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Australia Part II - 'Still down under'!
Bed Count = 40 - 47
Here we go again with the second instalment of our Australian experience.If you haven't read the first Australian blog instalment ('Australia Part I -Finally down under')…shame on you!Only joking, but this follow on might make a bit more sense after reading the first one, but if utter confusion floats your boat then feel free to just read on!
Last time out we left with smoking tyres to speed away from our interesting B&B experience in the hinterland!We continued north through some country scenery, before feeling the brunt of the Brisbane traffic on the outskirts of the city. We decided to make an impromptu stop at the town of 'Buderim' for a surprise cup of tea with Melissa's Uncle and Aunt, Doug and Di.There was also a bit of method to the madness, as I had been working covertly with Melissa's cousin and partner (Sarah & Mark) + uncle and aunt (Doug & Di) to arrange a birthday surprise for Melissa later that month.Unbeknown to Melissa, we stopped 'randomly' at the 'Hungry Feel' café for a spot of lunch.This allowed me to quickly meet the owner whilst Melissa popped out to the car…I love secrets!After a good old chin wag with Doug and Di and a spot of cricket with Lewis and Jay (Sarah & Mark's boys) we hit the road north to 'Noosaville'.Broadly speaking 'Noosa' is a great place to chill out in the presence of good eateries and shopping.However there is actually no such place as 'Noosa'!Instead it's made of various areas each using the Noosa name (e.g. Noosa Heads, Noosa Junction, etc…) but they all have a certain appeal.We had opted for a holiday apartment in 'Noosaville' this time and were pleasantly surprised by our clean and spacious abode after check-in.The evening was drawing to a close, so we decided to take a stroll along the promenade to investigate some of the bars.However as we walked along 'Gympie Terrace' the noise began to escalate and then quickly became unbearable.What the hell was all this commotion about?! It turns out that as the sun drops, every parrot in Australia descends to roost in the palm trees along this very terrace.I kid you not, it's like a scene out of Alfred Hitchcock's 'The Birds' and you really don't want to be the poor sole who catches a face full after the communal toilet break!Partially deaf by squawking, we returned back and settled in for the night.
The next day, we did what all good Australians seem to do and hit the café for a coffee!However there was good reason, as we met up with Sarah and the boys and Mark joined us later on.We also spent the afternoon with Doug and Di at the Buderim Ginger Factory.Buderim is most famous for its ginger production, although the factory and distribution is at nearby Yandina which now supplies the bulk of the world's ginger!It was a pleasant afternoon, and we took the 'ginger train' around the facilities and perused the shop that sold every possible item that could be conceivably made with ginger! We returned to our apartment in Noosaville and utilised a good internet connection over the next few days to get caught up on the blog and book some internal flights for our onward travel.It was nice to relax again, although we did encounter a bout of stress upon ordering a pizza one evening.The takeaway menu that advertised 'delivery' was clearly outdated when we found out that it was 'pick-up' only.We ventured out in the pouring rain with a rough route to the destination.Both hungry, tired and frustrated, we made a host of wrong turns to eventually find the place which had near zero parking access for the alleged 'pick-up'.There was however two free 'disabled' spaces nearby and so Melissa pulled up into one of these, promptly putting on the hazard lights to show we weren't stopping. I hot footed inside to 'have it out' with the intellectually challenged server.When I returned, I caught a glimpse of angry wife screeching away and another car pulling into the space.After waiting for a few minutes my taxi returned, but the driver was obviously cheesed off.Melissa had just had a standoff with a disabled chap who had pulled up alongside and produced his card in some sort of top trump moment to stake a claim to the space.It would appear that the other free space behind was not to his liking and he wasn't going anywhere until Melissa vacated.I'm not going to take sides on who was wrong or right here, but all I knew was that I now had scolding hot pizza dangerously close to my leg and an angry wife who was now driving with the potential to inflict third degree burns to my manhood!However, it turns out that it was not the molten cheese that I needed to be worried about, but rather the pot of balsamic dressing they had thrown in with a side salad I didn't even order!Still hungry, frustrated by a multitude of events and lost again, our tempers were frayed and my T-shirt forever stained with salad dressing.We ate well that evening, but somehow the ambiance was lacking!
After three days of mostly relaxing, we hit the road again towards Brisbane airport for an internal flight to the Whitsundays (more on that later!).However, we made a day of it by stopping at Steve Irwin's (Steevo's) world famous 'Australia Zoo'.Most men will be able to relate that it felt like losing a left testicule the day they announced Steve Irwin's death by a stingray barb to the chest.Simply put, the 'crocodile hunter' was a legend and we can only wish that he was still around today.However his legend certainly lives on at the zoo and his family have done a fine job of maintaining the place which is truly an enjoyable experience.We had the weather with us and it was a 'scorcher', with the potential burn time being only minutes in direct sunlight!Slightly hot and bothered we raced over to the 'Crocoseaum' for the 'feeding of the crocodiles'. This a coliseum like stadium, where the salt water crocodiles are led out and the keepers show just how quick they can strike from the water.It was a good show and I would certainly recommend, but they also had many other events during the day.The 'Koala corner' was a favourite of Melissa's as she got to pat one of the furry critters on the ass! Feeding the kangaroos was also a highlight, along with seeing the tigers further out in the zoo.Basically, it was a great experience and well worth the money, so make sure you do this one if you're in the area!We continued to a pre-booked airport hotel and got an early night ready for the next leg of our trip the following day.
After an early start we boarded the plane bound for Proserpine airport near the Whitsunday Islands.After a short flight up the East coast, we got a connecting bus to Airlie Beach and settled into our hotel/motel.Whilst basic, it was cheap, clean and in a great location.We spent the afternoon walking round the town and surviving a torrential rainstorm.We also booked onto two separate cruises for the next few days in the area.The next day we embarked on the first of our trips, which was a day cruise to the nearby 'Hamilton Island' resort and the Whitehaven Beach.After a short and picturesque boat ride, we arrived at Hamilton Island.We had a couple of hours there, so we did what most people do…hire a golf buggy!In the most part, cars are banned around the island's roads so everyone gets around on golf carts!It was really good fun and we got around most of the island, admiring the stunning views, eating cherries and dreaming of one day owning one of the multi million pound houses!After this, the boat trip continued northwards to our next stop at the extremely picturesque 'Whitehaven Beach'.This is a white sandy beach with a difference as the sand is near pure silica (~99% quartz).A sample from the beach was actually used to make the lens of the Hubble telescope…Specsavers don't get a look in here!The sand is so fine that it actually does a pretty good exfoliating job and will bring any dreary jewellery to a sparking sensation…my wedding ring looks new again!After the main boat docked several hundred meters from the beach, the 'transporter' boat was used to ferry us to paradise.This involved cramming everyone possible onto a makeshift boat with a comedy step/ladder on the front.The first dilemma of the trip was to rescue the captain's hat which flew off into the sea after we reached a mere 2 knots!Lots of long pole prodding, interesting balancing acts and some unnecessary commentary from the Chinese contingency on board, the soggy hat was back on the skipper's head and it was full steam ahead.Once we landed on the beach and survived the panicked exodus, we stopped to admire the unbelievable view.This was closely followed by acknowledging the unbelievable heat and the fact that we were in 'paradise' without any shade for the next 3 hours!Preferring not to return in a shade of beetroot, we pleaded with the crew to give up a family tent, as there were a few going spare.These 'sun shades' are all the rage in Australia and it's basically a 'pop-up' tent.You know, the ones where you throw it up in the air to transform into a tent, only for a well-timed gust of wind to take it up into the jet stream!With the danger of a slight breeze in the air, I made land based construction which immediately tested my patience in the midday heat.To add further annoyance, I couldn't find any tent pegs to secure the structure to the ground?It so turns out that you actually use the beach as pegs and fill some flimsy pockets up with as much sand as you can muster.This results in a less than satisfactory structure that still struggles with a light breeze, although it does provide some more than welcome shade.It was from thereon in that we took refuge in our tent, only to be practically cooked alive as it acted as part shade/part oven.As we cast a sweaty gaze out to the pristine sandy beach, Melissa proclaimed that 'we were in paradise', upon which I promptly replied 'it's more like a living hell for me'!!!We did find time for quick splash in the sea, although a full submersion was out of the question, due to the very high threat of jellyfish or 'stringers' in the area.There was an alternative option (which the Chinese contingent took up much to my amusement) and that was to wear a full 'stinger suit'.I'm going to describe this outfit in more detail later on, but try to imagine a giant male prophylactic and you're getting close!So after 3h in the raging heat we returned back to the main ship and set sail back to our hotel in Airlie Beach.
Now our Whitsunday Island adventures were far from finished, in fact they had only just begun!Not content with practically roasting to death on Whitehaven Beach, we had booked a two day sailing cruise (1 night) to return back there!Our vessel was called the 'Waltzing Matilda' and both the skipper and deckhand were good value from the start.As we set sail the next morning and spoke to the other crew members, I had a good feeling that this trip was going to be fun.The only negative is that Melissa has recently discovered that she suffers with a bit of motion sickness.Therefore a rocking boat across the choppy Whitsunday seas had the threat to evoke a bit of sea sickness.However, as we set off on a beautiful morning, our spirits were high and we were truly relaxed as we sailed effortlessly through some quite amazing scenery.Check out the pictures, but this trip was most definitely a highlight of the whole tour for me.Some first day highlights involved an island walk to get picture postcard views, wading through the waters with baby nurse sharks and body surfing.The latter involved us having to wear the comical 'stinger suits'!The waters around the island are teeming with many nasty jelly fish and a select few can kill or at least hospitalise you for a good few days.Therefore by dressing up like a giant condom, it really is safety first!Check out the inventive star fish jumps to test the lycra suits and I challenge you not to laugh!
The meals on the boat were pretty top notch and there was also an abundance of alcohol!As we dropped anchor for the evening, we all gathered round on deck to chat and reminisce under the stars, life was starting to feel pretty good.When it came to bedding down for the night, the room was certainly restrictive but quite calm.This was until I woke at around 2am after a bad dream and I was convinced I had been buried alive...let's just say it's a little claustrophobic down there!When the engines started early the next morning, I must say I was relieved, but as the boat started to rock Melissa's sea sickness set in pretty rapidly.Without a thought, she shot upstairs and sat at the back of the boat taking in the morning air in her fancy pair of pyjamas!Street cred goes out of the window in such emergencies and after a bit of controlled breathing, the sea sickness was averted. During the day we managed to spot some friendly dolphins, sea cows (Dugong) and sea turtles from the deck.We also had chance to snorkel the impressive area around Hayman Island.The fish were plentiful here and reef is in good order and this was a really good snorkel.However, this was not the highlight here…far from it!That was down to Melissa, when she signalled to be picked up from the dinghy boat and swam over to climb on board.I have to admit that I had weighed up the potential for a comedy situation, but felt pretty powerless to stop it!Basically without the aid of a ladder, the entry into the dinghy was relatively high and this would involve some serious upper body strength to clamber on board.Undeterred by the obstacles Melissa set out to try to enter the vessel, only to engage in a ten minute ordeal that involved a lot of pulling/pushing/screaming and her flaying her legs wildly, whist protruding her posterior airborne!Eventually she entered face first and returned to the main ship to lick her wounds!Deciding a bit of space was required; I decided to snorkel for a bit longer, which proved to be a good move.Towards the end, we spotted a large turtle hiding underneath a rock.After a bit of persuasion he moved to the surface, which allowed me to literally swim along with him….quite remarkable and a moment I will remember for a long time.Eventually we all returned to ship and sailed onto the next destination.This was another snorkelling spot, but it didn't live up to the first location, as the reef was pretty damaged.I also managed to get stung through a small hole in my stinger suit, which provided a bit of a fright.Luckily it wasn't a bad jelly fish and after a bit of vinegar, I was back on form!After this we sailed back to Airlie Beach and took in some amazing views along the way.I really enjoyed my time aboard Waltzing Matilda and we also met some great people.Two in particular (James and Suki), we would meet again for New Year's Eve (more on that later).After returning to dry land, we all had our 'sea legs' for some time after which basically meant that you continue to sway back and forward in the shower, even though things are fixed down!We also came by a bit of good fortune, as the friendly receptionist ungraded us to their honeymoon suite!As far as I could work out this basically meant the exact same room as before, with the addition of a sofa, however the gesture was well received!We ended the evening by having a tasty pizza with Suki and James at the nearby 'Mr Bones' restaurant and then on for a few drinks with the other crew members…good times!
The next day, we took a bus back to the airport and flew back down to Brisbane.We then took a
Greyhound bus to Maroochydore (Sunshine Coast), where Sarah and Mark kindly picked us up.After a bit of a tour around the area, we returned to their house in Buderim to enjoy an afternoon tea with Doug, Di and the boys, Jay and Lewis.After a good old catch-up, Mark and Sarah very kindly lent us their car for the next few days and I repaid the favour by demonstrating my inability to find reverse gear!After a bit of bad clutch control we were on the road again to stay in Noosa Heads for the next three day's rest and relaxation.This pipe dream was immediately shattered when Melissa checked into our posh apartments a little later than we anticipated.To say the woman was rude is a gross understatement and this served to make me most angry as a result.However, on the positive side the apartment was very nice and had a few more luxuries than our 'honeymoon suite' in Airlie!The next day, we managed to chill out a bit and spent the day relaxing in the coffee shops and finally finding some time for a spot of Christmas shopping!We also booked a day trip to 'Fraser Island' which is a 'must do' on the tourist circuit. When the alarm went off at 5am the next morning,I was unsure whether the experience would warrant my lack of sleep but when the 4x4 drive truck pulled up, we knew it was going to be a good day.We played the 'travel sickness card', which ensured us front seats (with the driver) and the best views in the house.After a bit of road driving, we veered off onto the beach and that's where we remained for the majority of the trip!There is some stunning scenery along the way and our first stop at the 'rainbow rocks' solidified this.After a coffee and a slice of homemade 'Lamington' (chocolate and coconut delicacy) we were back on the road (beach) towards Fraser Island.After a short ferry ride we made it to the island and after a short drive we spotted our first wild Dingo!It looked like an Australian 'Yorkshire Whippet' and in serious need of a good feed, but quite remarkable to see one up close and personal.We stopped at a few river tributes and then at the ship wreck of the 'Maheno'.This ship has quite a long history, that I don't have time to recount, but it basically finished it days by washing ashore Fraser Island.It is quite badly corroded now, but it's still impressive to see.After this we headed inland through the forest and very rough terrain to the pristine 'Lake McKenzie'.It was pretty refreshing temperature wise, but the water was azure blue, crystal clear and extremely pure.So pure in fact, that you couldn't survive on drinking it as it lacks the minerals! After a delicious BBQ lunch under the watchful eyes of the local Dingo's, we drove back out and found time to stop for a rainforest walk.After this, it was a race against time to beat the tide and catch the ferry home; otherwise it would be a night on the beach!The tides on Fraser Island can be a bit unpredictable and many a vehicle has been lost to the sea.Therefore, I'm glad that we had an experienced driver navigating the way back, although he wasn't holding back on the throttle!After the ferry ride back and a long drive, we returned back to our hotel tired but content with the day's events.The next few days were spent recovering and an evening watching the twenty/twenty cricket at the 'Gabba' ground in Brisbane.This was an opportunity to see Shane Warne in action, after he nearly burnt his hand off in the Australian version of Masterchef!His celebrity girlfriend, Liz Hurley was also in attendance and the camera crew did a good job of zooming in on her at every opportunity!The next day we checked out of the apartment, but we did find time for a lovely walk around the Noosa headland that provided some outstanding views.That evening we drove back to Buderim and checked into Sarah and Mark's for the next few weeks. Melissa was also starting to get a little excited as tomorrow would be a special day for her!
The alarm went off the next day and after a birthday Skype with her parents, Melissa was handed
her itinerary for the day's events of her 30th birthday!Through significant planning and stealth
coordination, the day's events were ready and waiting, although Melissa was blissfully unaware.The
initial activity was unveiled over breakfast, as Melissa found out that she would be going surfing!
Sarah and Mark had kindly paid for a 1 on 1 surfing lesson, which would be an Australian present to
remember!Whilst excited, it's probably fair to say that Melissa was a little nervous, as a previous
surfing lesson in Hawaii was nothing short of disaster!However after donning her swim attire, we all
headed down to the beach to meet the instructor, Catherine, (a friend of Sarah's).Melissa was instantly put to work by waxing up her board and then going through some drills on the beach.Soon after she was in the sea and living the dream!I think she actually surprised herself and despite some rough seas towards the end, she managed to catch a wave all the way back in!Despite a few scraped knees the whole event was a success and we returned back with some good memories.During the week we were staying at Sarah and Mark's, Doug and Di had kindly 'moved out' and were renting an apartment in nearby Mooloolaba and we all popped round for lunch. Melissa was presented a homemade birthday cake (courtesy of Mark's cooking) and after a 'happy birthday' rendition and plenty more cards/presents there were smiles aplenty!After spending some time chilling out, we returned back to Buderim to get ready for a relaxing meal later that evening.However before the meal, I granted Melissa access to a secret Facebook site where all her friends had posted birthday messages and videos.After some tears at viewing the lovely messages, we headed out for a meal with Sarah and Mark.However, as we entered the local 'Hungry Feel' restaurant, Melissa was faced with many smiling faces all wishing her happy birthday and the final surprise was unveiled!Several of Sarah and Mark's friends + family had made the effort to come down and celebrate this special day with her.After some great food, drinks and presents Melissa returned home with memories of a 30th birthday that she won't forget!
The next day, Sarah took us all on a tour around the surrounding villages of Maleny and Montville.
The views are apparently stunning down the valley, but unfortunately the weather was against us that day and all we could see was mist.However, the rain didn't deter us from gracing just about every shop in the area and we even found time for a 'funky pie' in a quaint little vegetarian café.To be honest, the only thing that was funky was the service but the pie wasn't all that bad!On the way back, we also stopped at the world famous 'giant pineapple' which stands proud just outside of Buderim.Although tired these days, it is still an impressive sight although its true use is still somewhat undefined! That evening we stopped over at Doug and Di's apartment and I found time to tune a guitar that Doug had purchased some time back.This rekindled my passion for playing and soon enough after a few wines we found ourselves in a little singsong!Apart from writing the blog, I also enjoy making up a few jingles from time to time and I made some songs up about the boys, Jay and Lewis.What initially began as a rough and ready jingle, turned into a full orchestral song with everyone joining in, me on guitar, Melissa singing and Doug playing a bit of cameo on his harmonica!The next day the rain continued to pour, but we kept with the plans to visit the famous 'Eumundi markets', which includes lots of local stalls selling just about everything.Despite the weather, it was well worth a look around and the local musical artists kept us entertained with their music and a bizarre love triangle involving the husband, wife and a celebrity singer!Then it was back to Sarah's again to head to bed ready for Christmas day!
I must admit, it's a strange feeling celebrating Christmas in the midday heat, although Mark made a pretty good effort of making the day a traditional affair.This basically involved continuous eating, drinking and general merriment throughout!The breakfast was a day's meal in itself, but the full roast dinner that followed later was outstanding.It was great to spend the day with family and newfound friends that also visited.The boys got more than their fair share of presents and we all somehow ended up with a new pair of underpants (it's usually socks in the UK!).Jay made the most of his new present by parading up and down the living room reliving a scene out of the 'Full Monty'!
It was great day and in true Australian fashion, we even managed a game of cricket in the back garden.
The celebrations continued on Boxing Day - we had morning tea at Linda's and found time for another rendition of the famous songs on the guitar!After this we visited more extended family
(Geoff and Kay) and had a relaxing afternoon with more overindulgence.The final day we hit the Mooloolaba beach, so the boys could try out their new presents….body (or boogie) boards!The swell was pretty high that day, so I thought I would catch a few waves myself.After missing one wave, I made the sorry mistake of catching the monster wave that followed and found myself washed ashore on my behind! Melissa was enjoying a bit of sunbathing, so I helped Jay build a sand fort, that he decided needed to withstand the fierce waves.Our efforts were close becoming futile, until the cavalry turned up and Doug offered a hand.Despite a pre-warning that the waves were pretty strong he threw caution to the wind and wearing his best cowboy hat turned his back to the elements.This turned out to be a bad choice as the next wave practically washed him up on the road and it's a miracle that the cowboy hat didn't bid a watery grave that day!After the sea, we spent the afternoon back at Doug and Di's apartment and enjoyed the swimming pool with the boys.
The next day we awoke to the realisation that we would once again be moving on.It was with deep regret that we left everyone, but we carried nothing but fond memories of our Christmas time in Australia.Next stop Sydney and New Year's Eve, but that's just going to have to wait until the next (and final) Australian instalment…….
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