Surfers Paradise track coming along well

[marcus]

Hi all
just a quick pit stop to say hi and to post some pics from my holiday to the Gold Coast in Oz..the surfers track is coming along very well and is looking very good to and it was a bit of a thrill to drive around the track and be drawn into the pre race atmosphere that is under way in Queensland.

the first pic is of part of the track from my hotel room..not much to see from the pic but on race day it would be great (note the ocean in the background ..Beatuifull )



pic 2 is of the track just outside my hotel ..and as you can see it is all still open for public use.


the next is of the last corner as seen from the run into surfers paradise on the Gold Coast highway..the traffic lights will be removed I imagine for the race as the cars blast onto the start finish straight.


a bit further down the straight is the entrance to the pits



the next shot is of the pitlane as we are driving by as you can see construction is well under way



and the next is a shot of me standing in pitlane..excellent weather for the week i was up there and it looks as if it will be good come race time (dont quote me on that im not a weather man)



and the last pic is of me again doing my stunned mullet inpression at the chicane on the back straight at the end of the Esplanade..my hotel was just about 200 metres up the road from this chicane.



so as you can see everything is nearly in place for the race ..i just wish i could have worked my holidays a bit better to be there for it..ohh well maybe next year..

ok thats it from me Im off south for another week now to have a gander around Melbourne.

CHERRS ALL
Marcus

[Liz]

Some day I must get to that race. Those pictures look marvelous!

Wonder what the rooms in that hotel go for come race week?

[Crash Test]

Too much Liz....especially for a uni student like myself...

I love going down around this time of year for a bit of a spin..it's surprising how bumpy the track really is...i can't wait

[elephino]

I'm staying behind the photographer in the 7th pic and apartments there (2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, kitchen) go for about AU$2500 for a week (which is the minimum stay).

I'm off there in one week

[gomick]

best bet, stay in a backpackers lodge, i have and it was great, sure not a hotel (have done that to), but you can still get to the race, and thats what it is all about.

[elephino]

I think I forgot to mention that where I'm staying is between 3 chicanes (the esses on the beach side and the other 2 on the main bit). Also with roof access with excellent views including most of the pits.

[Liz]

I stayed at the Backpacker's at Mataranka, and also in Katherine. They're a lot more fun than hotels.

[Crash Test]

Or better still you could stay in the back of a transporter at the track, as i did at Oran Park last month....that is more fun than anything!

[marcus]

well actually the room i stayed in cost me just under $600 for the week I was there ..out of curiosity i asked the owner how much it would cost to stay there for the week of the race.and wait for it....$1800..thats horrible a $1300 jump just for the race and believe me it wasnt worth the $600 i payed for it..allthough im not sure if that includes tickets for the race ..but i think it would as the hotel was right behind the pits in the middle of the track.
but $1800..thats a bit rich for my blood.

[Liz]

IT cost about $1,100 for three of us to spend three days at Le Mans - that included ferry tickets, breakdwn insurance, parking on the circuit, food, lodging, race tickets, membership in the ACO and disgraceful foreign postage for all of the above.

Still, I suppose it's all in what you want.

[elephino]

Well, I think it was worth it if only for the ability to go and sit down somewhere out the way and still be at the track.

[Crash Test]

Elephino- when did you get a chance to sit down during the weekend?

While the races were on you were hogging the fence, and at night you surley must have been out boozing like the rest of us

[elephino]

I only boozed on one night. The rest of em I could hardly walk my feet were so sore...well they were sore that one night too, but I put up with the pain.

I shal rephrase...to know that if I had time, I could go and sit down

[Crash Test]

I wish i had one of your seats on Sunday.

Where we were, there was the fence, us spectators, a small rocky walk way, and the Nerang River. I swear, one in every three people that walked past triped over these rocks...we were just waiting for someone to go A over T and into the river! Next year i might take some oil to dump on the rocks to help the process along a little...

[elephino]

You could have had my seat. I didn't get to sit down until after the Jason Bright press conference after the race (which was after the top 3 conference). So from about a half hour before the FFords until then I was standing up.