Australia in a nutshell – Part I

Coming to the conclusion that I am too far behind on this blog in relation to our time in Australia I have decided to provide a summarised version of events. This has been brought on by the fact that we are now in Asia and have found our time here so far to be much more of a cultural change and have much more to write about compared to that of Aus. So here are weeks 5 and 6 from Aus:

Saturday January 22^nd – Woke up again with the stench of garlic…conclusion = the French couple. Headed up the coast to Noosa where having been drenched on short walk to hostel (although Soph stayed dry) we met up with Phil and Jude again for a few drinks.

Jan 23^rd – Went into the town in the morning before heading to the beach in the afternoon. In the evening we went to an Italian whilst England lost another ODI.

Soph with her attempted surfing

Jan 24^th – Our last full day in Noosa spent mostly learning how to surf - 3 hour morning surf lesson followed by a few more hours by ourselves. Unlike the wakeboarding we both managed to stand up although Soph preferred to use the ‘Surf Board’ to body/kneel board back in to shore!

Me riding a wave...sort of!

Jan 25^th – Set off to Rainbow beach where we went to the beach in the afternoon before having a few drinks in the evening with people at the hostel, after a short, steep walk to a sand dune where we failed to “sand board” but did get some decent photos.

Phot from the dunes

Jan 26^th – Australia Day, thus we again went to the beach for a few hours before a meeting to sort out arrangements for our Fraser Island trip the next day. With 30 people signed on to the 4x4 Tag-Along Tour (yes the lamest name a tour could ever have), we were split into 4 groups – me and Soph grouped with 5 Northern Irish and a Dutch girl (who over the next few days we found out to be a bit of an oddball). Amusingly the chap outlining the rules and regulations of the trip was somewhat reminiscent of a hobo - dirty yellow teeth, a dishevelled overgrown beard, and long sweaty hair. He kept on reminding us that each vehicle was equipped with a “Dick Stick” to hit anyone acting in such a way, whilst reiterating the “Peace and Love” we should have for one another as well as that his cars which were his “babies” – “You look after my babies, and they’ll look after you.”

Our 4x4

Jan 27^th – Our convoy of 4x4’s set off on our 3 day tour of Fraser Island – the largest sand island in the world…fact! Driving along the beach and along sandbanks we visited a few sights, including Lake McKenzie, before setting up camp for the night. A great night as a good group of us got rather banjaxed! As the night eventually came to an end – late on for some but not for others, as the beers sent me to sleep a few hours prematurely (as Dan – another Irish guy - continued to point out for the remainder of the trip).

The Crystal waters of Lake Mckenzie

Jan 28^th – With the much of the morning spent at Eli Creek playing volleyball we eventually set off to the champagne pools and Indian Head before arriving back at camp for another night of antics. Beforehand of course the ‘oddball’ Dutch girl asked our tour leader if she could move camps as she was the only one not drinking and moaned that we had been too noisy the night before (bear in mind she was in bed by 8). Having had our dinner cooked by Dino – our Indonesian Chef for the night (whose name we sang to the tune of Ruby – Kaiser Chiefs) we were inundated with dingo’s stealing bin bags with empty cans. Funny for most however, as warned by Merve (the hobo), it was nearly time for the use of the dick stick as one very annoying English lad thought it would be funny every time to chase after them. This may sound slightly harsh of me to indeed portray him as a dick, however over the few days on Fraser, he had become a constant annoyance for all, “I could drive better than any of you on sand” – yet he was under the age of 21 so unfortunately was too young to do so…shame.

Just a few of the dingo pack

Jan 29^th – The final morning in Fraser Island and the majority of the group nursing rather severe hangovers, therefore the Dutch girl put up her hand to offer to drive – and that was quite something in itself, to say we were worried for our lives would be an understatement. When we arrived back at Rainbow beach the majority of us had a barbecue cooked again by chef Dino before heading to our neighbouring hostel for a party!



After the barbecue

Jan 30^th – The dingo pack (named as Fraser is full of wild dingos) was broken up as most went separate ways – ourselves heading North to Agnes Water (Town of 1770).

Jan 31^st – Woke up to news Cyclone Yasi, this one expected to be Category 5 and thus all buses further north were cancelled. We had planned to do a Scooteroo tour in 1770 and then head north to Airlie Beach on an overnight bus however since the buses were cancelled, we rearranged our Scooteroo for the next day as a number of the dingo pack had called to say they were coming up.

February 1^st - Wes, Rochelle, Kieran, Ida and Fil arrived in 1770 the previous night so a few of us headed into town for another surf lesson – reported by the instructor to be their last for days as tides were expected to rise in anticipation of Yasi. Following the lesson we nipped to the booze shop and smuggled some goon into our non bring-your-own alcohol hostel. In the afternoon we all set off on our Scooteroo tour of the town where we rode on scooters which had been converted into Choppers – a great laugh and great sights as we saw wild kangaroos as well as an immaculate sunset.

Me and Soph looking rather cool!

February 2^nd – Wes and Rochelle left early in the morning heading south. In the evening we had hotdogs followed by poker…but not for money of course.

February 3^rd – As we had found out we couldn’t head North until the evening of the fifth, and by now realising how limited 1770 was, (hence the lack of events yesterday) we spent most of the day sorting through photos (exciting aye). Soph went to the beach with Ida and Fil before we played poker in the evening, however this time for money…and fortunately enough yours truly was the victor - $15!

February 4^th – Me and Kieran hired surf boards in the morning. In the evening our hostel presented a Scooteroo tattoo party for all the hostels in town and Soph won the competition for most tattoos on one arm, earning a free T-shirt.

And this girl won a trip to Fraser Island for having most tattoos on her body - over 350!

February 5^th – Finally our last day in Agnes Water, and what a relief it was, stuck in a town with a tiny supermarket, no bars and no fast-food was somewhat of a nightmare. As me, Soph (still scratching her tattoos off), Kieran and Ida set off North on the overnight bus to Airlie Beach along with Stephanie and Mark – the Canadian couple we first met in Surfers Paradise.