Caroline Marion, 2013 South Queensland student blogger, writes:

June 16

The famous Surfer’s Paradise sign

As we continued our journey, we went to the Gold Coast, more specifically Surfer’s Paradise. I loved this area! It was very similar to our Miami, Florida but with an Australian twist.  It was everything you would want in a city: ideal shopping, delicious restaurant choices, fun activities and, of course, an outrageous surfing location!

The Q1 skyscraper and surrounding towers

I could get used to the Australian lifestyle we saw on Surfer’s Paradise: work hard but play harder! Everyone was so friendly and mellow around here. Most people hustling and bustling through the shops were tourists, such as us.

We only had a day in the area, so we tried to make the most of it. We went to Hard Rock Café for some great food and then shopped for souvenirs.

Enjoying lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe

Plus, we had to go watch the locals surfing. It was a nice break from schoolwork and a chance to explore another part of Australia on our own. This short pit stop only added to all our love to such a diverse country.

Loving the Gold Coast!