Family, Vegemite, and Tai Chi in Gold Coast, Australia

Posted on by da-AL

Our first evening in Gold Coast, Australia!

Australia is a quick flight from New Zealand. Getting there marked the second half of our vacation, which began with Auckland + Rotorua + New Zealand’s Redwoods + Huka Falls + Craters of the Moon + Waitomo Glowworms Caves + Taupo + Pirongia + Hamilton Gardens, as well as the birds of Australia Part 1 of 2 plus Part 2 of 2 + Spectacular Views in and Around Gold Coast + enjoyed delicious meal on the beach + saw some wild things and cute things at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary + had fun with Rita Rigby + met the beasts of Brisbane and the beauty there + enjoyed Sydney this much and that much, as well as the purring there!

We landed in Gold Coast to visit cousins who I’d heretofore not had the pleasure of meeting. Lovely inside and out, they were generous to us in every way!

What took me so long to meet these lovely family members?!
Good food, greater people!
Some of my Australian family is striped!

The following morning, a delicious breakfast awaited us — including yeast extract to spread on our buttered toast. Brands for the ‘acquired taste’ can be a heated topic: Australians generally vote for Vegemite, New Zealanders like Our Mate, folks in other places are partial to Marmite or Promite or Bovril or Cenovis or…

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After all the eating and relaxing, it was time to get moving!

Tai chi is healthy for all ages!

Admirably fit and flexible Rita (the beautiful lady with her arm around my waist) introduced me to a free tai chi class at the local park. If you’re ever in the area, Robina Tai Chi Club Secretary/Treasurer Yulan deSalve assured me that all are welcome to email her at yulandesalvo@gmail.com for particulars. Ask her nicely, and she might demonstrate the sitting koala pose!

Geckos are common guests in Gold Coast, Australia.

What animals do you have near your home that are unique to your area?

Published by da-AL

Happiness Between Tails blog/podcast speaks to and from the heart. It connects lovers — of pets, authors, reading — and of my still-unreleased novels. “Flamenco + the Sitting Cat” and “Tango + the Sitting Cat,” are my love letters to all who fear they're too odd, too damaged, too old, too whatever to find love and happiness with or without a partner. HappinessBetweenTails.com • ContactdaAL@gmail.com • BuyMeACoffee.com/SupportHBT

28 thoughts on “Family, Vegemite, and Tai Chi in Gold Coast, Australia”

  4. Thank you for sharing your wonderful adventures!.. I do Tai Chi also.. seems to me all the ladies in the photo are beautiful in their own way and cannot forget the handsome dude!.. 🙂

    Until we meet again;
    May dreams you hold dearest
    Be those which come true
    And the kindness you spread
    Keep returning to you.
    (Irish Saying)

    Liked by 1 person

  5. da-AL – it’s lovely to reconnect with you. It sounds like you had a LOVELY trip to visit your in-laws. I’m happy for you! (I visited Australia a few years back, though never made it to the Gold Coast.)

    Many blessings to you, and to your husband. 🙂
    Debbie

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Great photos and article – making me homesick. Looks like you had a great time in The land of Oz.

    Left our house just north of Brisbane in March 2014 for longterm travel and still not back. Hope you got to see the Sunshine Coast as I think it’s prettier than the Gold Coast. 😉

    Liked by 2 people

      1. Absolutely, it’s a huge continent and even if you spent 12 months there, you’d only scratch the surface. You need to return.

        I’m originally from Sydney then moved (sailed) to Brisbane in ’92. One of the reasons for moving there is that it’s illegal to live on a boat for more than 3 consecutive days in NSW and although the authorities turn a blind eye to yachties, didn’t want that hanging over us at the time.

        Love QLD but have only sailed as far as Lizard Island in far north QLD – but that was in another life. 😉

        Liked by 1 person

          1. It’s a bizarre law. Think it’s due to rich influential folk overlooking prime waterways from their mansions and not wanting liveaboards below them living for free on anchor or paying a minimal yearly fee for their mooring.

            When you live on a boat, especially for a long time, you don’t have a ‘fixed abode’. This can be very tricky and authorities don’t like this one bit…

            Liked by 1 person

  7. Your trip is getting better and better, isn’t it? How nice you could finally meet your in-laws.

    In Germany we prefer Vitam-R to Marmite or Cenovis, because it is not so strong. For me it is still too salty. I like it in sauces (in small doses), but not pure on bread.

    Unique animal, hmmmm, we have a lot of hares in Denmark, where other countries have rabbits. We have no wild rabbits, but lots of hares. And in our area we have the two pairs of golden eagles in the national park, which I find quite exciting, but, alas, not unique.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Indeed, Birgit, to me it really is a re-packaging of boullon, no? (Hate to tell that to an Australian, though, lol). & here I thought hares & rabbits are the same!

      Liked by 1 person

  8. How wonderful that you got to meet your family – I don’t think it was so long a wait as so far a wait.
    Your hubby with the vegemite is hilarious – I think I’ll pass on trying this stuff. I like my yeast turned into bread!

    I don’t live very far from you and I think the local critters are the same. Love your little gecko buddy – cute!

    Liked by 1 person

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