" Coolangatta, Queensland - Airport Taxi Service "

( Me at my place)
I am coming out and declaring loud and proud the following:
1. I am an Aussie white bloke of European descent!
2. I am heterosexual!
3. Although non-religious I tend to believe in the so-called Christian values/beliefs !|
Sir Mike's Comments 18/3/2016.
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Subject: " Coolangatta, Queensland - Airport Taxi Service ".

Gold Coast Airport, is an Australian domestic and international airport located at the southern end of the Gold Coast, approximately 100 km south of Brisbane and 25 km south of Surfers Paradise.
Wikipedia.

People I am currently half way through a 24 day excursion fromTamworth to Sydney then a crowded 

but very pleasant ferry trip over to Manly across one of Mother Natures Wonders, even with human 

intervention, and that being the Sydney Harbour where I was living in an 8th floor unit fortunately over 

looking what has become a concrete jungle, I have not been to Manly for at least 20 years, and a good 

view of the Ocean and Manly plus Shelley Beaches where I stayed for 7 days.

The weather was very hot, which I am used to, but the humidity of some 50 - 70% I was not used too and it makes it very tiring and hard going as a result.

Every day it was wall to wall people wherever I went and was difficult to get a descent walk along the 

beach or the beach walk way along the beach from Queenscliffe to Shelley Beach especially when for a 

couple of days there was a stage set up on Manly beach with rock bands playing to crowds of not 100's 

but 1000's which packed the beach and foreshore listening to at least reasonable music and not this

" Doof, Doof rubbish!!".

Manly Corso.

I ate every day in a restaurant called "Waterview" - this is not a paid advert the management there have 

no idea I am mentioning them but I believe in giving credit where credit is due - and I enjoyed the lovely 

fresh oysters from the Manly Seafood shop along further with a nice
drop of Guinness.

I am certainly planning on revisiting Manly again this time next year.

The Sydney Opera House & Bridge on the 7/1/2016 taken by me from a Sydney ferry.

The half an hour trip back to Circular Key from Manly on a virtually empty Sydney ferry was magic!!

As can be seen from the photo above, which was one of many which unfortunately for the purpose of this blog I have had to reduce the size to fit it in, the weather was great with a slight breeze and swell 

the only sound was a few seagulls and the steady throb of the ferries engines and by sitting outside 

on the deck all anyone had to do was sit back, relax and try to take in Mother Natures magnificent vista 

vision of what is the Sydney Harbour.

However unfortunately nothing last's forever and only to soon you reach Circular Key and the real world where there are 100's if not 1000's of people of all shapes, sizes, colour, nationality or creed all trying to get somewhere? where I then boarded a train for Central then a train for Springwood in the Blue Mtns where some 5-6 years ago I lived for just over 40 years and operated various businesses for some 20 plus years and where I stayed with a good friend for 8 days.

 

Springwood NSW Community Centre.

Visiting Springwood NSW is just like going back in time where apart from building a monstrosity and eyesore called the Springwood Community Centre, see photo above, with it's large concrete drive way, glass fronted North/West facing aspect which means the glass front will be in full sun
with daylight saving some 9-12 hours per day?? how can that be so-called environmentally friendly and cost effective in a so-called world which is supposed to have global warming?? it is still the drab, colourless, lacklustre little town it always has been!!

Also when it is considered that the only industry that the NSW Blue Mtns has possibly got going for it is Tourism?

Yet as from three days ago I had an occasion to visit that smelly 1960's - 1970's toilet in the middle of the Springwood car park where with some alterations and maintenance it has not changed in 40 plus years and apart from being the only one in the second largest town in the B.Mtns where once there was 3!! what does that say to (1) the visiting tourists (2) the B.M.C.C commitment to tourism? all negative in my view compared to the like's of Tamworth and the New England area!!!

Sydney Airport.

A few days ago I caught a train from Springwood to Central then Central to that massive structure and organisation the Sydney airport.

 

I must add that the NSW- Sydney transport system up until now at least, has been of a great high standard from the point view of time keeping, friendly staff and the cleanliness of the stations and well maintained trains and ferry's something someone like me that rarely uses the services would notice.

NSW  Opal cards.

I am also very impressed with the introduction of the ' Opal Card ' !! what a great and " User Friendly " system!

However, the possibility if I was a regular user would be ? what if a long lasting power cut ? or if " Hackers " got into the system?? but other wise it is a great innovation! well done the NSW Government.

At 1.45 pm a couple of days ago I left Sydney arriving Coolangatta, Gold Coast airport at just after 2 pm Queensland time, all went well until I walked out of the airport and got into a taxi to go to Tallebudgera.

Tallebudgera, Queensland.

The Taxi driver was an Indian National who had been here for 6 years and was on a " Working Visa ".

His understanding and his spoken word of English was very limited to say the least.

He did not know where Tallebudgera was or even ever heard of it.

I had to spell it for him so he could look it up on his phone and use that to direct him but in the end I had to find it on his phone where after he downloaded it and got the direction on his phone.

Ok well we were off however, I warned him that I had been there a couple of times and if it was more than say $30 dollars because he has gone the wrong way I won't be paying the excess.

During the trip I asked him what training he had had to get his taxi licence, he stated ' None '.

He stated that he and his wife had both lost their jobs in a laundry service after the company had lost a contract and was desperate for a job so he took this one which he regrets because all he get's is 45% of the shifts takings so after say 9-12 hours so-called work he may get just $80.00 and not much more as an average and as his wife was unemployed that just could not be enough to live on so he was looking around for another job.

After my guidance in regard to being in the right lane we finally made it and the price was about the usual amount.

The following day I caught a 763 bus to the Pines shopping Centre and on board was a very helpful driver 

who without prompting from me asked if I was a Senior and when I said I was he charged me the 

appropriate fare, the bus was on time very clean and well appointed and when we got there the driver 

went out of his way to show me where to board the bus for the return trip.

However due to the amount of shopping I had I decided to get a taxi at the Pines and thank goodness it was an English speaking born and bred Aussie because if it had been another Indian or any other bloke on a ' Working Visa ' like the Indian taxi driver from the airport I would have been stuffed because I did not know the way back.

During the trip back to the unit I discussed my situation with the Indian driver and this Aussie bloke 

agreed and stated that the returns as a driver being paid 45% of the shifts takings is just not enough 

and the owners can only get these Indians to work for them with obviously a great turn over of 

drivers once these blokes realise they have been conned.

I asked if he was on the same scheme to which he said he was and he is hanging on for a couple of 

years until he can get the old age pension where he and his wife will be paid more collectively per 

fortnight, on average, than him working the taxi as a driver.

They seemingly are going to purchase a caravan and go around Aussie for a few years then sell it and settle down to retirement.

So Queensland government what a bloody disaster?? just supposed I was a non-English speaking 

tourist- Chinese, Japanese or Asian in general or ? any body??

The Coolangatta Airport must be Queensland's gate way to the Gold & Sunshine Coasts and listening to the Indian and Aussie taxi drivers what I experienced is becoming the norm and if my experience was anything to go by ' What a first impression ??' especially if your tired if not
exhausted after been travelling for many hours if not days and all you want is to get to ' Wherever ' book in, unpack, shower and get some well needed kip?.

Queensland " Beautiful one day, Prefect the next " providing you can get past the language barrier 

with airport taxi drivers??.

However if the Queensland Tourist Industry is knowingly sitting on their hands in this regard saying 

' Oh well what can we do?' then don't whinge when your bottom line starts to be effected by the 

like's of NSW eagerly picking up the slack.

Sir Mike Howe - but you can call me Mike.