Cheesedick in Paradise

I took the long but pleasant train ride from Brisbane Central to Nerang and hopped on a short bus ride to Surfers Paradise this morning... Not bad for $9. Surfers gives a similar impression to Cairns - lots of cheap and tacky motels, too many tourists, and not much class... Then you see the multitude of high-rise megaresorts and think Vegas-by-the-Sea. I'm not quite sure why they call Brisban "BrisVegas" when it's really Surfers Paradise that looks like the Strip.

My accommodations for the night are at the Surf n' Sun Beachside, yet another tacky motel converted into a backpackers haven. What it lacks in elegance and class, it certainly makes up for with charm and friendliness. People here seem to just hang out together and say hi to eveyrone who passes by, in stark contrast with the majority of cockheads hanging out at the Palace in Brisbane. It seems the cheesier the location, the nicer the people. I've definitely got to keep that in mind for future travels.

Well, the countdown timer's near zero on this kiosk, and I've got some sun to soak up before hopefully a huge night out. Time to go chill...