Making hay while the sun shines is defined in the Urban Dictionary as Taking opportunity when time and conditions are near perfect. The stars don't often align so beautifully, but with the World Aquathon Championship race out of the way, and SE Queensland weather doing all the cliched stuff, it really was time to make Seven Plays in 7 Days!

The mission statement was pretty simple. Have lots of fun at limited expense in the great outdoors. Call it a running water adventure! Follow our progress as we tackle the big sport & adventure playground that stretches from Coolangatta Airport to the Cooloola Coast across a week in September. A dirty job, but someone's got to do it. We'll keep it brief to minimise the pain.

Day 1. A tiny but prominent headland park wedged between Tallebudgera Creek and the big buildings. A wonderful place to run and walk with views to Surfers and that famous point break. Mating carpet pythons, water dragons, and ever-changing vegetation made all the hill running worthwhile. Close to Cafe Lumbini and some of the best coffee and hospitality on the coast.

Day 2. Leaving behind the golden sand and coastal glitter, we headed west into the hinterland for a cool change. Sub-tropical rainforest and cascading falls confirmed the Twin Falls Circuit a bush-walking delight, made even better by the stunning blue-sky plateau views to forever. A very nice chill-out from the big smoke.

Day 3. When in Rome. Sooner or later you succumb to Gold Coast excess. 18km of beach running, a body-surf coaching clinic for Japanese tourists in thumping GC waves, mad cheering for UK Brownlee in the elite men's triathlon, and far too much sun. A relaxed (not!) evening with 27000 screaming Titans fans at the rugby league final was almost the straw that broke the camels back. A big day at the office.

Day 4. Some cruisey canal running and hide'n'seek with the Queensland sun before some serious star hunting at the World's. Nailed Brownlee and Gomez for photos and watched the elite girls go zooming by. Did I mention that Australian super-girl Emma Moffat won the girls race, the girls title, and the sporting respect of the triathlon world. Woo Hoo!

Day 5. Loved the Glamour Coast, but a bigger pot of gold was up the highway after a hard right at Gympie. We know Tin Can Bay serenity well enough from past travel, and Fraser Island speaks for itself, but we needed to test-drive Rainbow Beach thoroughly to confirm Cooloola as a Bermuda Triangle of sport and adventure. Dusk running through the famous coloured sands with sea eagles for company, and the prospect of a morning surf made for a good start.

Day 6. Early surf. Almost impossible to think that you could have a Pacific beach break and a 22°C ocean all to yourself on a breathless morning. Great coffee and the Carlo Sandblow at the expense of diving Wolf Rock was a tough call but.....! Cooloola National Park exploration and a sunset dash to just catch the fireball on Carlo. Exxxxxit light. Check out the cool Sandblow cover shot that comes courtesy of a lovely young traveller named Rachel Semple. Thanks Rach. Nice self-timer image!

Day 7. Put together a team of mongrel kayakers and wannabe surfers from Colombia, the UK, the US of A, and Oz, and you have yourself Muzza's Mob. Great people, great weather, cliche, cliche, dolphins, whales, cliche, cliche, blah, blah! A perfect end to a remarkable week. Thankyou everyone for beer, coffee, and friendship

Day 8. But wait, there's more. After a week of remorseless Queensland sunshine, check out the weather at Tullamarine upon arrival in Melbourne!
Home sweet home.