Trotting down to the Gold Coast

As I had Friday off we decided we'd treat ourselves to a bargain getaway break down at the Gold Coast. Last time we were down there we'd noticed that there was a YHA hostel right next to the Marina, and with the only neighbouring hotels being the Palazzo Versace and the Sheraton Mirage it looked like a champagne location at a beer price. Well, a fizzy overly-sweet chardonnay at a beer price - this is the Gold Coast after all.

Conveniently located next to the youth hostel is the Fishermans Tavern, aka 'the Fisho'

 This was a fine place for an afternoon drink or two

 As well as a pre-dinner evening drink or two

and a sumptuous breakfast (no drinks this time!)

Because the hostel room wasn't an ensuite we had to walk outside to go to the toilet and bathroom, but given the location of the hostel it was a 'loo with a view'.  

Despite it being a working marina the water was beautifully clear

and as we ate breakfast we were lucky enough to be the only two people on the deck to see two dolphins surface and swim past only a few metres away. We think they were the performing dolphins at the Seaworld resort just up the road, and they were clocking in for the morning shift.

On the other side of the road is a surf beach, which was remarkably empty given the proximity to Surfers Paradise and also very beautiful

The beaches have taken a bit of a battering with recent heavy winter seas eroding a lot of the sand away, leaving ominous looking sand cliffs that needed to be climbed to get out

Unfortunately the sand cliffs proved too much of a hurdle for this pet pig so it had to stay on the path instead. Which is a shame, because I think the whole of the Gold Coast wanted to see this little porker playing in the surf...