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Published: January 31st 2008
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Kroombit ranch
Learning to fire a rifle - would you trust me, really?! Well its only been a week or so since the last email, but it seems like a lifetime. We've had so many great new experiences over the last week.
After leaving Airlie beach it was on to Kroombit, a working cattle station further down the coast but much more in-land. It was an awesome experience being able to stay on the ranch, and while there we were able to try lots of new things, including being taught how to crack a whip (apparently i have a gift, lol), how to ride a mechanical bull (you know the one, try to buck you off and twist you around), and the next day were even able to take part in our own goat rodeo. This involved literally chasing a goat around the pen, thowing it down on the ground and then pretending to brand it, all in a group of 3. Needless to say, a lot of hilarious antics followed. I was also given the opportunity to fire my first rifle, which i loved (beware!). I managed to get 2 of 5 clay pigeons, which i guess isnt bad for a first-timer. But the recoil was so hard on me that it literally
Our 4X4 on Fraser!
Our sexy 4X4 (many bumpy experiences) blew my ear-protectors off each time. Ross managed to catch all this on film, which i'm sure will do the rounds at some point - it looks much more painful that it actually was!
After Kroombit it was another 8 hr drive back onto and down the coast to Hervey Bay, our embarking point for Fraser Island, the largest sand island in the world at 120km long, and definately one of the highlights of OZ for us so far. It was another 6am start the day we went off to Fraser, and the 4 of us (Rob, Ross, myself and our friend Phil) were promptly placed with a group of 6 Canadians who we'd be sharing our 4X4, tents, food, and cooking equipment with for the next 3 days. So after a dash to the supermarket for the essentials - food, beer and pleanty of 'goon' (CHEAP Aussie wine in bags) we headed for the ferry to Fraser. Driving across the island is an absolute nightmare. In our huge 4x4 we were thrown from our seats constantly as we hit huge potholes driving through the rainforest. But getting to the lakes in-land made it so worth-while. Lake Mackenzie and Lake
Lake Wabby
My favourite lake on Fraser Island Wabby are stunning. Lake Wabby was my favourite. Surrounded by sand dunes as high as hills on every side, it appears out of no-where, and you can literally roll down the dunes into the lake. Just amazing.
Once we got to the beach though the driving became much easier. The beach is treated the same as a highway on Fraser, so you can travel fast and easily. But you def dont want to try to sunbathe on it! At night we camped out on the beach, and waking up to the ocean each morning was a pretty good start to the day! Nights mostly involved getting wasted on awful wine and playing drinking games. We were so lucky with the guys we were with - Hayley, Adam, Crystal, Emily, Jill and Garrett - they were so much fun and we all bonded pretty quickly. So much so we were crowned honary Canadians the night we got back from our trip and given little Canadian flag pins to wear on the rest of our travels - v priviledged! We saw a lot of wildlife while on the island, including Guanas (monitor lizards), snakes, and cuckaburras. You have to be very aware
Fraser Island crew!
4 Brits + 6 Canadians = awesome times! of dingoes on the island though, who, whilst protected because of their pure breed, are also scavengers and can become quite aggressive. For that reason any food had to be locked up each night in the van. At one of the lakes a dingo came out of no-where, started sniffing around bags along the beach, then up and left with one into the forest whose owner was swimming in the lake, totally unaware! While it wasnt much fun for the owner, it was the funniest thing to watch. She did get her bag back eventually, but strangely missing the candy bar she'd had in it.
After saying good bye to our Canadian crew at Hervey Bay it was back on the bus down again, and we spent Australia Day at Rainbow Beach, the journey for which was spent getting wasted on the bus on (slightly better) wine and singing lots of bad kareoke. It was only a short stay, and the next morning it was on to Brisbane (Bris-Vegas as its known to locals!), where we've been staying with family friends a bit further out, in the sticks. They have been so great to stay with, and its made a
Australia Day
Getting drunk on the OZ Bus on our way to Rainbow beach huge change to be back in a family-home for a bit. Rob and i have been homeless for nearly 3 months now! It also helps that they have kangaroos in their backgarden, which covers 17 acres, and the most spectacular views from their house which is perched on top of a hill, with Brisbane in the distance. While we are in the pool or eating out on the patio the kangaroos will jump or sit and watch you from about 10 feet away, its just incredible. They even have eagles here that apparently often perch in the trees metres from the house, a large as small children, but we unfortunately haven't been graced with their presence while we've been here, which is a shame. OZ really does live up to its rep for wildlife, thats for certain!
We leave Brissie tomorrow, on to Surfers Paradise for a few days, but not before throwing ourselves down a hill in a huge plastic ball tomorrow afternoon, an activity otherwise known as zorbing. Bring it on!
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