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Well, long time no update. I give up apologizing as I'm sure ill just have to apologize again for not doing it for the next 5 months or something. Ill be back in the uk before I finish this. I'm actually writing this from a very cold New Zealand, but will obviously do a quick run through of what I did in the last few weeks of being in aus!
After updating about Byron bay last, I was bitten really really badly (124 times to be precise) by bed bugs.The itching was unreal!! If you've never had them you cant even imagine what its like. I was covered head to toe in the things and looked like I had some sort of skin disease. All these nice German and dutch people kept poking me and saying things like, 'oh, you got bitten', or 'oh, you look horrible'. I felt like turning round and screaming, ' no I have a life threatening skin disease. Don't come too near me whatever you do!!' Idiots. I was virtually hysterical on the first night the itching was so bad! After the next night I went up to surfers paradise with two of the girls I had been with in Byron. The word 'paradise' should be used lightly. Its like a concrete city, with high rises everywhere you look. Its basically full of non-Australians, like the Italian and Asian mafia or something (who I swear were running our hostel) worst hostel Ive stayed in so far was surfers paradise. Beyond filthy! Our shower room didn't have a door, so you had to barricade the room before you could have one, let alone go to the loo.... There was a mouse hole in our bread which was gross, they claimed it was because they were near restaurants. I clearly pointed out to them that it was, in no uncertain terms, due to the fact that the kitchen hadn't been cleaned in about 3 years that they had a mouse problem. I thought the leading lady of the mafia was going to sit on me or something, she weighed about 300 stone, so your lucky I'm still alive. Went on a party crawl the second night of surfers, and got locked out of our room which was afterwards, very funny. At the time, not so much, waking the entire hostel up just so someone could let us in wasn't very pleasant.
Had to say goodbye to Sophie and Sophie, one of which lives in folkestone and went to school with Sadie (small world) so will see her when im back in the uk. Next stop was Brisbane,. I really liked the city, as it was clean and had a nice feel. Just a shame it didn't have any beaches and wasn't closer to the coast as it would probably be a bit more like Sydney. There is actually a man made beach which I couldn't bring myself to go to. Why come all the way to aus to lay on some imported sand??? I booked My Whitsundays sailing trip and Fraser island tour (the cheapest I could possibly find) In Brisbane so had that to look forward to.
After 2 nights headed to Noosa which was gorgeous. Unfortunately my hostel was in the arse hole o fnowhere, so had to keep getting ferried back and forth between the main street. Noosa is one of the last places you can surf up thecoast and is quite an exclusive place to live. The town had a really nice atmosphere despite being really small. Two of the three girls I met in Thailand and am going to LA with where in Noosa at the same time as me, so a had a couple of crazy nights with them which was so much fun. The weather was gorgeous so got in a days sunbathing too, as it hadn't been so great in surfers and Byron.
Next stop on the 3rd o fApril was Rainbow beach to do my Fraser island trip. The company that do it was called dingoes, so I stayed at the hostel for a couple of nights, before all the groups of 11 people are put together by someoverly enthusiastic staff, and then made to watch videos about dingoes and how not to get eaten. Its not quite that dramatic, your just not supposed to feed them, as they get too friendly and can be viscous. They actually killed a 9 year old boy a couple of years ago, so they're not totally harmless. We had to pack up 4X4's on the morning that we left, and then we headed out at about 10ish, where the leader takes us to the ferry before 11 strangers are chucked on a sand island with a bit of food in the hope that one of them can drive and we don't get eaten by dingoes. What fun... Actually had so much fun. It did rain a couple of times, but only when it didn't matter. Ic ouldn't drive as you had to be 21, but I don't think I would have wanted too anyway. All the driving is on the sand, and then you have to set up camp before it gets dark, because when the sun goes down its literally pitch black. (On the first night this dingo crept up behind us in the dark and I almost wet myself) Second night all the 5 groups camped together, I was, of course, in the A team! Bit of a crazy night. We went and saw the lakes which are amazing, the next day. I've added photos for you to see. Everyone came home absolutely shattered and hungover. No showers so not looking too great either. It was only for 2 days though so not so bad!
Had a last meal with all of the group that evening after we'd got home and had some well earned showers. (I'm still pouring sand out of my ears a month later though)
Left the next day on the bus to Airlie beach to do the Whitsundays sailing. Had three nights to kill before I left, so had a couple of early nights for the first too, and then the third, most of team b from Fraser island turned up so we had a night out. Airlie beach was really nice, not much too do other than go out in the evenings though, as the majority of people there are backpackers so theres just bars everywhere! Had to leave early afternoon on Sat 12th April for the boats. Everyone's boats generally leave at the same time, so a big group of us walked down. You have to but your own alcohol before you get on, so we stocked up at the bottle shop, before setting off at about 2. 2 days and 2nights sailing in total. Was a lot of fun and everyone comes back soooo tanned because you cant feel the heat when your sailing. I had about 25 people on my boat and it was pretty small, some of the boats are much bigger though. Team B were on a boat called the clipper with about 50 people! Totally calm sea the first day, but the next morning was fairly choppy. We went to a beach called whitehaven which was absolutely beautiful! The sand is about 95 percent silicon so its really white and soft. You cant swim in the sea though because of the jelly fish. Everyone went snorkeling a couple of times too . I of course didn't, yes I know, im a wimp. They all had to wear stingersuits in case of the jelly fish, a very good look I must say. Again there were no showers on board, so after 3 days and two nights of sea air, I looked fantastic!!! Was Nice to get back to dry land and have a shower again! Had a good night out on the day we came back with everyone from the boat and team b again. All the girls from team b were supposed to be doing kiwi experience at exactly the same time as me and fly into NZ just a day before so met them in Christchurch!
Tuesday 15th of April had to leave Airlie beach, and was headed to magnetic island. I cant even really tell you where it is... A small island near-ish cairns thatsome people live on is how I would put it? Well, basically pretty boring anyway. You get a ferry over from a city called Townsville. I stayed 2 nights. Most people hire mini cars or mopeds, but the weather wasnt very good when I was there so I just lazed by the pool for two days. I was still pretty tired from the Whitsundays so was quite nice to do nothing for a couple of days.
Caught my final bus in Australia on Thursday 17th. (I actually almost missed it as we'd wandered into Townsville off the ferry to get some lunch and not realised what the time was. I caught it with 2 minutes to spare!) after a 4 hour bus journey I arrived in cairns at 6ish. One of the Guys from Team B was still in Cairns, but the girls had already flown to Sydney to catch their flight to Christchurch. Spent my last 4 days sunbathing and partying in cairns. The nightlife is pretty good, but besides that its pretty empty! Stayed at a hostel called Gilligans,and had another run in with my old friends the bed-bugs, so my legs look pretty rough again! Luckily NZ is so cold they'll be hidden for the next 4 weeks. Bye bye tan!!
Had a few tears on the plane leaving Australia. I cant believe I've been there 9 weeks. It feels like its just absolutely flown by, and I've met so many amazing people. Hopefully NZ will be just as much fun!!!
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