Noosa Heads, Queensland: a short break and a walk to Hell's Gates and back

Spanner doesn't like to travel far unless it revolves around Miss Hissy's sailing. So, it was a coup for him to agree to a short break in the school holidays. 

I suggested Fraser Island in Queensland but Spanner said it was "too islandy". He gave me two travel brochures - one on Adelaide in South Australia and the other on tropical north Queensland. After he informed me he didn't want to go anywhere cold and I explained that Adelaide copped Antarctic winds in winter, our choices were narrowed down to destinations in the Queensland brochure. I circled my preferences and left the final decision up to Spanner (after all, he's the one with the credit card). 

About a week later, as I was leaving work, I received a call from Spanner. He was at the local Flight Centre. "What about Noosa?" he asked in an agitated voice. 

This was the first time Noosa had been mentioned. It isn't in the tropical north Queensland brochure as it's just a two-hour drive north of that state's capital, Brisbane. It's not far from Fraser Island but I knew better than to push my case.

"Okay," I said. I was perplexed. We hadn't discussed the short break for a week(I thought, 'If it happens, it happens'). Noosa hadn't come up as an option. "Why Noosa?" I asked. 

"It's sort of warm, it's sort of close, it's on the coast and I can get us a room there."

I didn't hesitate. A holiday is a holiday, even if it's only for a couple of days. The reason for Spanner's haste was that it was 5.45pm and we were due at his dad's for dinner at 7pm. This left Spanner with a small time frame in which to purchase tomatoes, lettuce and avocado for a salad. Anxious times.

It took Spanner 10 minutes to choose a destination and to book our flights, accommodation and car hire. I bet the Flight Centre chick was ecstatic. You couldn't get an easier sale.

It was a relaxing break that ended way too soon. It rained on and off over the weekend but that didn't prevent us from seeing the sights. Here are some photos of our long weekend at Noosa Heads: 

The water was cool so it was in and out

Hell's Gates in Noosa National Park: looking at Alexandria Bay

I thought it was nice to be 'welcomed' to Hell's Gates

Hell's Gates: we saw turtles in here and dolphins further out

At Montville in the hinterland: looking towards the coast

Main Beach in Noosa Heads

         

Happy birthday Mr July: from the bottom of my heart

Mr July has been anxious to see himself (or part thereof) featured on this blog. I'm sorry it's taken so long but I've been in hibernation for the past week as the temperature plunges to all-time lows of around five degrees Celsius in Sydney. I can't bear it! Mr July* can bare it - but only for a select few. Consider yourselves lucky.


And so he doesn't feel quite so exposed, I have included a photo taken of me by The Hiss on a recent weekend away in Noosa Heads**. I rarely get the chance to relax in a bath, especially one with spa jets. I thought I was just emptying the spa bubbles into the bath before I turned on the spa. Unbeknown to me, Spanner squirted a whole tube of shampoo into the bath before I hopped in and turned on the spa.

God bless him.

 PS: The doggess is taking a well-earned break at a dog spa in Byron Bay. She is currently immersed in a blend of patchouli and frankincense oils but promises to return much invigorated in the next few days.

* Happy birthday Mr July! 

** More pics of Noosa Heads to come, along with references to koalas, dolphins, turtles and brush turkeys (rats with wings, if you ask me).