Got to Cairns and checked into a hostel for just over 5quid/night/person which for aus is very good. Hostel clean, has a pool and a bar so seems alright, bit out from town but they run a free minibus service everyhour until 3 in the morning so not a problem. Ended up in a room of 4, the first night one other person was in there, the remaining 6 nights we were alone so good value for effectivly a private room. Went to a club in town and everyone played a giant g...

We booked a 3 night trip to magnetic island, about 3 hours south of cairns. Trip included the ferry to the island & back,sea kayaking for an hour, and a days sorkel hire. On approach to the island it looked a bit like the place on jurrasic park 2 (or 3) when they anchor up on an island, beach all the way around with rain forest about 20 metres behind covering the rest of the place. Go to the hostel which had a really nice open plan reception and bar with uno...

After concrete brisbane we went for the opposite and spent the first night here in 'bush camp'. Only about 6/7pound per person so nice and cheap. In log cabins, with log bunk beds, sinks we embeded in tree stumps, nice river passing by the camp literally 15/20 metres away, true skippy land! This was more of the place we had in mind when backpacking australia. Most people staying here were enroute in 3 day canoeing trips, where as we were just in the middle of now...

Brisbane, or as the aussies call it 'bris-vegas' - outraged by this name. They got my hopes up at possibly finding some form of super casino resort the size of Kent, with built in theme parks giant hotels and all the other stuff the real vegas has - but no. Just a crappy casino no bigger than average. Hannah and i decided australian cities are a bit of a let down due to lack of culture/personality and you could effectivly be anywhere in the world, this is also ap...

Cruised into surfers paradise, which ironically isnt very good for surfing - so we're told. Hostel alrite, 6 beds in a room so not too bad, were offered space in a 30 bed dorm - since we didnt fancy staying in the equivelant of an army barracks - 6 beds will do just fine. Went to town, pissed down with rain, monsoon stylie. Managed to take refuge in a shopping mall. Bought a box of goon (crap wine in one of those small square boxes) and went back to hostel for to...