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Hello Everybody,
I only just realised it has been over a month since I updated this thing and thought you might all be missing me!!
So when I left you last I had arrived in Surfers Paradise for a brief stay and must say I was pleasantly surprised. The place is more of a resort than a backpacker place and could have been anywhere in the world but I stayed in a fantastic hostel with some really friendly people so had a great time.
So after my nice little break in Surfers I jumped on the Oz bus to Brsbane and met up with Ciara from Coffs Harbour for a bit of a catch up, always nice to see a familiar face. We stayed in Fortitude Valley which was my home last time I was here and spent Xmas and New Year here, must admit it has changed alot. After doing the tourist bit and having a wander round I soon got my barings again. When I was last here the valley was a rough part of town and not very desirable, now it appears to be the place to live and the old hostel has been turned into a stunning bar/restaraunt. Brought back alot of good memories though of hedge driving, watching sunsets, dead possums and generally getting uptro mischieve.
Whikst there I also visited the Koala sanctuary and fed some kangaroo's and got me pic taken with Theresea the koala bear, think she had a little thing for me the saucy little minx!!
I didn't really enjoy the hostel though and a nasty chest cold I had picked up never helped, so I cut my stay in Brisbane short and headed to Noosa for a bit of down time and recuperation. I love Noosa, such a lovely little town and very rich!! The hostel was lovely this time and the perfect place to chill out. I pretty much spent my time there chilling out on the beach, eating well and going for walks. When on one of said walks, I stumbled across and nudist beach, which as is always the case was just full of old men in the nude wearing bumbags!!
After feeling fully recovered from my illness I headed back out on the road to Hervey Bay to start my Fraser Island tour. I missed Fraser Island last time, but everyone always raved about it so was really looking forward to it. Unfortunately it didn't meet my expectations. My tour group were nice enough but not the most lively bunch!! The first day we headed out to Basin Lake and Lake Mackenzie. I had a little swim in Lake Mackenzie, but it was freezing cold and couldn't put up with it for too long. We got back to the lodge about tea time so I decided to start in on the goon, which proved a good idea!! Went for dinner with everyone and smuggled me goon into the bar and ended up pretty drunk. I do recall dancing on the tables at one point and then on me way back to the lodge took a sideways stumble into a load of bushes and down a bank and apparently came running out shouting 'is there anything on me??' in a very manly manner!!
Next day was up for a stone cold cooked breakfast and headed back out. Today the weather was terrible and couldn't experience much really. We went to the Mohena wreck and the pinnacles, but mist people couldn't wait to get back on the bus due to the awful weather. On the way to the champagne pools the bus driver managed to get bogged 4 times and we had to get off the bus in the end for him to keep trying!! We made it in the end. I was disappointed with the champagne pools, not what I expected at all and due to the weather we couldn't really have a dip. We headed up to Indian Heads to do some shark and whale watching, but again the weather meant we couldn't see anything and it was raining!! We had some lunch and headed to Eli Creek which was stunning. I put me swim shorts on and waded down it taking some pics. Then we went dingo spotting and saw 3, but they are just dogs really aren't they? don't see what all the fuss is about!!
Got back and jumped in the heated jacuzzi and had another awful meal. No one was really drinking that night so headed to bed early. The next day we had a look at the sand bars and a few more lakes before jumping the ferry back that night.
Got to Hervey Bay, but it did nothing but rain and that has been the theme of the weather for me pretty much since then. I swear it doesn't feel like I am in Oz at the moment with the weather.
Got on the Oz bus to 1770 and as we were going along realised that the trailer door had opened and someone's bag had fallen out!! So we headed back to try and find it, but couldn't so had to carry on. As you can imagine the person whose bag it was was less than impressed!!
So got to 1770, which is a tiny little town but lovely to walk round and a nice beach. I caught up with Nicci and Alan who were in their campervan of love. After a walk around we had a few drinks and had some happy cookies I had from Nimbin. I went to their campervan site which was about 20 minute walk from my hostel, but the campsite itself was pitch black. After a lovely Chilli cooked by Nicci was consumed we had a fair bit of drink, caught up and played some cards. When it was time for me to go I was quite smashed and drunk and decided I could find my way out with nothing more than the light from my mobile!! Big mistake, I got lost at the first fork in the road and had visions of been lost in the bush!! It took me twice as long but finally made it back.
Next day we had a BBQ lunch which was lovely and did the scooteroo, which puts you on a 50cc chopper and head out in convoy. There was 30 of us in total and I was at the front for a good while, but as soon as we could overtake the more powerful backs overtook me, mine rattled like crazy as soon as I hit 70kph, I'm sure alot of nthe girls got a cheap thrill out of it!! But was a fun day. Then that night had a few farewell droinks with Nicci and Alan.
I then headed to Kroombit cattle station with the Oz experience. Had some lovely steak there and after chilling out, headed out to do some clay pigeon shooting and the goat rodeo. I was first up to do the clay pigeon shooting and reckon that is why I never hit anything!! The 4 girls who followed me got 2-3!! We then all split into teams of 3 and had to get a male goat out of the pen which had not been castrated and pretend to brand it. It was my job to grab the goat and even though I checked it it turned out it had been castrated!! Oops. So had to run in and get another. It was all in good fun and I made sure I washed my hands afterwards!!
That night we had dinner and a few drinks, had a go at whip cracking which I was shockingly inconsistent at. Then came the mechanical bull, the girls rodeo was won with 25 bucks, I won the male one with 5 bucks!! But managed to win a prize and then played a few drinking games.
The next day we hit the very bumpy dirt track out of Kroombit and headed to Rockhampton to change buses. It was here that we all had a very near miss. At the first set of traffic lights the driver hit the brakes when it went red and we went straight through it and were lucky not to hit anyone or anything. Then for the next 2 hours 14 or so of us cramped into a garage break room and played games waiting for the bus to get fixed.
Eventually I arrived in Airlie Beach and checked into the hostel I had previosuly stayed at on my last visit. The place has not changed in the slightest and I mean that in the literal sense. But is still a nice hostel. The weather was still pretty rubbish though.
I had to wait 4 days to get onto the Clipper to do my Whitsundays tour, but due to the weather was pretty much tied to the hostel for those 4 days.
When I eventually got on the clipper I must say I had the the best time. I met some great people and had an absolute ball. The weather wasn't the greatest and the wind blew 2 of my t-shirts over which are now claimed by the sea!! But had a nice meal and got chatting to everyone and ended up hammered after playing some drinking games. I was in a cabin with 2 Brazilian guys who sadly remember me getting up at 4 am to go for a piss and getting lost,I couldn't find the toilet at first and when I did I forgot whch cabin I was in and had to open a few doors before fidning the right one!!
The next day the weather was still pretty poor, but we headed to Whitehaven beach for a wander. Got some good pics and had a laugh with everyone. After lunch we heaed out to a spot to do some snorkelling and diving. Since I wasn't going to see the reef I decided against the diving and couldn't be bothered to snorkel, so stayed onboard and chilled out with a few folks. I was planning on going off the dive board and slide, but just as I was going to get my stinger suit on they stopped us from using it, my new Irish friends had jumped off and got caught in a current and had to be rescued!!
They opened the beer fridge at 4 and so we began the cycle again!! After catching the sunset and having a lovely feed the partying and drinking games started!! We had a fancy dress party on the boat and and got pretty wasted. I only lasted till 1am and crashed out. Was a good night though.
The next day I was feeling a wee bit rough I have to admit and wasn't much fun on the boat till we got back to shore.
That night I headed out with my new found boat buddy's for a few drinks. Now anyone who knows me will tell you I don't do shot's, but whilst at the bar Ciara suggested we should do one and we both requested a pleasant shot from the barman. Now his idea of a nice shot was blatantly very different to ours, I nearly coughed up a lung and was fighting the urge not to throw up for the rest of the night, Ciara only managed half before she ran to the toilet spewing into her hands and knocked her friends out the way getting to the toilet!! But once again it was a fantastic night.
I then headed to Townsville to catch up with my family whom I stayed with in Tully when I was last here. Desley picked me up from the ferry terminal and looked great. We shot over to Renee's who was just a teenager when I saw her last and is now a mother of 3 characters who are great fun. I also met her other half Glenn, who introduced me to oyster shots, which contain a real oyster!! Was surprisingly nice. Was great catching up with them and didn't feel like we hadn't seen each other for so long.
That night I went out for a nice meal with Desley and Ian and had a few schooners of beer. Had a walk round a night market as well which was just finishin. Headed home and watched a bit of telly when Desley fell asleep mid-sentence!! I hope it wasn't my company!!
The next day I was taken on a tour of Townsville, but got turned back from Castle Hill due to a bush fire. We went to the National Museum which was really good. Had a nice pub lunch and continued our tour. That night we went to Renee's for a lovely BBQ dinner and more oyster shots!!
And this could well be the highlight for me, by pure chance 'The Captains Tour' which consisted of Andy and Johnathon Hillstrand and Sig was in town. Glenn was going with his mates and invited me along and it was awesome. Afterwards we headed out to the casino to finish the night off, sadly we didn't win big!! Well I never actually put a bet on!!
WAs sad to leave the next day and was well and truly spoilt by them all again and one day hope to repay the favour.
Which brings me to my current location Cairns. Once again the weather has been crasp, but really enjoyed the last leg of my Oz experience, there were only 3 of us on the bus, plus 3 guides so had a good laugh. I am not to fussed on the hostel again, alrthough it does cheap food and drink there is no common area and it's not very friendly. I'll be here till I fly out on Sept 20th to start my new adventure in New Zealand.
Hope you enjoy the blog and chat soon,
Mup
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