balance of having elements of a city but the benefits of living in a large country town such as no frequent shootings and fresh air.

So there is my rant. This place isn't perfect but none are. I'm not denying my love for other locations across the globe and hope to one day live in a few of them. This is just me giving some support to the place that has been good to me and I call home.

Party boat on Lake Burley Griffin, source: Anne Stroud's facebook account ;-)

*This could be because I work in the welfare sector so perhaps my views are somewhat bias by the type of people who are attracted to such work.

** Ok, so this is not super accurate but when researching people argue about defintions of public servants in figures including local government, teachers, nurses and the like.