Hey everyone. After i last wrote on this we left Brisbane at 10 the next morning on a bus to Hervey Bay. The journey was only 5 hours so it wasn't too bad and we got there at 3pm. However our pick up bus from beaches hostel didn't arrive till 4.40pm then told us it wasn't leaving till 5.30pm so we got some dinner at Subway then came back and eventually got checked into Beaches hostel at 6pm. We went straight into the pool then had a couple of beers before trying to get an early night. However our room had no air con and was hotter than the sun so didn't really get much sleep.

The next day we had to meet at 6.30am for the Fraser Island tour. We met in the bar where we watched a safety video before being put into groups of 10. We were quite lucky with our group. We had us 3, an english guy called Chris, a korean guy called Min, and five 19 year old swedish girls, 3 of which spent most of the time in thong bikinis, sunbathing topless! After being put in groups we put our money in and got food and alcohol for the group. Then we got in the vehicles and Gary took the wheel for the first shift driving to the bay 4wd office. Once there we picked up the camping equipment, had a safety briefing, then drove to the ferry which took us to Fraser Island. Once there we drove off road to Lake Wabby which is a big freshwater lake next to a giant sand dune where we went swimming. We got there without too much drama but we did have to help someone else get their car out of sand. After this we had lunch then i drove onto the beach which was weird driving at 70kmh along a beach dodging the tide coming in. We stopped at Eli Creek which was quite cold and pretty shallow but we swam/floated/crawled down it anyway. We then passed a shipwreck before making our way to base camp where we set up our tents. Base camp is actually quite cool coz it has a shop and toilets and showers so it was luxury camping. We then had dinner and a few beers.

The next day we got up and left at 6.50am to go to Indian Head which is a rock that you can climb up and have really good views of the island. However we were meant to leave at 6.30am to avoid the tide so we were cutting it close but just about made it with Jammo driving. Then after climbing Indian Head we walked round to Champagne Pools which are salt water rock pools that we went swimming in whilst the waves crashed over the sides. Then when the tide had gone back out we drove back to base camp and had lunch. It then started raining so we just chilled out at base camp for the afternoon and had dinner and more beer in the evening.

The next day we actually left at 6.30am like we were supposed to and drove (I was driving again) to Lake Benjibong (can't remember the actual name but its something like that) which was another giant freshwater lake. This one was really shallow for a long way out and the weather wasn't great so we just paddled for a bit. We then went to Lake Birrabeen however it had started chucking it down so we waited in the car for a bit. Once it had stopped raining we went down to the lake which was a crystal clear freshwater lake with bright white sand and we went swimming which was really nice. We then drove to central station and stopped there for lunch before heading to Lake McKenzie which is the famous lake on Fraser Island. Again it was crystal clear water with white sands and the sun had come out by this point so it was really nice. We then went back to the ferry at 4pm however the ferry was late so we ended up playing 5-a-side football with another group. After getting the ferry back we dropped the cars off and went back to the hostel where we washed then went out to an irish pub for dinner.

The next day we checked out of the hostel at 10 but had to kill time until our bus at 8.50pm so we went to the cinema to see Man Of The Year which was ok then went in another irish pub this one had a circular pool table! We had dinner here and watched a repeat of Spurs v Braga before catching our overnight bus to Airlie Beach.

We eventually arrived at Airlie Beach at 9.30am the next day. I managed to sleep most of the way coz i have that gift but the others struggled i think. We then checked our bags into beaches hostel before sorting ourselves out and meeting our sailing crew at 12.30pm. We then got on board the Condor and sailed to the Whitsunday Islands. The Condor is supposedly one of the fastest sailing yachts in the world but theres no wind so don't get to test it out. After 3 and a half hours our first stop was Whitehaven beach on Whitsunday island. We're told its in the top 3 beaches in the world and it is really nice with bright white sands. We spend a couple of hours here before getting back on the boat and having dinner. We then get stuck into the beer and play a few drinking games. We then attempt to go to sleep but us 3 were put in a tiny room together coz we were a group of 3. It consisted of two exercise mats next to each other with a big pipe in between with another exercise mat typ thing on the top bunk. Because i'm smallest it was deemed that i should have the cave bed underneath the top bunk and next to the wall so i was blocked in from all sides. It was horrible and absolutely boiling so didn't get much sleep.

The next day we were woken up at 6am with Metallica blaring courtesy of the skipper and sail round the other side of Whitsunday Island where we go for a short walk up to a lookout point which looks over Whitehaven beach and Hills Inlet. We then went to the beach and went for a swim. However, because its jellyfish season we have to wear 'stinger suits' which are basically wetsuits. They hug the figure a bit and aren't particularly flattering but its funny coz we all have to wear them. We then sailed to Mackeral bay where we went snorkelling on the reef. Its not the actual Great Barrier reef but its one of the southern fringe reefs and we're told it has the same types of coral and marine life as the great barrier reef. Sadly i don't have time to go see the actual reef itself but i'm running out of time and can't see everything. Plus i still see quite a few fish and lots of colourful coral at mackeral bay. We then have lunch before putting the sails up for the first time. Theres still not much wind but enough to move somewhere so we actual sail properly for a bit which is really cool even if its not as quick as its capable of. We then go snorkelling at another reef in the afternoon but can't see as much due to some algae like substance that apparently the coral produces as a type of sunscreen to stop it getting bleached by the UV rays. That clever coral! We then sail round to a bay where we drop anchor and have dinner (its steak!) and then have more beer and play more drinking games. When the beer runs out i attempt to go to bed but give up trying to sleep in the cave at 2.30am and decide to sleep on deck where its cool.

The next day we get up at 7am and sail back to Airlie beach which takes about 4 hours. We get the sails up again which is cool and just coast home. I'm now in Airlie beach writing this and the plan this evening is to meet up with the crew and all of the people on our boat at Beaches bar and have a few drinks which should be cool. Both Fraser Island and the sailing were amazing but i'm absolutely knackered now!

The plan next is to hire a car tomorrow and spend a few days driving down to Sydney by saturday via Byron Bay and other places. We then fly out of Sydney to Auckland on monday 19th so next time i speak to you i'll be in New Zealand. Weird! Anyway speak to you all soon.