Well it is certainly living up to its name – clear blue skies, no wind, mid 20s. Sorry to those at home suffering through rain and cold.  We spent the day exploring the nearby coastal towns of Mooloolooba and Caloundra.  Moolooloba is very trendy, full of apartments, cafes, and fit young things left over from last weekend’s triathlon.  The beachfront is really nice, with a very pleasant walking trail stretching for quite a distance, lots of shady trees and gardens. When you get away from the main shopping area it’s much quieter, and as you get down to the mouth of the river, it’s very tranquil.  The water was calm, clear and blue, but must be quite cold as not too many people are swimming.  We strolled for about an hour or so, then joined the hip people in one of the plethora of outdoor cafes.  At 12 noon everyone flocks to the surf club for lunch, and the seniors get stuck into the carvery.  I opted for excellent fish and chips.

Next stop was Caloundra, a short drive south.  Well it would be short but for the endless traffic and suburban sprawl – wall to wall shopping malls tether the resorts together in one long stream of retail therapy, if you are that way inclined.  Caloundra itself is very pretty beside the water, but there are thousands of apartments – I dont know who fills them all.  I have noticed that every cafe and restaurants offers gluten free options – Ian would have had no trouble at all eating out.

Today we head for the hills, to visit the mountain villages of Maleny and Montville, where I’m told the best ice cream in Australia awaits.  I’ll report on that later …