A new book, a conference and Fraser Island

I am wrecked. Kaput. Cream crackered. We’re just coming out the other side of Mrs R’s new book coming out, the biggest weekend in the blogging calendar and more travel than we’ve done since we were in Europe and the States last year. It’s that good tired, but we’re tired nonetheless. 

During this year’s conference, we’ve been privy to many inspirational quotes, messages and philosophies. But – for me – probably the most poignant was this:

We use Google when we have a question we’re too embarrassed to ask our friends.

Absolutely! I’ve asked Google many questions that no real person should ever be subjected to.

Anyway, read on to find out what we’ve been up to to make me so very tired. I don’t expect much sympathy!

With a somewhat busier than normal few days coming up, we’re trying our best to take it easy today. We’ve gone for the boozy option and are enjoying a bit of gin happiness! This gin, Botanic Australis by Mt Uncle Distillery in Queensland, is incredible and probably our new favourite gin.

Here’s what we think of it in more depth where we’ve talked about three craft gins you have to try before you die!

We’re hanging out with the lovely folk from ReFoil tonight. ReFoil is an incredible company that recycles all the used aluminium foil salons use to colour people’s hair.

Anyway, we’re at a little Viet restaurant with them tonight in Marickville called Phd. This was their large beef Pho, which I am about to demolish. Mrs Romance has kindly lent her hand modelling skills here to give scale. Don’t her nails look spiffy?! I tried using my own simian fist but it didn’t really give the scale I was looking for.

It’s a rare champagne moment for us today: Mrs Romance’s braiding book has finally arrived on our own shores. It was published in the States as Braids, Buns & Twists, and in the UK as The Hairstyle Directory. From today Australians and New Zealanders will be able to buy Hair Romance the book from Book Utopia!

Cheers, Mrs Romance! Well done!

Because today is so special, we even go out for dinner: DUMPLINGS! Our favourite dumpling house, Seabay, is excellent. This is our new favourite combo to pig out on. Steamed pork and veg dumplings, their special fried eggplant and tomato and things, and deep-fried pork. YUM!

It’s been a busy morning – we were up all night last night packing for this: the biggest annual blogger conference in the country. ProBlogger Event is a yearly conference where anyone with a blog, about to start a blog or even a vague interest in the blog world can come to learn, extend their skill sets, and meet and talk to like-minded people.

ProBlogger’s an amazing event and – like last year – it’s being held in the QT Hotel in the Gold Coast. The location’s excellent and it’s a beautifully styled hotel. Watch this space for a review of the QT Gold Coast.

Not only is the QT Gold Coast well-located, its room service is pretty special too. We’re starving from a late night and an early flight, so we gorge on fish tacos, chunky chips covered in liquid cheese and jalapeño chilli, and a pork belly burger. And a bevvy or two, of course!

And so it begins. ProBlogger Event 2014. And we’re up super early. Mrs Romance snapped this cracker of a shot of sunrise over the beach. My efforts can be seen at the top of this post… of course I set my photo as the title image!

How’s this?! Mrs Romance’s book is in the book store at the ProBlogger Event! Alongside her Hair Romance book is Nikki Parkinson’s formidable Unlock Your Style and Darren Rowse’s ProBlogger books. They make for quite a trio. And Mrs R is enjoying signing copies for the lovely people who have bought her book.

And it’s finally over. Two days of fun, learning and interaction. It’s been a brain-boilingly hectic overload of information, but it’s been very much worth it.

Here’s our final sunrise over the Gold Coast, but not our final day in Queensland. From here, we’ve got lots more fun planned beginning with…

…a trip to Fraser Island!! From Brisbane Airport, we’re flying high over Hervey Bay and the Fraser Coast. We’re working with the brilliant Tourism and Events Queensland to promote a few experiences everyone with a passion for travel – especially Australian travel – should do.

Keep an eye open for reviews and recommendations for what’s going on in this spectacular part of the world.

Here’s a quick sneak peak for you: you can hire a Segway and zoom up and down one of Fraser Island’s beaches on it like a nutter. This is the first time either of us have been on one of these wacky machines. They’re excellent fun – even when you piss about, fall off and break one. Yes, I did!

Another favourite thing to do on Fraser Island is to watch the sunset from the beach. Grab a beer, get a good pozzie on the sand or – like us – on the jetty, and enjoy the view.

I know you’re busy so here’s the final 8 minutes or so sped up into just 15 seconds. Lovely isn’t it?

Our trip to the Fraser Coast is by no means over, so make sure you keep up with what we’ve been getting up to on our Instagram feed… or just wait till next Monday for our wrap-up of how everything went!

What’s the stupidest question you’ve ever asked Google? Have you ever Googled yourself? Have you ever tried typing your name in and seeing what the most searched for terms drop-down box suggests?! Have you ever been to Fraser Island? Whatever you have to say on any of these topics or if you just want to say hi, talk to us in the comments!

Images by Mr and Mrs Romance via Instagram: @MrAndMrsRomance, @HairRomance and of course @AngryBastard!