To Infinity And Beyond

Maths? No, it's a sign of the times

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

We were in Queensland on holiday when I saw this great street sign on the Gold Coast.

So where was the sign pointing to? A mathematicians' conference? Some sort of lateral thinkers' club? A beach with never-ending sand, wonderful crashing surf and magical sunshine that lasted around the clock?

Or was it some sort of museum devoted to the `Toy Story' and `Toy Story 2' movies, so well known for the character of Buzz Lightyear and his catchphrase, ``To infinity and beyond''?

Alas, it was all rather prosaic. The sign pointed to a nightclub.

Still, I had to take the photograph, simply because it was so unusual. So I drove off at 7am on a warm April morning, parked down a side street and found my way to the sign. I had to walk a few metres down a narrow median strip, with cars on either side of me, to take this shot with my film camera.

It's a perfect Gold Coast reminder. Clear blue sky, not tainted by a single cloud. Towering high-rise condos. And the mandatory palm tree, slap-bang in the middle of the frame.

And to all the drivers who thought I was completely mad for venturing onto the slender median strip, my humble apologies. I'm just a crazy southerner from chilly Melbourne.

Doesn't that explain it all?