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3/02/10
Woke up sweating AGAIN! We decided to head to Surfers Paradise to have a look round the shops and go on the beach. We spent a couple of hours there, the sea was amazing and the waves were massive! We could've stayed in there all day but we had to head off to find somewhere to stay for our last night in the van. We headed back to Burleigh Heads then turned off towards Springbrook National Park. We drove into the countryside a bit and saw a sign for a Dam so we decided to park up and check it out. We walked for about 2km's down a road in the forest, the noises were unbelievable! We decided to head back to the van without actually making it to the dam as it was slowly going dark, good job we did, about 10 mins after we got back it was pitch black! Headed futher up into the rainforest, the view is amazing, proper rainforest for miles! We pulled into 'Apple Tree' rest stop and this is our home for the night. This is definitely one of the best places we've stopped, it's beautiful.
4/02/10
Bacon sarnies for brekkie then we headed into Brisbane as we'd got to drop the van off at 12:00. Managed to find the place pretty easily so we gave the van a quick once over and got her checked by Jucy. I rang Steve and he'd been at work since 03:30 so he could finish early and come get us! He bowled up and we jumped in his van, had a little job to do with him (we had a coffee and a sausage roll while we waited!) then it was off to his pad. It's a beautiful place, amazing views, really really nice! I had a quick shower (hooray!) and then it was off to the pub. Steve's work mate (Milo) was there so we had a couple of schooners with him and after getting a bit tipsy we went to the shop to get some stuff for dinner then home for steak, can't wait! Kate came home pretty soon after, we had dinner and a few more beers then it was bed time, had a brilliant day!
5-7/02/10
Since we got to Steve's it's been pretty much drinkin beer and chillin! Steve's pad is AMAZING, 3 pools, sauna, hot tub, massive apartment, it's awesome, much more room than the campervan ha ha! Havin a great time, it's brilliant just chillin with my bro for a bit. Steve and Kate went to Surfers for a works do on Sat night so me and Simon had the place to ourselves, we made the most of it by lying on a comfy sofa watching T.V!
8/02/10
Went on the jetski today, bloody hell it's rapid! It was brilliant churning up the water, started off in Runaway Bay and headed up towards Steve & Kate's island, under the bridge to their house, around Millionaire's Point (nice houses!) and back down the other side to Runaway Bay again. I floored it most of the way 'cause Steve was sitting on the back, it was a brilliant way to spend the morning! We all had a good thrash on it and then headed back for lunch. After luch we decided to take Steve's fishing rod out and see if we could catch anything. He's only got one rod so we took turns casting e.t.c. We just went in the broadwater outside his house, didn't catch anything, spent about an hour trying before we gave up!
9/02/10
We decided to try fishing again today. We had to go into town so while we were there Steve brought me and Simon a fishing rod each so we could all have a go, Simon's was blue and mine was pink! We went and got some yabbies and millet for bait and headed back to the broadwater. We started by the rocks but I kept getting my hook stuck so I moved down onto the beach which was much better. There's a sandbank sticking out from the shore so we walked along it a bit so we could get to the deeper water. This was good until you needed to re-bait your hook and had to walk all the way back to the shore! We kept getting nibbles but nothing was happening really, we'd been out about 2 hours and it was turning dusk so we decided one more cast each and then we'd go home. I'd got a yabbie on my hook and it was the 4th go casting with it. I cast out and waited. Steve and Simon were heading back to shore when I felt something on my line, I'd actually gone and caught myself a fish ha ha!! I shouted to the boys and Simon came and helped me reel it in. It was massive! Steve said it was a Flathead and we could eat it so we put it in the bucket and took it to shore, I was so pleased with myself, two boys and me and I catch the biggest fish ever! Simon did the deed of whacking it over the head then we took it home, washed it, gutted it and BBQ'd it for our tea along with lamb chops and salad, bob on!
12/02/10
Heading up to BrisVegas this afternoon to have a few beers and some dinner with Joe and Nat Ball. We went upt to the city to the Breakfast Creek Hotel, really nice place, we're ready for a drink or two after the 'city tour' Steve put us through ha ha! Joe and Nat were both looking really good, they'd just come back from Thailand so we talked about that for a while. The steak I had was amazing and it was a really good night all round, not too much of a heavy one so that was good for our liver's ha ha!
13/02/10
Saturday today and we're off to a dam/lake with some of Steve and Kate's friends for a day of jetskiing and wakeboarding. We got there around 10 ish and it was a quick unpack, erect the gazebo and out on the water. We all had a go of Steve's new wakeboard, he bet me $50 I wouldn't be able to stand up on it so I was determined! It was really difficult and I must've swallowed half the lake but after a few goes and basically being dragged round the lake headfirst I started to get the hang of it, I even managed to stand up and stay up for a little while, it was brilliant! Simon had done a bit of wakeboarding before so he managed to get up and go round the lake a bit and of course Steve and Kate had a few good goes each. We all had a good thrash on the jetski as well before we left. The place where we were was stunning and it was a really great day. We were all aching on the way home and really tired so it was pizza and beer for tea and an early night! Brilliant day.
14/02/10
I can't move!! Oh my god I'm aching soooo much I can barely type but what a brilliant day it was, can't wait to go wakeboarding again! Couldn't have done much today if we'd tried, we went to the pool and sat in the hot tub for a while to try and ease our muscles!
15/02/10
Still aching! Simon wanted to go into the city today but we missed the train twice so I don't think it was meant to be! We went to Main Beach and had a swim (when I say swim I actually mean getting pummeled by waves for half an hour, I got smashed in the face and lost my sunnies!), Steve went for a bit of a surf, it was really windy and the umberella kept blowing away and we kept getting whipped by the sand so we decided the only thing we could do was go to the surf club for lunch. Me and Stev had the mother of all burgers and Simon had a massive fish and chips, we could hardly move after! We spent the rest of the day chillin by the pool.
16/02/10
Simon went with Steve on his way to work this morning so he definitely caught his train into the city. It was raining so I stayed in the apartment all day lazing around and watching T.V which was heaven! Steve came home around 13:30 and we assumed Simon would ring once he got back to the train station in Helensvale. We couldn't get hold of him and wondered how long he'd be when we turned on the news and saw that Brisbane CBD was flash flooding, the worst flood in 8 years! Cars were floating away, shops were flooded and then it said the trains had stopped running! I started to worry 'cause Simon still wasn't answering his phone and it was nearly 16:30. Eventually he rang and said he was drenched but o.k, we told him the trains had stopped so he needed to get a lift home with Kate. They both got home around 18:30 safe and sound!
17/02/10
Leaving tomorrow and I don't want to go! Steve had to go to work so me and Simon walked across the bridge for brekkie, it was expensive but worth it, it was real good! When Steve got back we went to Marina Keys for a few beers then met Kate and went to Red Rock for rib night, get in! We had a really nice meal, both times today! Back at S &K's it was time to pack for tomorrow.
18/02/10
Happy Birthday Dad!! Well I've got to leave today whether I like it or not! We've had a blast in Australia, the whole trip has been unbeliveably fantastic and I know we'll be going home with some amazing memories. This part of the trip has definitely been a highlight, we've seen more of Australia than most people who live here ha ha! I've loved every minute and I think it's had an effect on Simon too, I think it was completely different to what he had expected and he's had a great time!
Shed a tiny tear when I had to say bye to my bro but I'll have to start saving up when I get home to come back! Really looking forward to New Zealand though, let the adventure continue!!
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