Day 112: Friday, March 19th, 2010. Port Stephens (Shoal Bay) to Sydney, Australia. Per the Contiki Brochure, "This morning you can join our optional dolphin cruise tour and get up close to some bottlenose dolphins, or choose our sand-boarding optional and hit the massive dunes. It’s onto Sydney. From the high-energy downtown area to its popular beaches, Sydney has something for everyone. Get familiar with the city on a sightseeing tour with your Tour Manager. First up, we head into the historic district where you’ll get an overview of the glistening harbour from Mrs Macquarie’s Chair, a famous sandstone seat carved by convicts. You’ll soon understand why this is one the world’s most beautiful harbour cities. See the sails of the UNESCO World Heritage listed Sydney Opera House and the iconic Harbour Bridge and maybe even ... read more

Day 110: Wednesday, March 17th, 2010. Surfers Paradise to Coff's Harbor (Surf Village), Australia. Per the Contiki Brochure, "This morning, we visit the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, where you’ll get up close to Australia’s amazing native animals. Cuddle a koala, feed the kangaroos and see wombats, emus, crocodiles, dingoes, Tasmanian devils and colourful birds. You can feel good about doing this too, as our visits to this not-for-profit organisation go towards the sanctuary’s animal hospital and help over 4000 injured animals every year. Next up: gorgeous Byron Bay. With a laid-back lifestyle, cute little shops, organic food, alternative therapies and around 30km of pretty beaches, it’s a must see. Byron Bay is also known for its incredible marine life. Head out to Cape Byron, Australia’s most easterly point and see dolphins and h... read more

Day 108: Monday, March 15th, 2010. Fraser Island to Surfers Paradise, Australia. Per the Contiki Brochure, "There’s more time to explore Noosa this morning, so take a stroll through the shops or sunbathe and swim at the beach before we make our way south. We also stop off in Brisbane today. You’ll get a feel for the capital of Queensland’s laid-back atmosphere when we have a look around town. There’s an opal presentation here where you’ll learn all about Australia’s national gemstone. Have a go at rock-cracking and maybe even pick up a piece of opal to take back home. Tonight, we pull into legendary Surfers Paradise, the Gold Coast’s party hot spot and home to some of the best surfing beaches in the world. Grab some of your new friends and join the party atmosphere ... read more

Day 106: Saturday, March 13th, 2010. Rockhampton to Fraser Island, Australia. Per the Contiki Brochure, "We drive back out to the coast this morning after breakfast and jump on board a ferry. Enjoy the cruise out to famous Fraser Island, where we’ll stay at an eco-lodge for our time here. Each cabin has its own kitchenette and living room, as well as a balcony - perfect for hanging out & watching the sunset. Tonight, feast on our included buffet dinner at the Dingo Bar with the group and follow it up with some dancing or even karaoke." We got to Fraser Island and my heart sunk at the site of more bunk beds. We were staying at the Kingfisher Bay Resort but we were in the hostel portion of the hotel (which was very far away ... read more

Day 104: Thursday, March 11th, 2010. Whitsundays, Australia. Once again I was happy to wake up to sunrise so that the sleepless night could end. We ate breakfast and headed over to Blue Pearl Bay where we did some more snorkeling. Then, we had lunch and The Broomstick headed over to Sunlovers Bay and Daydream Island (where we'd be dropped off.) They rolled out the sails and the boat was tipping so much that myself and Alana were gripping for our lives because we had chosen our seats poorly and we were trying to sit on a cooler as the boat tipped about 75 degrees. It was crazy, but awesome. The crew started playing the "Top Gun" soundtrack as we neared the island and it was very fitting. ... read more