#boat syndicate gold coast

[alfieco]

Enjoy your boating experience with  Alfie And Co

Experience the pinnacle of luxury boating with our walk-on walk-off service at Alfie And Co. Whether you're interested in boat membership or boat syndication, our expertise lies in crafting exclusive experiences that elevate your boat hire adventures in Australia.

Embark on unforgettable journeys as our exceptional vessels navigate the stunning waters of Sydney Harbour, the Gold Coast, and the breathtaking Whitsundays, chasing the perfect weather year-round.

Visit Here:- https://www.mvalfieandco.com.au/luxury-boat-hire-gold-coast

[a-solitary-sea-rover-backup]

This is San Kibe, southern California, early Nineteen-Ninety-Six! And the deep waters of the Pacific Ocean were the focus of attention, as syndicates from around the world gathered, vying for the right to challenge the Americans for the oldest trophy in international sport, the America’s Cup. The Auld Mug had been resident in San Kibe since Peter Hammond’s dramatic victory off the coast of Western Australia in 1987.

Each of the seven challenger crews competing for the Louis Vuitton Cup included many America’s Cup veterans. New Zealand Spirit has two boats and some of their country’s best sailors. Kurt Burdett, top match racer, designer, and Olympic gold medalist, is the skipper. Colin Rodgers, the great offshore yachtsman, is syndicate chief. Victoria Lovell, Rodgers’ round-the-world navigator, is team tactician, the first woman in 140 years to hold the role.

[Modified from here]

[willowbird]

3! 4! 7! (for the prompts yo) .... oh. and. kandreil. (duh)

Be GAY do CRIME, on a violently orange yacht. Oh, and they kiss for the FIRST TIME 😘 For Kandreil!

This is my first Intentional Kandreil y'all (as opposed to like.. the three Accidental Kandreil I've done so far), I hope I don't fuck it up for you XD

----

"Kevin I swear if you peak I am going to go leak those photos of you from last Halloween."

Kevin snorted at Neil's empty threat, though he dutifully kept his eyes closed, letting Andrew tug him out of the car and lead him down what felt like a wooden walkway. A deck, maybe. Or a pier, Kevin thought as he registered the smell and sound of water, the squawking of gulls above and around them.

"Even if you did, no one would believe they were real."

"I'd leak them right to the Trojans." The laughter in Neil's voice warmed something right in the center of Kevin's chest. It wasn't so long ago that Neil was so... terrifyingly cold. He'd joined them as a rebellion against his father, the bogeyman of the east coast and loyal lapdog to the Ravens - who were the direct rivals to Kevin's much smaller, much wilder group of Foxes. But whereas the Ravens were a legit syndicate that dealt with such things like human trafficking and heavy drugs, the Foxes were a group of barely-organized criminals that mostly just liked to say 'fuck you' to the laws they didn't agree with.

The problem? The laws the Foxes didn't agree with tended to be the ones that directly benefitted the Ravens' front businesses. After all, the Ravens controlled several of the biggest corporations in the country, and they were regularly stepping all over average folks, ruining their lives.

Every member of the Foxes had, in some way, been hurt by the Ravens. They were all determined to get back at them in whatever ways possible. Sometimes that meant framing their executives for fraud. Sometimes that meant blowing up a few buildings. They were a multi-talented group.

The Trojans were a similar group of not-quite-but-still-criminals based on the west coast, and they'd combined forces a few times by now. They also were pros at anything that had to do with the internet. If Neil wanted to make something go viral, the Trojans were definitely the place to go to.

"Jeremy would never help you soil my good name."

"Jeremy would think it is hilarious, do not fool yourself, Day." Andrew's tone was dry and deceptively uninterested, but Kevin knew him well enough by now to hear the amusement hidden between the carefully articulated syllables.

Kevin rolled his eyes while still keeping them dutifully closed. He didn't bother to hide his smile though, knowing the other two would see it and not really caring that they would. It was kind of strange to think of, honestly - that he was here, comfortable being led around with his eyes closed, smiling without care. It was because of these two men, and that... that warmed something inside him. Made it glow. Made it blossom. Made it live.

"Okay, alright. Kevin, you may open your eyes." Neil's grin was audible in his voice, and it was the first thing that Kevin saw when he opened his eyes.

The second thing he saw, though, was the absolutely impossible-to-ignore explosion of orange directly behind him.

"What the actual fuck?" Kevin half-spluttered, but he was grinning, too. He could feel it. One did not look at a violently orange yacht and not grin. He laughed. "This is my surprise? You saw an orange yacht in the marina and had to show... me..." His voice drifted off, distracted and confused as he saw the name of the boat in sharp white script along the side.

The Brightest Day

"Neil?" Kevin blinked, and something giddy bubbled up right below his throat, catching and fizzing. He had to swallow it down, and it took effort to do so, especially as he saw the warm, pleased look on Neil's face, then turned to see a similar expression on Andrew's.

To see a similar expression on Andrew's face.

Kevin stared, because Andrew... Andrew wasn't one to emote. Even when it was just two of them, or the three of them. Even after all they'd been through. Kevin and Neil had learned to find the truths hidden behind his sturdy walls, to accept what Andrew was willing to give them when and however that may be.

And here was Andrew, in the open, looking at him with an almost-smile on his face and an expression in those natures-gold eyes that was unmistakably fond.

Kevin had to take a breath, and he wasn't at all surprised to feel it shake. Rough, strong fingers slipped between his own and Kevin looked over to see Neil's expression had shifted to understanding. If anyone would ever know what Kevin was feeling, how he was feeling it, at any given time, it was Neil. They were so similar in the way they processed the world, and how they appreciated the small gifts they were granted in a life that had been too dark and too unforgiving for far too long.

Andrew's smile was one of those gifts. Arguably, it was the grandest of all.

"Come on you idiots," Andrew sighed as he turned to walk up the short ramp already positioned to bring them onto the boat.

Without further word, and without unlacing their fingers from each other, Kevin and Neil followed Andrew up the ramp and onto the yacht. Something struck Kevin as inexplicably right about that. After all - no matter where any one of them went, the other two were sure to follow, hand in hand.

And when they needed to face a challenge they would face it hand in hand in hand.

"I don't understand," Kevin finally said as Andrew lead them across the deck. "The Foxes don't have the resource to --"

"It did not come out of the Foxes' coffers," Andrew cut him off. He nodded to the menace still holding Kevin's hand. "It came out of Neil's."

Kevin turned to Neil, staring at him in open shock. "You bought the Foxes a boat?"

Neil snorted. "No. I bought you a boat." He paused, then looked from Kevin to Andrew and something passed between them. Some kind of understanding, or agreement. Andrew stepped away from where he'd been about to lead them to the interior of the boat, instead joining the two of them. Once he had, Neil looked back at Kevin and said, "I bought us a boat."

It took a moment. Kevin wasn't stupid, but he also had never expected... This thing, this connection or relationship or whatever that was between the three of them - Kevin wasn't sure it would ever be defined and he had come to terms with that months ago. If they went on forever just being Kevin and Andrew and Neil, just as they were right now with no changes - he would be okay with that. As long as he always had these two men in his life, everything else, he decided, would work itself out.

"Us," Kevin said slowly, testing the word, making sure it really meant what he thought it meant.

"Yes," Andrew said. "Us."

And that... that was really all that needed to be said, wasn't it? At least he thought so, up until Neil tugged on his hand, bringing him a bit closer to the both of them, and said, "Kevin, can I kiss you?"

"Yes!" The word burst out before Kevin really made the decision to answer or even necessarily registered the question. A soft huff came from Andrew that might have been a laugh, but Kevin wasn't able to fully catch it when Neil was already pulling him down.

Neil smiled into the kiss. He kissed him slowly, with a graze of teeth and a hum of adventure. He kissed him like it was just the beginning. He kissed him like he knew it was a first kissed but by far would not be the last. Confident, pleased, satisfied.

Blood was pounding in Kevin's ears so hard he could taste the tremble of his own heart on the tip of his tongue, and when the kiss broke he gasped, already leaning in for more. This time, Neil was not the only one smiling.

By the time the kiss ended, they were no longer holding hands. Instead, Kevin had an arm wrapped around Neil's shoulders, keeping him tugged as close as possible, the other hand resting on the side of his neck. Neil was similarly wrapped around his waist and he was still smiling. Kevin rested his forehead against Neil's, then turned to look at Andrew to find the other man was watching them with heat and affection burning in his eyes.

"Andrew," Kevin said, and his voice rasped. He didn't say the words, but only because he was too high on Neil's fire to put the syllables together right now.

Andrew answered anyway, because he knew Kevin well enough to know exactly what question he was trying to ask.

"Yes," he said. And if Neil's kiss was fire and satisfaction, Andrew's was the ocean and determination. Andrew kissed him like he was going to carve his intentions on his bones. He kissed like he was going to take Kevin apart one sigh and tough at a time and Kevin melted into it, more than happy to yield to the power of that kiss. Anyone who lives near the sea would tell you the same - you don't fight the waves, you let them carry you - and that was exactly what Kevin did.

Neil's hand was stroking up and down his spine. Andrew's was cupped around the back of his neck. When the kiss broke, that hand squeezed firmly, then pulled him just a bit further down so Andrew could place one more kiss on his forehead before he turned to Neil.

Something perfect and delicate and yet, at the same time, positively indestructible filled Kevin up to the brim as he watched the way Andrew cupped Neil's face, the way Neil leaning into that touch, the way fire and ocean wave met in a promise while still in the circle of Kevin's arms. And finally, finally, Kevin had a word for it - for the feeling he got when he was with these two beautiful, thrilling, amazing men.

And it was, quite simply, home.

[aschenink]

*slides into your inbox* hello there! I'm getting very out of the loop on projects! What's currently your main(s) wips? And what about the characters??

I wrote this last night with a lot of coffee in my body so I was able to give a somewhat comprehensive answer for once in my life!

My main WIP right now is a second draft of the novel Give My Love to the Ocean (it’s getting a new title soon, probably). It’s a contemporary/literary novel with elements of legal thrillers and dark romance incorporated, in which professional idiot and sometimes criminal defense lawyer León San Andres has a passionate affair with Vicente Rivera, a corporate executive for an international boat manufacturing company--only to discover that Vicente is also the heir to an international crime syndicate, the Hagonoy Cartel. From there his relationship with Vicente escalates and León becomes the cartel’s main defense lawyer in the States, where ultraviolent turf wars have broken out along the west coast. León struggles with anxiety and his own traumas, but he’s also a sassy, ambitious, self-destructive moron who likes cheap beer, tequila, quiet nights in, and literally any event that involves free food. Vicente is... painfully confident, and painfully intense. He’s got an insane amount of drive, terrible insomnia, and only drinks expensive wine. Other characters include Seven, Vicente’s childhood best friend and right-hand man (charismatic, extroverted, a romantic, a Fool); Ana, León’s best friend and fiancee [it’s... a marriage of convenience thing] (PsychD student, wine connoisseur, confident, heart of gold); Violeta, Seven’s fiancee (ex-yakuza, aloof, intelligent); and Benjie, one of León’s clients and a distributor for the Hagonoy Cartel (young, terrified, weasel-like).

I’m also working on a novella, Layers of Hell, which is a cyberpunk retelling of Hades & Persephone. In a future where the pantheon of Old Gods abandoned the world during the War, the survivors of the War live in city-towers over what was once the city of Seattle. Persephone lives in the city-tower of Demeter, working through deep simulations to research ways to develop agriculture in the destroyed world. Hades is a Venter, a rare and secretive class permitted to move between city-towers, maintaining the ventilation systems that filter out the radioactive air from Outside. Their relationship, an illicit thing on its own, gives way to even more illegal things--like figuring out that what they’ve each been told about the Outside doesn’t line up, and neither of them knows the truth.

And lastly I’m working on a contemporary fantasy project, Graycrest Memorial Park, which is a loosely connected series of short stories about Annihila, a witch and the graveyard keeper of Graycrest Memorial Park. In a reality where ghosts regularly wander back into the world of the living, Annihila has her hands full with organizing the dead and their games of tarot poker... and the oldest ghosts that suggest she isn’t fully human... and disposing of the bodies the Mafia brings her... and beating back the terrible, hungry thing that lives in the woods behind the graveyard. Annihila is independent and sometimes seems aloof, but she cares deeply. The only other major character so far is Elias, the love interest, who died when he was 19 in a military training accident [he was an Army soldier]. Elias is a soft guy--the youngest of four siblings, a bundle of anxiety, a gentle soul, an absolute weapon at tarot poker. 

@honeybeewriter since you asked the other night and i couldn’t!! put things into proper words and managed to forget my own projects which isn’t a good sign

[baxtonme]

Best Affordable Quality Premium Brand New & Second Hand Budget Tyres Gold Coast

Australians, Have You Checked Your Car Tyres’ Health Lately?

As an Australian you probably text the question RUOK to check up on how your friends are doing almost every day. But how often do you ask your car tyres whether they’re okay, or even take a look to see for yourself? According to tyre recycling expert Chris Lett, what happens when it has been raining in Queensland for a while indicates that Australians don’t do so often enough.

The owner of Branigans Tyres high quality used tyre retail outlet said that when the elements intervene and steady rains cause the roads to become wet and slippery, a flood of car owners queue up at his Burleigh Heads and Southport Superstores in search of tyres which will make it easier to navigate the road home in the rain.

Motorists Aren’t Checking Their Tyres Often Enough

Lett said this showed the failure of the average driver to keep a regular check on their car tyres and whether or not they were still safe enough for travel. Instead, possibly through unawareness, lack of knowledge, negligence, or in order to avoid the high price of new tyres, it appeared many motorists were prepared to take the chance that their ageing tyres would carry them and their cars for just a little bit longer.

“It’s a huge chance to take. If the road is wet and the tyres are smooth, there’s a strong chance of losing control. And if the road is dry, an old tyre with worn down tread could lead to a blow-out. Both could result in serious accidents, injuries, or even death, depending on where and how they happen,” Lett said.

Possible Consequences of Low Tyre Tread

However, Lett said these are not the only situations to be considered when it comes to driving on worn tyres. The major problem lies in any unexpected situations, where immediate driver response is vital but very difficult to implement because of poor tyres. This included unexpected actions by other motorists which called for swift braking or swerving; as well as poor road conditions, including driving on sand roads, encountering potholes, and driving into large unexpected puddles.

“Poor tread cuts back a good deal of the the car’s traction, so lessening its contact with the road and making it difficult for the driver to control it. Where there is water involved, whether its in the form of a flash flood, steady rain or in a large puddle that’s collected in a dip, the car’s ability to connect with the road is diminished by the poor tread, and the car will plain like a boat,” he said.

Constant checking was the only way to avoid the dangers inherent in badly worn tyres. And replacing them did not have to break the budget, according to Lett. Nearly new and good quality second hand tyres without much mileage and with plenty of tread like those sold at Branigans could well provide up to four years of safe driving, while costing far less than they did when new.

For further information, visit or call Chris and his team for Second Hand Tyres Gold Coast |Branigans Budget Tyres Service Centre at either Burleigh Heads (07) 5535 2660 or Southport (07) 5591 8633.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.

Best Affordable Quality Premium Brand New & Second Hand Budget Tyres Gold Coast was originally published on Baxton

[jutetower8-blog]

Totally Cheap (But Classy) Dates in NYC

It’s hard living in NYC, when a majority of your paycheck is going towards the closet you pay to live in. But we know that you can still have fun for cheap in the big apple, and so we’ve compiled some dates that will cost you very few dollars. And don’t worry, they will still make you look classy AF, and help you score that second date.

1.  Catch a flick for cheap

Dinner and a movie is about as cliche as dates come. But this place is an exception. The Syndicated Bar, Kitchen and Theater is a cinema and restaurant in one. Even better, movie tickets cost $3-5, so you can splurge on some $6 popcorn and your wallet won’t quiver in fear. Their drinks are pretty solid in quality and price as well.

2. Listen to some chill tunes in a candy store

Well, not an actual candy store. But, Pete’s Candy Store is a music venue that puts on free shows every night of the week. Because you’re not a total jerk, you should pay the suggested $5 donation though. Then drink down some reasonably priced beers or cocktails.

3. Get your grub on at Smorgasburg

A riff on the food concept, smorgasboard, this Williamsburg located food mecca has a little something something for errybody. Choose food from 100 vendors, and then enjoy it with a picturesque river view. Talk about wining and dining. Smorgasburg happens from 11 am to 6 pm on Saturdays in East River State Park; and on Sundays from 11 am to 6 pm in Prospect Park. This date will also provide instagram gold.

4. Keep it old school with a picnic in the park

Central Park is quintessentially New York. It’s in movies, tv shows, and all over your friend on the East Coast’s instagram. But in all honesty, it lives up to the hype. So stop by your local grocer and grab some wine and snacks to enjoy on a blanket, preferably by Cherry Hill park to experience the romantic blooms in spring. Let the heart eyed emojis ensue.

5. Eat, Sail and Be Merry

Who said only Maine could have some dope lobster rolls? The North River Lobster Company is here to fulfill all your New England dreams. For just $10 hop on the boat, drink cocktails from mason jars, and take in some sea food samples all while cruising around and getting a different perspective of NYC.

6. Get Hoppin at a local Brewery

The Brooklyn Brewery has become pretty well known. They also know that not everyone can afford their $15 weekday tours, so to accomodate the broke betches of NYC they do free brewery tours on weekends. Show up early because they fill up fast.

7. Join the Yogis

Bryant Park has been hosting free yoga in the park for quite some time. And in a city as hectic as New York, everyone ought to make time to wind down and stretch everything out. Plus, it’s free. This date is intimate and chill AF all in one.

8.  Have it all at the High Line

The High Line used to be a railway, but now serves pedestrians.  There you’ll find star gazing, tai chi, garden tours, and movies all year, and all for free. It’s open 7 am to 11 pm so you can go whenever you please. Grab a glass of wine nearby before or after stargazing to up the romance factor.

9. Indulge your inner child

With mini golf at Pier 25 in Hudson River Park. It’ll set you back a mere $5 and you get to enjoy a course full of waterfalls, sand traps and more.

So what are you waiting for? Grab your sweetheart and a $20 and head to these hot date spots.

[featured image by Camrin Cohen on instagram]

Source: http://www.upout.com/blog/new-york-city/totally-cheap-classy-dates-nyc

[newstfionline]

Gangsters, Grandmothers and Gold: Japan’s New Crime Wave

By Jonathan Soble, NY Times, June 14, 2017

TOKYO--Sometimes the perpetrators are gangsters. Sometimes they are rather less accustomed to the criminal life. In one case, the ringleader of a middle-aged, female crime ring was said to be a 66-year-old woman.

An old-fashioned crime is experiencing a resurgence in Japan: gold smuggling. The authorities say they are contending with a startling rise in the amount of gold being brought illegally into the country. The smugglers--an array of professional criminals and enterprising amateurs--profit by dodging import duties and taxes, in some cases worth millions of dollars. Arrests have jumped 40-fold in just a few years.

The smuggling has gained national attention because of a spate of high-profile episodes, including a brazen gold robbery by thieves dressed as police officers; the seizure of multimillion-dollar gold cargoes from fishing boats and private jets; and the foiling of the smuggling ring the police have said was organized by a 66-year-old housewife.

Crime rates in Japan are among the world’s lowest and have been falling further as the population ages. But some nonviolent crimes, like shoplifting or embezzlement, have remained more common than other offenses--say, murder or armed robbery.

Experts say gold smuggling is the type of crime that might appeal even in law-and-order Japan: It requires no violence, has no victims except state coffers and does not call for an aging person to carry a gun.

“Psychologically, it’s something you can do more casually than drug smuggling,” said Takahisa Urushibata, a criminologist at Osaka University of Economics and Law. “People see it as an easy way to earn extra cash, almost like a part-time job.”

In small amounts, gold can be easy to smuggle. Customs officials report that people carry it into Japan in pouches sewn in their underwear and in bars taped to the bottoms of their feet.

This month, the police in central Japan arrested five women in their 50s and 60s on suspicion of hiding nearly 70 pounds of gold in their clothing on flights from South Korea, a haul worth about $1.2 million.

The woman accused of leading the group, the 66-year-old, admitted making eight such trips in the past three years, according to the police. Criminals in Japan covered the airfare and hotel bills of her and her companions and paid them $200 to $400 per pound of smuggled gold. (The women were in custody and could not be reached for comment, directly or through legal representatives.)

Some smugglers work on a larger scale.

The Coast Guard said last month that it stopped a fishing boat loaded with about 460 pounds of gold, worth roughly $9.1 million. In a separate case in December, two men connected to a yakuza crime syndicate, the Inagawa-kai, were arrested at an airport in Okinawa after flying in from Macau with 250 pounds of gold stashed aboard a Gulfstream private jet.

Smugglers have sometimes become targets. Two who were on their way to a cash-for-gold shop in Fukuoka last year were confronted by criminals in police uniforms who relieved them of cases containing several hundred pounds of gold bars, worth $6.9 million. Six men were arrested last month in connection with the robbery.

Gold smugglers are essentially profiting from the tax law.

The police say the smuggled gold comes from places where purchases are not taxed, like Hong Kong or Macau. It is ferreted in mostly by plane, either directly or through neighboring South Korea, which shares air links with many Japanese cities. The smugglers, unlike legitimate importers, hide their cargoes from customs agents and skip an 8 percent duty on gold brought into the country.

Once in Japan, the gold is sold at pawnshoplike cash-for-gold stores. Such enterprises pay sellers, even individual ones, the value of the metal in addition to sales tax. That is the key to profit: Smugglers pocket the tax portion, netting an automatic gain of 8 percent. While the margin might sound small, for a commodity worth more than a thousand dollars an ounce, the money can quickly add up. A sales tax increase in 2014 expanded the potential for profit.

The risks, by contrast, can seem small.

While it is impossible to know how many smugglers avoid detection, specialists say most probably do. A man and a woman arrested on suspicion of gold smuggling in 2009 said they had made 56 round trips to Hong Kong and Australia, netting a profit of $1.4 million, before getting caught, according to records collected by the customs authorities.

The unlucky few who do get caught are typically charged only with evading the sales tax, an offense that carries a maximum fine of about $90,000. Once the fine is paid, the gold is usually returned, customs officials said.

[alfieco]

 Luxury Boat Syndicates  | Alfie & Co

Are you looking for Luxury Boat Syndicates in Australia ? At MV Alfie & Co, we make that possible. Join our syndicate, enjoy walk-on walk-off service, and even generate income to offset expenses. Sail the stunning Australian east coast year-round with our premium vessels tailored to your lifestyle. Visit Here:-  https://www.mvalfieandco.com.au

[alfieco]

Yacht Charter Gold Coast  | Alfie & Co

Discover luxury and relaxation aboard G5. Explore the captivating waterways of the Gold Coast and embark on an adventure through the wrecks of Tangalooma throughout the year with Yacht Charter Gold Coast .

Whether you're captivated by boat syndication or enticed by membership, our walk-on walk-off service guarantees unforgettable moments aboard G5.

URL:- https://www.mvalfieandco.com.au/

[alfieco]

Boat Share Sydney | Alfie & Co

Are you looking to share a boat in Sydney? Boat Share Sydney offers a unique opportunity to experience the splendour of Sydney's iconic waterways through shared ownership of the luxurious yacht Bruce. This concept allows enthusiasts to participate in the joys of sailing without the full financial commitment of a sole proprietorship. Experience the freedom to explore Sydney's coastal wonders in style and comfort, while creating lasting memories with friends and family. For more information visit our website: https://www.mvalfieandco.com.au/boats/bruce

[alfieco]

Luxury Boat Syndicates | Alfie & Co

Do you want to know about the luxury boat syndicates? Luxury boat syndicates provide a prime solution for those who want the luxury of owning a high-end boat without the associated expenses and responsibilities. By joining a luxury boat syndicate, individuals can gain access to a fleet of top-tier vessels, including yachts and cruisers, while sharing costs and management duties with fellow members. This cooperative ownership model ensures hassle-free enjoyment of luxury yachting experiences, with professional maintenance and scheduling controlled by the syndicate. Visit our website for more information: https://www.mvalfieandco.com.au/news/top-3-reasons-you-should-join-our-boat-syndication

[baxtonme]

Find the Best Cheap Airport Car Hire Rentals Companies for Under 21 drivers in the Gold Coast, Queensland

Following Royals on the Queen’s Land and the Gold Coast

It remains to be seen what 2019 will bring, but 2018 was a right royal year for Queensland and the Gold Coast. Five English Royals headed for the eastern Australian state named for 19th Century British (and Australian) monarch, Queen Victoria. And, according to Gold Coast Family Car Rentals CEO Darryl Essington-Wilson, while five royal visits in one year might have been unusual, the state’s ability to attract royalty has been evident in visits from various royal houses for many years.

While Queen Victoria never saw the state named after her, or even set foot in Australia, Elizabeth II, the current Queen and only reigning English monarch to have visited Australia, has done a lot to make up for those who didn’t visit their subjects Down Under. Since her first tour in 1954, she has notched up a total of sixteen tours, with stops in all states (including Queensland) as well as the two territories. Most royals that have left their footprints in the Queensland capital, Brisbane, or, more rarely, on the Gold Coast, were part of the British royal line. However, Darryl points out that royals from other monarchies, including Denmark, Holland and Sweden, have also been drawn to Australia, and many of them to Queensland.

Places Royals Did, Could, or Should Visit

Darryl says there are a number of places in the Sunshine State which provide memories fit for royals. These range from fairy-tale moments in rain forests, viewing beautiful coastlines, and taking in breath-taking scenery, to regal luxury in cities like Gold Coast City, with lots of other options in between. These include the Great Barrier Reef, the Outback, more than 1,000 national parks and a third of the Australian World Heritage sites. And those hiring his rental cars on the Gold Coast to follow in the royal footsteps, or create their own personalised “royal” tours, would be certain to remember these attractions forever.

The most recent royal visitors, Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex, picked the World Heritage site of Fraser Island as a destination when they toured a few months ago. Darryl says this unique area is a “must see” for every Australian and it should be high on the agenda for visitors from overseas.

The island offers the only rain forest in the world that grows in pure sand, as well as Lake McKenzie, considered sacred by the indigenous Butchulla people. There’s also the chance to see some ocean royalty in the form of humpback whales on a boat trip similar to that undertaken by Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle. Whilst the best place to see the whales is in the Hervey Bay/Fraser Island area, Darryl reminded us that the next best place for whale sightings is his home town, the Gold Coast.

Earlier in 2018, the Gold Coast was the focus of the visit by Prince Harry’s father and heir apparent to the English throne, Charles, Prince of Wales, and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.  There to represent the queen and deliver her opening address at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Prince Charles’ emulated his mother in notching up his 16th trip to Australia to do so. Joining Prince Charles at the Games was his youngest brother, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex. The third of the Windsor brothers, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, dropped by for a short visit to the Gold Coast during the build-up to the games in 2017, but did not attend the sporting event itself.

Other Royals Who Visited Australia

Other Royal visitors over the years have included Danish Queen Margrethe II who visited in 1987, as well as her son Crown Prince Frederik and his Australian-born wife Crown Princess Mary, and their children.  Crown Princess Mary has visited her hometown, Hobart, many times, but has also made stops in other areas such as the Gold Coast, when she and her children visited Mermaid Beach.

Princess Birgitta, sister of Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and wife of Prince Johann of Hohenzollern, visited Sydney for the 100th anniversary of the Swedish Australian Chamber of Commerce in 2011.  On a similar tour two years ago, Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima visited the Queensland capital as well as Sydney, Canberra and Perth, in recognition of the emigration of about 160,000 Dutch nationals to Australia between 1947 and 1971.

Those looking for a gold carriage to take to the road in pursuit of kings, queens or princes, and enjoy the sort of places they would visit, may have a hard time finding one. However, those looking for royal treatment and the best value for money, can easily hire a Family Car Rentals vehicle that’s guaranteed to be the best value for money on the Gold Coast by booking online with Car Hire Gold Coast or Gold Coast Airport Car Rental, or call + 61 7 5508 3333. Pick up and drop off at the Gold Coast Airport can be arranged.

Syndicated by Baxton Media.

Find the Best Cheap Airport Car Hire Rentals Companies for Under 21 drivers in the Gold Coast, Queensland was originally published on Baxton

[baxtonme]

Adrenaline Pumping Gold Coast Holiday Activities From Cheap and Affordable Gold Coast Airport Car Hire Rentals Companies in Queensland

Adrenaline Pumping Gold Coast Holiday Activities

With holiday time almost here, thousands of Australians will be streaming to the Gold Coast. Some may just want to chill on the beaches or stroll through stores, but an increasing number are set on letting adrenaline pump out the cobwebs after a year at the office desk, according to Darryl Essington-Wilson, CEO of Gold Coast Family Car Rentals.

He sees the Gold Coast adrenaline and extreme activities, already very popular, becoming increasingly so during the Gold Coast’s current tourism industry boom, and the venues and areas where they take place may well be the most visited destinations for those driving his rental cars this holiday season.

Choosing the Hard Way

Visitors can enjoy their holidays the hard way, or the easy way, says Darryl. They can take in dramatic views of scenic islands and beaches from hot air balloons as the sun rises or sets, or take scenic flights in seaplanes or helicopters. They can also go the kayaking route, take exhilarating hikes and participate in many other outdoor activities.

However, more visitors are tending to go for the challenge of high speeds, scary heights or super physical activity, whether it’s on or in the water, up in the sky, on solid ground or somewhere in-between. And, according to Darryl, the Gold Coast is making sure that the toughest challenge for visitors will be in choosing which of the many options available to enjoy first.

Up, Up and Away

Rather than settling for a seaplane or balloon, those chasing the adrenaline buzz may choose to accept the challenge of tandem sky-diving (the first minute of which consists of free-fall) from 14,000ft above Kirra Beach at Coolangatta; or see what it’s like free-falling the whole way in an indoor wind tunnel at Surfers Paradise.

For those who want to hang around between sky and ground, Darryl suggests heading for the trees. The Canyon Flyer guided tour at Mt Tamborine sees brave travellers suspended on zip lines 60m high above the Cedar Creek Canyon, and zipping along at speeds of up to 70km/h. The Tree Top Challenge at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary can occupy up to 3.5 hours of adrenaline pumping time for the adventurous ones in the family, whilst others spend their time enjoying the many animal encounters that the Sanctuary is famous for.

Darryl says travellers can also get the feeling of being suspended in the air by going parasailing (tandem or alone) behind a powerful boat while surrounded by the views of Surfers Paradise and the Gold Coast Islands.

Hitting the Water

A high-speed Jet-Boat ride will certainly add a splash of excitement to the day. It starts at Surfers Paradise and speeds along the Gold Coast Broadwater, complete with 360-degree spins and other adrenaline-inducing tricks. There’s also the chance to fly about 10m off the water and at a speed of up to 45km/h while powered by a jetpack or enjoy the jet-propelled Flyboard experience both on and above the water.

Don’t Forget the Kids

The Gold Coast has plenty of activities for kids, says Darryl.  Many of the theme parks that are becoming synonymous with Gold Coast tourism, like Sea World, Movie World, Dreamworld, and Wet‘n’Wild water world, and Game Over offer a selection of rides, thrills and activities both outdoors and indoors. Youngsters can also go whizzing around on wheels on dry ground; or walk, turn, run and slide across the water inside giant water balls at the Royal Pines Resort in Benowa, near Surfers Paradise.

These adrenaline-pumping activities found at Surfers Paradise, Coolangatta and Mt Tamborine are all within easy reach of Gold Coast city in a rental car from Gold Coast Family Car Rentals, with travelling times of no more than 30 minutes.  And booking one of Darryl’s cars is just as easy – To find one to travel in the Gold Coast area, and particularly from Coolangatta to Surfers Paradise, and including the Gold Coast Airport, make sure to book online with Car Hire Gold Coast or Gold Coast Airport Car Rental, or call + 61 7 5508 3333. Pick up and drop off at the Gold Coast Airport can be arranged.

Syndicated by Baxton Media.

Adrenaline Pumping Gold Coast Holiday Activities From Cheap and Affordable Gold Coast Airport Car Hire Rentals Companies in Queensland was originally published on Baxton