Sunday, Nov 13 - Driving to Buderim

Queensland doesn’t have daylight savings time, so it gets light at about 4:30 am!  We managed to sleep until about six and got up and packed.  We tried to get into the executive lounge on floor 23 for a free breakfast, but our key wouldn’t work in the elevator - Miss Hamlin’s magic doesn’t work that far - and so went downstairs for a bite to east and got egg scrambles with chives, roasted tomatoes with pesto sauce and toast.  We then did a trial walk to Europcar to see if we could manage to drag our suitcases all the way to our rental car, and found it was just around the corner!  We rented a nice tiny Hyundai and returned to the Hotel to check out.  We rolled our luggage over, hopped in and were off, and found getting out of Brisbane to be very easy.  In short time we were on the Bruce Highway north to the Sunshine Coast!

We were making such good time that we detoured a bit and drove past some amazing volcanic plugs, “Glass House Mountain”, down Steve Irwin Way, past his Australia Zoo.  We headed towards the coast, very flat right along the water, resembling Florida with marina water-front homes and lots of retail.  Bob and I reached Rt. 70, turned inland, and the land immediately became hilly and more interesting. 

Using Goggle maps we wound around leafy suburbs until we found Frances’ street and very attractive house.  There she was and we hauled our stuff inside.  The house is open to the breezes on all sides with a large veranda on the east side.  The guest quarters are upstairs and have a wonderful view of the tops of the palm forest behind her house.  (pic:  Australian Brush Turkey, from Frances' porch!)

We had a delicious lunch of salad and quiche on her porch and took a short walk down the side of her property which runs into park land, so she has seen many birds from her porch.

Frances drove us to nearby Buderim Forest Park, where we took a 2 mile hike through gum trees on boardwalks, past a waterfall and great swimming hole.  We saw some birds but since it was Sunday the park was a little crowded, but we got a good walk in anyway.

Frances’ friend, and my email correspondent, Lyn, came over for dinner carrying champagne and white wine which went perfectly with the chicken, asparagus, and potato casserole Frances prepared.  Macadamia nut ice-cream with mango and other fruit were served for dessert.  Dining outside in the lovely warm evening air was wonderful!

(pic:  Lyn bravely shows off a beetle visitor)