The End of Fraser x

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25/01/09 = Beautiful Sights, Terrible Hangover

Ohhhh nooooo. Ohhhh noooo. Never drink again! Must never drink again!
Woke up totally disorientated and feeling absolutely rubbish! Had already got up at 4am for toilet (good job Marlin came with me, because was once again going to take dingos on on my own...idiot!), but when woke up again at 6am, definitely feeling worse! Felt totally sick, cramp in both legs and somehow had an inability to open eyes. Oh no, not again with the hangover thing! Everyone started getting up around 7, so I did too. Not good, not good at all. Forced some breakfast in and got a shower to make me feel better - none of them worked and had to crawl back on to grotty matress again (which, by the way, was totally disgusting and any sober person definitely would not sleep on it!) Deb and Hat laughed while telling me some of embarrassing things had down (including French exam in front of whole campfire) but was totally embarrassed and even more ashamed! Hate alcohol! Never get like this at home, why so bad out here? Is it the goon? Or can losing weight really make such a big difference to drinking capabilities? Anyway, doesn't matter, because never drinking again....definitely not goon anyway!

To make matters worse, was totally boiling outside, with not a cloud in sky - sure that was an extra punishment sent from God! Had to pack up more or less straight away. That was when noticed that we had loads of cutlery missing, especially cups. Because had been drinking with lots of other groups last night, must have all been sharing cups and now 10missing = not good, because all paid $10 deposit for crockery. Asked other groups, but no luck, so headed off for first stop of day = Eli Creek. Really impressed with Eli when got there. Was just a massive expanse of water running across beach and down to Ocean, but was so cold and totally refreshing when got in...especially for people feeling a little worse for wear. Had to walk all way to end of creek so that could float down it = what it is famous for. Hard work on the legs walking against the current, but floating down was really cool. Didn't work as well as should have done and had to puch self along a little, but still really cool. Got a bit tricky when more and more people came and had to float and dodge round them. Really glad we went and definitley made me feel a little better. Maybe healing water?

Big drive up the beach to Indian Head next, Deb driving. Sat in the back, still taking in the awesome beach driving view, but then half way there, took a turn for the worse...and I don't mean the car. Started feeling really ill. Oh no, not healing water afterall! Tried to just close eyes and forget about it - determined not to be ill- but couldn't fool myself, had to pull over car and be sick. Mortified! Got back in car with head hung in shame, but tummy feeling bit better after sickness. Spoke too soon...10mins later, started feeling really bad again. Managed to hold on until got to Indian Head, but then sick again. Oh no! Hate this! Again flet better after sickness and composed self long enough to look at Indian Head and be a little underwhelmed by it; was just a bit of land sticking out into sea. Then realised we had to climb it to look at view from above, which made more sense. Would have loved it on a normal day, but climb + ridiculous heat + pathetic hangover = certainty of sickness! Practically crawled up it, occasionally lifting head to admire view, and what an amazing view it was. Take back bad things said about Indian head because view from it was amazing. Could just see never ending coastline at both sides and the ocean was a beautiful mix of colours. Crawled to tip of head and view off it was even better. Was a sheer drop down and could spot animals below. We only managed to see stingrays (no turtles or sharks), but was still pretty cool. I was lucky to even see that, because after 2mins of sitting on cliff face, felt totally sick again! Had to crawl off to a nearby bush, get out another sickbag and be sick again - what a joke! Saw some of group starting to walk back down, so I headed down too. Wasn't really looking where going and ended up taking wrong turn and coming off onto opposite side of head. Had to walk all way back up hill again! God definitely punishing me for drink...I get it! Found everyone else there and walked the right way back to the truck then. They had some lunch, while I collapsed out in van...please go away hangover!

Champagne pools were on other side of Indian Head. 2 ways to get there = 45min walk or drive. Nobody wanted to walk (especially not me), but had been told by tour operator not to drive round, because was too much soft sand and could get stuck. Only one real option there = French guy driving our truck round for us...thanks Joe. Clung on in back, in one of most bumpy rides ever...really not good for sickness, but did get there alive (well, me barely). As soon as jeep stopped, felt sick again. Had to leave girls on walk there and duck into a nearby bush again. Come on....4 times! 'Av a word! Nothing left in me now, so will hopefully be the end of it! Dragged myself off to pools then and was really impressed by how good they looked; definitely worth the risk of driving! The rocks had divided off huge pools of crystal clear water and the Ocean was battering against them and throwing more water in. Looked amazing...spectacular, to use the Oz word. Seen so many amazing and unique things here.

Crawled into pools (about waist deep), passed all people (loads of people in, including a big group of guys who had created their own island and brought an eski full of beer - well prepared) and paddled over to girls. Couldn't get over clearness of water and cool to see fish swimming around us. Also fully understood name of Champagne pools when Ocean threw up spray over rocks. Had 1omins of quiet bobbing up and down in water, then sickness came back and had to depart again. Alcohol has ruined day! I should be next advert for anti-drinking campaign. Hat said I actually turned green! Crawled out, bumbled back up walkway and found a familiar bush again...I've seen more bushes than anything else today! Sick yet again, even though nothing left in frail, battered body. Then dragged slef back to jeep and collapsed in there again. Sleep was best thing for me. Had 30mins before everyone came back, then had to get off again. Didn't make it out of carpark without rushing to toilet one last time. Even ignored the giant and possibly poisonous spider as collapsed over toilet bowl again!

Journey to next campsite was long and painful. Closed my eyes for most of it and tried to find a happy place in my head. No longer appreciating the jeep driving. Found the Dundaberra campsite relatively easily and jumped out of van and to my next toilet bowl here. No comment! Laid down to have a nap again, but didn't last long because decided to move on. Dundaberra had a no noise curfew at 9pm, so opted for camping on beach instead; supposed to be better anyway because so many groups do it. Drove down to beach to find a good spot, but were too early and no-one there. After much discussion (which I obviously didn't contribute to...too near death), decided to go back to campsite to make dinner, then come back to beach later. This was when got good nap time. Everyone else went on shower and I flaked out in van for third time today. Had a solid 30min snooze and extactic to find that tummy starting to finally feel better when opened my eyes. Everyone had started cooking dinner when finally brave enough to lift head, so I muddled off to shower in hopes that would make me feel better still, or at least remove the smell of illness! Had to pay for shower, but was worth the $2. Smelt clean and felt better...didn't think the two would ever be possible again. Practically skipped out of shower with happiness and joined everyone else at dinner table. Boys were making spaghetti bolognaise (Joe a chef) and smelt lovely. Didn't know whether to eat anything so soon, but smelt so nice and Linda (Swedish girl) convinced me to try it. Good call Linda. Had to eat v.slowly, but was lovely. Even managed a small bit of seconds.

Since had been of no help at all for making dinner, volunteered to help wash up. Regretted that decision. Had to wash greasy, grimy plates with bare hands because no cloth. Disgusting. All bits of gross, leftover dinner floating round in washing up water and just had to put my hands in it and close my eyes. Don't know how I wasn't sick there and then. Please don't make me do that when I come home Mum...would take ironing over that! With semi-clean plates, went back to van then and drove to beach to try and find somewhere to camp for night; was already getting dark. Beach looked completely different and was nice to drive along...except for the part where Deb drove us into sea...that was a little on the scary side. Drove for quite a while along beach looking for other campers, and when finally spotted some lights, pulled along all other vans. Got out and started setting up camp straight away. Lucky that tents were so easy and only took us 10mins to do...and was actually straight and reasonably secure to ground. Was cool with all tents up; looked like a beach festival, with different groups having music and drinking. Our group soon got drinking then (no Mum, not me....I stuck to lemonade), got some yoga mats out and sat down in sand to chill. Had a good chat with all girlies (French guys not feeling too good and also not drinking) then headed off to bed at 10pm. All just so shattered. Had to go to toilet first (a.k.a. the sand...not pleasant), then rolled out the yoga mats. So uncomfy and could feel all bumps of sand underneath. Don't know how got to sleep - was really noisy outside too - but managed it nearly straight away. Really looking forward to feeling good in morning + really cool to be sleeping on beach and dozing off to sound of ocean (well...when people were quiet anyway).


26/01/09 Australia Day = Goodbye Fraser...& money deposits!

Opened eyes at 6am...do I feel well?....yeh! No more awful hangover and no more awful goon...definitely! Really needed toilet but not allowed to go on own because of dingos, so wriggled around for a while until Deb and Hat started stirring at 6:30. Wriggled our way out of tent and found a patch in sand - glamorous. Was really suprised to see how many people already awake...but all became clear 10mins later. On way back, took time to note how beautiful morning was and how lucky we were to wake up on such an amazing beach. French guys had been up since 5am and watched sunrise; wish had done that. They also saw a dingo. Would have liked to see a dingo, but from a great distance. One by one people started emerging out of cocoons and as poked head in tent to grab water, realised why everyone up so early. Tent now like a sauna and as scuttled in to collect water, dived out short of breath! So hot.

Had some breakfast then and got nice bowl of cornflakes and took it down to beachfront to eat whilst watching water. Sat there with Hat really peacefully for a while...until sandflies came and tried to attack us. Hate sandflies! They are really awful creatures that sting like wasps, but not by accident, they actually try to sting you. Been lucky so far because most other people been stung, but just kept using Oz flag to try and bat them away. God bless the Oz flag. Gulped down cereal and rushed back to tent area to escape horrid flies. Chatted to all gang waking up (poor Jo was feeling rough...hope not like me), Hat put sausages on and me and Deb started getting some of site packed up. Only took 15mins, so chilled in van for while, then everyone came in and we listened to music. Killing time because not supposed to set off until 11am due to tides, but by 9:30, fed up of wasting time, so just set off anyway; could see other people doing it. Was v.little beach available to drive on, but managed and still found it really cool. Novelty not worn off yet, but maybe will never get chance to do anything like that again?

First stop today = Lake Wabby = along 75mile beach like everything else. Steady driving (not counting the ditch/creek that slammed into with a bit of force) and still cool. Each of us had some pretty close shaves while driving, but only adds to fun. I nearly had head on collision with another van on my drive! Was a bit risky with tide, so had another stop at Eli Creek. Was much less busy today and managed to do a really good float pretty much all way down it; is much easier/better to float on back. Had 30mins at creek, then back on journey to Wabby. Didn't take long to get there, but had a 30min walk through forest before got to lake. Not a bad walk - bit hot though - and can't say was overly impressed when arrived at lake. Did look nice, but not as nice as Lake Mackenzie and no walk involved in that. Had all presumed that since had to walk to this one, would be the best lake, so expectations too high. Wabby was green...not turqoise green, but murky crocodile green. In fact, looked like just the kind of place a croc would live. Contemplated for all of 3secs, but so hot from walk that got straight in anyway. Could see loads of big catfish in water, so got out really excited that might finally be able to use snorkel. Bought snorkel in Thailand, been lugging it around for literally months and still haven't had chance to use it since Thailand. Strapped myself in and dived back in water. Total disappointment to find water not only looked murky, but actually was so murky that couldn't see hand 10cm away from face. What a waste! Tried going out a bit further with Hat, but still no luck, and when one of girls shouted snake, swam out sharpish. Creepy watersnakes!

Didn't have long to spend at lake because of long walk back to van and then another stop at Lake Mackenzie; all wanted to see Mackenzie in sunshine. I tottled over dune hill just to check what was at other side and 2guys recommended we walk that way back because much quicker. Follwed their advice and all headed over dunes. Was really hard work on legs because of steep dunes and softness of sand = sinking. At least had some good exercise today; Wabby was tough on legs too. As trekked further over sand, it got hotter and softer...probably why itinerary said to walk through forest. Was glad when walk over because sun unbearably hot. Did turn out to be a shorter walk at just 20mins, but brought us out further down beach, so had to walk up it for another 10mins just to get to car. In desperate need of water! Glad did walk that way in end though because Hat found a perfectly preserved seahorse. Never seen one before, dead or alive and was really cool. Wanted to take it with us, but everything on beach protected, so had to leave it 😞

Van in sight and started to get v.excited for water. Unbelievable that ran into Ian again just as got there. Really nice to see him, but so desperate for water that could barely form conversation. Had quick chat, but then had to steal away to van. Quick drink, then set off to Lake Mackenzie already pushed for time. Swapped drivers from Hat to Catherine (Scottish girl...well...Irish actually, but worked in Scotland and definite Scottish accent, so Scottish for all intents and purposes of blog) and she found it quite tough, bless her. All found it really funny though, especially when driving through jungle and kept rolling backwards down hills. V.funny...except for when other drivers were behind us. Was much harder to drive through forest than on beach though. Took a lifetime to get to Mackenzie even though only 11kms away. Just have to drive so slowly through jungle. All annoyed when got out of van and was grey sky again, but had driven all this way, endured more bruises on bum and back, so definitely going to see it. Rushed quickly down (looked as beautiful as ever), admired view and splashed in water, then rushed back to truck. Was already 1:45 and ferry leaving at 2:30. 10km drive to ferry and if last 11km were anything to go by, would never make it on time. Catherine had to put foot down and was much quicker journey with all our fingers crossed (well..when not holding on anyway). Relieved when arrived to a big queue of jeeps waiting. Joined queue and jumped out. Even more excited when realised had enough time to eat. Totally starving. The removal of all foods from belly yesterday meant on a definite re-feed today. Got everything off roof and had lovely sandwiches and crisps. Would have been perfect had I not tried to eat orange too. Took me 10mins to peel giant orange and incurred several injuries along way. Injuries included: slipping and digging nail in own hand, several squirts of orange juice into eyes (both), sore nails from digging in. Result: A totally dry orange, with not even a ml of juice in it! Gutted!

By time had packed up lunch, queue started moving and all headed towards ferry. Again, didn't envy poor Catherine having to drive on into such a small space...especially in a monster truck like ours. She did it though. All got onto ferry then and said goodbye to Fraser Island. Up onto top deck again and even though was boiling hot, still stood at edge for animal spotting. Same result as journey there = no tiger sharks, but plenty of jellyfish. Was a short 30min journey, with lots of singing and chanting for Australia Day. All in a cheery mood until reversing off and awful old man from our tour company stopped us and started shouting at us. Had not yet locked wheels and he was screaming that we were going to break car. Demanded that we do it there and then, suspended at top of bridge, so we did it. He walked away and ferry man started shouting at us for stopping in such a stupid place...you can't win! Not suprising that both of know it all, shouting people were men! Couldn't even get car right anyway, so old guy had to stop shouting and do it in end. Then had to follow old grouch back to hostel = where got really funny. Driving along (should have been easy now on normal land) and could hear clatter of roof, but all still singing to music. All stopped when saw giant piece of material slide down back window and then fly off in wind. Looked properly out of window to see other jeep stopped 600m back, in middle of road, furiously flashing lights at us. Realised then that roof cover had come off and must have been a sleeping bag that flown away. Now, sleeping bags = $12 deposit each and since already lost deposits for cutlery, couldn't afford to lose that one too. Deb got straight out and sprinted down road for it. Only made it even funnier when she came back with a whole crate of sleeping bags...the whole crate had fallen off roof and we hadn't even heard/noticed it because listening to music. Now become clear how managed to lose so much cutlery. Laughed for most of journey home, also wondering what else may have lost?...maybe no deposits back?

Got back and van was so messy that asked for 10mins to sort everything out. Cute kid Alex was there to clean it and gave us our 10mins; needed to try and organise all cutlery, crockery & sleeping bags to assess damage. Needn't have bothered, old man came along, did a quick count and said that was 'fine'. Don't know how that worked out. Had lost at least 10 cups, not to mention copious amounts of knives and forks. Didn't argue though. Got all deposits back...awesome. Checked in at hostel, dumped our bags, quickly sorted smelly clothes, then got lovely shower. Finally got rid of all lumps of sand stuck to body, only lumps from mosquito bites left now.. Hate mosquitoes! Had a nice relax on bed for a while, then headed out for food. Should really have been a big night out for Australia Day, but all so tired that couldn't face it. Could face food though, and got incredibly excited when found a chinese 'All you can eat' - am on the re-feed afterall. Ate and ate until tummy could stretch no more. Was v.nice. Scottish girls came down to meet us and went for quick drink in nearby bar. Couldn't face alcohol and all ended up getting soft drinks - hardcore! Took all effort just to stay awake and after 30mins with eyes propped open, finally headed back to hostel. Not a v.exciting Australia Day, but not really a good atmosphere here either. Would be much better in a city - Sydney probably crazy right now. Said our goodbyes to girls, walked back and encountered Swedish girls and French guys on way. Had another quick chat (more forced eye opening) then finally finally scuttled off to bed. Deb used internet, Hat made phonecall, but all I could manage was a teeth brushing. Literally fell asleep as soon as head hit pillow. Was awake just long enough to appreciate that had whole room to myslef...what a luxory!

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Photos

The Ladies do Eli
V.exciting

View from Indian Head
Awesome

The end of Indian Head
I don't feature in any of these photos for obvious reasons. Hat said I was actually green....and not in the beautiful way this water is!

Setting up the tents
V.easy actually...even we managed.

Breakfast on the beach
Just stunning x

Mr trying to float
...not as successful as Hat.

Snorkelling Lake Wabby
...lasted all of 5mins!