Day 8, Saturday March 23th Palm Beach

A magnificent morning, we gulp down our breakfast and drive to Burleigh Heads. Our sister-in-law the Very Good Golfer has recommended that we do the walk around the headland. The humidity is high, but the views are stunning, north to Surfers Paradise the distant high rise is framed by pandanus, south to Coolangatta it skirts the sandy mouth of the Tallebudgera Creek. We see brush turkeys and water dragons in the rain forest on the southern side where the park drops down to the creek. Although it is early, people are already setting up their spots on the sandy creek beaches for a day of swimming. The Norfolk pines make Burleigh Heads the prettiest town on the coast even the park benches are carved to resemble surfboards.

We meet the family for lunch at the Currumbin Surf Lifesaving Club and what a spot. A modern building, it sits on a rock shelf that juts out into the sea. The view north along the beach to Surfers is impressive. Woody the Elder is still unaware that more members of the family are yet to fly in.

After lunch, we make a quick dash north to Logan, as the Supa Cheap auto store has folding bikes on sale (it’s only a 160km round trip). They are great value and can easily fit on the back seat of the car or in the van whilst travelling.

With all having arrived we meet at the Beijing Palace in Robina to celebrate Woody the Elder’s 70^th birthday with a great Chinese banquet along with more family and friends. I trot out a tuneless rendition of Happy Birthday on the uke and everyone cheers gratefully when it’s over.

2022 Note: Those bloody bikes! We persisted with them for a few months, but it was a case of what you pay is what you get. I love bike riding, but those things were like pushing a 10-tonne truck uphill with your legs. Why oh why did we toss out our mountain bikes when we downsized?

A few years later we spent a week at Burleigh Heads and walked the Headland most mornings. It is an easy walk offering varied vegetation with both ocean and city views.