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Surfers Paradise Sydney Trip

March 28, 2017 by David Herd

Chevron Island Surfers Paradise

Surfers Paradise Sydney Trip

Surfers Paradise Sydney Trip

 Surfers Paradise Sydney  Trip seeing lots of friends & in particular caught up with Karen Greenwood an old girlfriend from 1991, 26 years ago. As you can see see still looks fantastic. 🙂 So many great memories came flooding back, it was certainly wonderful week Surfers Paradise. We are at Franks seafood cafe on Chevron Island.

Here we are 26 years ago.

Surfers Paradise Sydney Trip

I couldn’t resist posting this photo from 1991. 

Melbas on the Park

Surfers Paradise Sydney Trip

I first visited this iconic bar on New Years Day 1982, 35 years ago. The reason I am so sure of the date is it was the day after my unforgettable NYE on Sydney harbour with my overloaded boat being showered by sky rockets.

First stop Kingscliff only a 40 minute drive.

Surfers Paradise Sydney Trip

Just a quick stop for a very good breakfast and some photos.

Breakfast at Kingscliff

Surfers Paradise Sydney Trip

The name of the cafe was Kettles On & the breakfast was excellent.

Miles of deserted beach at Kingscliff

Surfers Paradise Sydney Trip

Certainly an idealic place to live.

Kingscliff to Yamba

Surfers Paradise Sydney Trip

About a 2 hour drive to Yamba on the Clarence river, this is my first visit to this pleasant little coastal town.

The sea was angry that day my friends….

Surfers Paradise Sydney Trip

Many thanks to George Castanza. 🙂

Discounted room rates at Yamba through THIS LINK.

 Mexican

Surfers Paradise Sydney Trip

Strangely Mexican food has never been on my list of favourites.

Mexican! That’s not a Mexican, this is a Mexican.

Surfers Paradise Sydney Trip

My apologies Pablo.

Yamba to Port Macquarie

Surfers Paradise Sydney Road Trip

A 3.5 hour drive with a stop at Grafton for a Maccas.

Old habits die hard…

Surfers Paradise Sydney Trip

Over the years I think I have stopped here at Grafton 20 times for a strawberry shake.

 

Surfers Paradise Sydney Trip, Port Macquarie.

Surfers Paradise Sydney Trip

The mouth of the Hastings River in Port Macquarie.

Centre of town

Surfers Paradise Sydney Trip

Port has quite a large shopping centre & a population of 80,00 & growing rapidly.

Expected growth

Surfers Paradise Sydney Trip

A very popular area with a good climate and about a 4’5 hour drive to Sydney.

Port Macquarie to Gosford.

 

Surfers Paradise Sydney Trip

With a brief stop at Newcastle to say hi to my old mate Barry Madden.

Barry Madden

Surfers Paradise Sydney Road Trip

Barry & I worked together in the mid 90s with NRMA as financial planners. 

The Settlers Tavern Gosford

Surfers Paradise Sydney Trip

A terrific T Bone at Settlers Tavern at 2 Hely Street, West Gosford. They have a great menu for a local pub, check it out on THIS LINK.

Early morning workout

Surfers Paradise Sydney Trip

It was a perfect Sunday morning for a workout for these rowers.

Gosford to Sydney 

Surfers Paradise Sydney Road Trip

The final leg of my Surfers Paradise Sydney Trip.

Maroubra Beach

Surfers Paradise Sydney Trip

One of Sydney’s famous southern beaches.

Chaotic Coogee Beach.

Surfers Paradise Sydney Trip

Late afternoon & most people have gone home or to the pub. 🙂

For a great room rate in Coogee or anywhere in the world just book through THIS LINK.

Classic Australian pub picture

Surfers Paradise Sydney Trip

This is the Robin Hood hotel at Waverly, however years ago these fabulous pictures were found on most Aussie pubs.

It was a great drive down from from Surfers Paradise  to Sydney stopping at Kingscliff, Yamba, Port Macquarie, Forster-Tuncurry, Gosford & Coogee. Also dropped into Maroubra which is a place I have not seen for over 50 years. Just click on the links to see my photo blogs.

Thanks for visiting my Surfers Paradise Sydney  Trip photo blog. 

           

                    Here are some more posts to check out 

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            Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you            
                book through these links below.  Book now & pay later.
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Slide show here.

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That’s all folks

1g Duck

Check out these great photo blogs.

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Surfers Paradise life 1991

June 15, 2014 by David Herd

This photos defines 1991, this post is part of my personal online photo albums, as opposed to my FiveStarVagabond travel blog.

Surfers Paradise life 1991

Surfers Paradise life

Surfers Paradise life 1991 was as good as it gets, a new house, a nice car, a good job and a gorgeous girlfriend, a kiwi named Karen Greenwood. Karen was the main interest in my life for over a year. The relationship could safely be described as reasonably volatile. 🙂 It took me 2 or 3 more relationships over the next 4 or 5 years before I finally realised I was just not good at them. Consequently here I am happily alone 37 years later living in Thailand.

Above is one of my all time favourite photos, one of the many dinners parties at my new home at 106 Upton St Bundall, Surfers Paradise. My great buddy Harley Bradstreet used to love dressing up in his military gear, the other guy on the left was Harley’s gay flatmate. If Harley wore his Military gear he would do the same. The girls from the left were Leanne Sanderson, Mary Simpson, Kandice Aldington & Nicola Botica.

Kandice & Nicola wash the dishes.

Surfers Paradise life

These two lovely girls were always a great asset to any dinner party, an example of Surfers Paradise life 1991.

Another night another party with the usual suspects.

Surfers Paradise life

And the beat goes on, I think Kandice was feeling no pain on this particular evening. 🙂

Kandice was feeling no pain at all.

Surfers Paradise life

As I said before, another night another party with the usual suspects.

Here is another great kitchen shot. 🙂

  Jill

I think Jill is about to cook breakfast, or pour us another drink perhaps. 🙂

New fence at 106 Upton St

Surfers Paradise life

I moved into my new home July 1st 1990 but my huge fence was not built until early 1991.

Harly & Madison guarding the house

  Surfers Paradise life

Before I had the fence I needed an armed guard to keep my screaming fans at bay. 🙂 OK, I am joking, it is only my old buddy Harley dressing up again.

Roger Williams surrounded by special forces.

Surfers Paradise life

On the right is my old friend Harley Bradstreet who loved dressing up in his military outfit, he had a gay flatmate the guy on the left. This particular night they came to my home for dinner & you could have knocked me over with a feather when the flatmate was also dressed in military fashion. 🙂

Old friend Ian Rich

Surfers Paradise life

Ian was from Newport in Sydney, we met around 1968.

Please click on Google + to help my page ranking.

 

Claudia Scrupin & Tony Murphy

  Surfers Paradise life

Another old friend is Tony Murphy who I  see regularly when he visits Thailand, plus I often stay at his home on the Gold Coast when I am there every 18 months or so.

Robyn Aylwood & Tony Murphy at Palm Meadows.

Surfers Paradise life

Robyn was a lovely lady who was the PR girl at Gold Coast international hotel, she moved to Melbourne Married & sadly passed away October 2010, RIP. Strangely enough her husband David Austin also passed away shortly after in July 2011.

A rose between two thorns

Surfers Paradise life

I don’t think so, two lovely ladies Kim English & Sharon Lee at Mariners Cove.

Dianne Bryce & Larry Wilson.

Surfers Paradise life

Larry was a terrific humour, he is the on coin coined the phrase about our mutual friend Harley Bradstreet “ANYONE CAN HAVE A BAD DECADE”. I often told people “if you need a good solicitor on the Gold Coast avoid Larry.” (only joking) Dianne was a fun lady who I took out a few times in the previous year or two. Ah Surfers Paradise life 1991 was very good indeed.

Two more old friends

Surfers Paradise life

I used to have regular drinks at the Avenue in Orchard Avenue with Len Jones & David Robertson. This was Surfers Paradise life 1991 and the Avenue is still there now in 2018 but it moved across the road.

Porsche, what Porsche? I can’t see a Porsche.

Surfers Paradise life

Two lovey ladies posing outside my home. Sharon Lee is on the right, I forget her girlfriend’s name.

Beautiful Karen Greenwood.

Surfers Paradise life 

I had such a good year with Karen however I have no allusions why she stuck around for so long. She was surviving on a pension raising a young child so money was very tight. The week before we met her car gave up the ghost which obviously curtailed her ability to get around. Along comes the white knight, aka David Herd who just happened to have a spare car which he generously provided as her much needed transport.  During our time together each time there was a major disagreement I would repossess the vehicle & poor Karen was grounded. Upon making up the car would be returned and things would be back to normal, so folks therein lies the major reason this super hot babe stuck around for so long.  🙂

Xmas day in Auckland

Surfers Paradise life

We spent Xmas & New Year in Auckland with Karen’s parents, towards the end of the holiday we were desperate for some time away from each other.

In the Bay of Islands

Surfers Paradise life

A gorgeous lady who smoked like a burning brake drum. 🙂

Happy times in Port Douglas

Surfers Paradise life

A nice trip to Port Douglas & Airlie Beach, little did we know (well I didn’t) there was only a week or so left in our volatile relationship. 🙂

 Whitehaven Beach Whitsundays

Surfers Paradise life

Is that the definition of sexy or what?

Perhaps one of the sexiest girlfriends I ever had

Surfers Paradise life

I took this photo 5 minutes after making love to this sexy lady.

This will amaze you…..

Surfers Paradise life

This was taken 26 years later in March 2017, she still looks fantastic.

Alan Pearson in Airlie Beach

Surfers Paradise life

I have known Alan for nearly 20 years, we knocked around in the same group when I lived in Adelaide in the 70s.

Surfers Paradise life

 

Mum & Dad’s 50th wedding anniversary.

Surfers Paradise life

My wonderful Mum & Dad celebrated their 50th with close friends at my brother Bryan’s Home in Leppington south west of Sydney.

Roberta at the Gold Coast Indy.

Surfers Paradise life 

Roberta Aitchison in her sexy Meter Maid outfit at the Gold Coast Indy. Shortly after she took over the Meter Maid company and still runs it today. Another example of my Surfers Paradise life 1991′

Surfers Paradise life 1991 & here is Harley laying it on thick, 

Surfers Paradise life

Yes ladies, I am a well known chick magnet.

Susan Hutton & her niece

Surfers Paradise life

Susan was a friend from Brisbane who would come to the coast and spend the weekend with me.

Another great photo to finish which shows  Surfers Paradise life 1991

Surfers Paradise life

Surfers Paradise life 1991 as you can see was fantastic mainly due to some very interesting people.

Life was just one big party in the 90s, thanks for visiting my post.

My favourite song from 1991.

 

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   Here are some more posts to check out

         Life 2015                     Family history                   Life 1982

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             Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you book
                  through these links below.  Book now & pay later.
Free Cancellation. 
                              Bangkok Hotels                    Pattaya Hotels
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 That’s all folks
1g Duck
 
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A-One hotel on Beach Road

Seven deadly Songkran days

For a great room rate at the A-One hotel opposite the beach just book through THIS LINK.               

 

 Soi Cowboy                  Nana Plaza                    Patpong

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Just click on the photo for a flashback to 1982

 

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