One of our favourite comedians is Jimmy Rees. A few weekends ago his Meanwhile in Australia Tour 2022 was held at the Gold Coast, so after booking our tickets, we decided to make a weekend and explore the Coast.
As Fate would have it, the Star (the casino, and also where Jimmy was performing) was having a staycation sale that weekend, and we booked ourselves a nice room with a combination of dollars and frequent flyer points. In the end, we paid what an airbnb would have cost after we used points. Very much worth the use of points.
On the way down we stopped in at Coombabah Lakes Conversation Area, hiking the Koala, Boundary and Melaleuca Track. It was a scenic and gently hike – basically flat – and took us through a few different environments. There were plenty of kangaroos for us to see along the way.
Afterwards, we had an early brunch (yum), and then headed down to Core to get some bouldering in, then it was off to the Star to check in and get ready for the show. As part of the package we got a few vouchers included (drinks, dinner and breakfast), so we went to the bar and enjoyed a nice whiskey, looking out into the casino and doing some people watching.
The show itself was great and Jimmy brought in all of his various characters and skits. Afterwards, it was time for a delicious dinner and then a spa. Of course, to end the night, we paired the phone to the TV and watched an episode of Spy x Family.
In the morning we went for an early walk along the beach (including watching some dogs catch the ball and then bury it into the sand, only to did it up when their owners got closer so they could run after it to repeat the whole thing), watched the sun continue to rise over the horizon, and then had an amazing buffet breakfast.
Once we checked out, we visited two of my cousins to catch up, and then did another short climbing session at Core before heading back to Brisbane.
Local adventures are fun and rejuvenating. We are (and should continue to) enjoy these on a more regular basis. One doesn’t need to always travel to far exotic locations, or even embark on a hard outdoor pursuit to see and experience new and novel things. It’s not always just about the ‘grand’ adventures. This weekend away was grand in a different way. A chance to relax, recharge, laugh, do a bunch of enjoyable things, and create great memories.
I already look back at the weekend with fondness.
Sometimes you should splurge a bit. Staying at the casino was well worth it (and, it turns out, well within budget).
