The best things in life are free

Much to the disgust of some of my facebook friends, today's topic is not of the plight or flight of troubled migrating birds. But recently I was having a conversation with some interstate friends who were asking about the decrease in tourism numbers since the floods and cyclones of last year, they were asking of the many things to do on the Gold Coast for their next visit, as a former Concierge (and bulls*#t artist) this topic was right up my alley. But as i began to rattle of the numerous activities that a tourist to the Gold Coast can experience like theme parks and watersports and aquaducks and a plethora of crazy things, as i was mentioning them had realized that they had nothing to do with the Gold Coast at all. Those theme parks and aquaducks etc could be plonked on some land in the mid coast of New South Wales and not change a thing at allto their operations. It dawned on me that the best things on the Gold Coast that i was born in and is now hardly unrecognizable are the beaches, the rivers and estauries, the mountain areas and waterfalls. So i'm thinking the next time you have some visitors to the coast dont suggest or take them to Movieworld or Seaworld, take them for a swim at the beach, take them for some fish and chips on Burleigh Hill at sunset, take them to a waterfall etc. and the distant future it will be far easier for their children to remember their trip to the Gold Coast not by the 1 hour line up for a 20 second rollercoaster ride but rather the time they spent an hour getting the leeches out of their shoes after a rainforest walk or the time they were told after they swam in the canal that it was full of bullsharks or seeing a small child with a cup of calamari being almost swallowed by a large pelican outside of Charis seafoods. So come on Gold Coast Tourism let everyone know what a great place the Gold Coast is and you dont have to spend a lot of money but bring some bandaids.