Making it in Melbourne: The Gold Coast

Gold Coast is lovely this time of year. Any time of year, really. I spent most of the last few days in Surfers Paradise, appropriately named for its miles of sweeping coastline and constant breakers near the shore, perfect for surfing. Of course, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity so I rented a board myself! I stood up a few times and didn’t succumb to some waves with apparent murderous intentions, so I’d say it was a success.

Surfers Paradise as a city is a lot like Vegas. Australia with lots of tall buildings, neon lights and things to do. Playing tourist, I went to the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum, where I may or may not have done a Mission Impossible style laser maze at least six times. Other shenanigans included going to Warner Bros. Movie World, where I got to ride the Southern Hemisphere’s first virtual reality roller coaster, as well as day trips to the stunning Byron Bay and Brisbane. At Warner Bros. Movie World, I had grand plans of getting my photo taken with Batman, only to find out it cost $20. Therefore, this photo with Foghorn Leghorn was the best I could do on a budget.

This last short trip was a perfect way to escape the Melbourne cold for a few days and come close to wrapping up my experience in Australia the way I began it: with sunshine, on the beach!

Students at GCU have an opportunity to study abroad as part of their campus experience. Visit our website or contact us using the Request More Information button at the top of the page for more information.