Mackay/Fraser Island

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July 20th 2008

Published: July 20th 2008

Ok back in business

Mackay then last sunday, we arrived back at Brian's house after a tour of the beautiful town and harbour, which is totally gorge, to a massive BBQ, his workmates were there and of course the neighbours got involved, everyone was coming in and out, typical aussie way of life... loads to drink and eat, we loved it! Emma's fave were the chilli prawns but I think Brian's tandoori lamb was pretty special.

The next day the boys, James and Robert, were off school so we went with them and 3 of their mates to play football at the local AFL ground - oh that was funny, I was so knackered from running around and trying to tackle tiny kids but I did enjoy being bigger than them and being able to bounce them off my ass. We had a great day with them and spent the eve drinking and with spiderman 3 - bliss.

On tues we headed into Mackay town for a bit of an explore - but basically we ended up having lunch at this chain called 'the cheesecake shop' my god it is the best cake i've ever tasted, we each had a mini cheesecake and it changed my life. In the aft the sun had come out so we bathed in their back garden. Brian and Lisa took us to a hotel over looking this gorgeous beach, dolphin heads, in the eve and we looked at some of their pics of south africa and some of Sid in his younger days!!

Weds was a complete washout so we indulged in DVDs and being in a beautiful home. Our bus was due to leave at 8.20 that night but didn't arrive till 9.30 - that was crap but luckily the bus driver was a legend and made up the time so we could leave on our trip the next morning at 7am to Fraser Island.

Fraser Island is where we have spent 3 days and 2 nights camping and it really was one of the best things we've done in Oz. We arrived after a sleepless night on the bus to a Hitler-type woman screaming at us to get in our groups, get sleeping bags, sort alcohol/food etc - it was all a bit overwhelming. Anyway we were in Team B - woop woop (Team A turned out to be royal knobheads) and there were 10 of us in a 4x4. 3 American lads, Dave from Luton, Rod and Jess - medics from Cardiff, Laura a lovely girl from Manchester and Yvonne a bit of a crazy german. 2 of us went off shopping and the rest of us had to watch these diabolical safety videos on camping and driving in fraser - not the dream when you are knackered. When the shoppers arrived back we realised we had food for about 50,000 people but then i guess better to be well fed than starving! We packed up the 4x4 with tents/bags etc and set off to the ferry terminal. Journalists were following us on the first day just to see how backpackers do it but they didn't really bother us so that was good.

For the whole time on Fraser the sun shone and I honestly think that makes a massive difference, it is a sand island and everything is outdoors so we were very very lucky in that respect - esp. with the camping! We got a ferry over and the drivers then take it in turns to drive round. On the first day we headed out to Lake Wabby, a huge freshwater lake with tons of catfish in it surrounded by one side with rainforest and huge sand dunes on the other. We also went to Eli Creek, the Mahone shipwreck and colourful pinnacles - this was all on the eastern side of the island. We had to set up camp before darkness (at 5pm winter stylee) and Em and I made brews while the lads put the tents up.. good bargain. That eve drinking games and BBQ were the order of events and we had such a laugh - the best rule ever was introduced to ring of fire which involved saying 'in my ass' after every sentence, honestly i know it sounds childish but it was hilarious and did not get old - 'dave its your turn... in my ass.' hahahahahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhha.
Sorry.

2nd day we left earlier than recommended (who cares if we get stuck in the tide hey?!) and went out to Indian head - these were huge rocks that you had to climb up but once you got there, what a phenomenal view - overlooking the whole of the island onto crystal clear sea so that you could see whales - oh yes a whale jumped and waved with its tail at us, i thought we were on blue planet, dolphins, manta rays - it was so peaceful and relaxing sitting up there.

After this we had a bit of a diversion while the boys tied a boogie board to the back of the 4x4 and surfed around until they fell flat on their faces, v.amusing and other backpackers watched on jealously! The champagne pools were the next stop and these were pools formed by rocks set off just infront of the ocean where waves break into them so hard they create a bubbling effect - we swam in there for longer as it was much warmer than the lake and chilled out with mark's ipod on speakers for the afternoon before heading back to camp and having a pretty similar evening to the night before - drinking and bbq.

Such an early start on the final day - 5am, seriously Laura was trying to convince us that if we went back to sleep no-one would get up.... but this day was not to be missed! We saw the sun rise which was so gorgeous and went first thing to Lake Boomajin which was beautiful but everyone was still pretty tired and quite unappreciative. Then onto Lake Birrabeen - amazing, silica pure white sand and crystal clear water as far as the eye could sea, completely unspoilt and only us 10 there. Water was icy but so refreshing once you were in - i got sandfly bitten, standard. AFter lunch we went onto Lake McKenzie, the island's most famous lake and this was just like Birrabeen but loads more white sand so loads more people there filling in the space. Headed back to Hervey bay on the mainland that eve and we all ate together again - we even saw the lads from our dorm in Airlie Beach which was good!

Now I am on today which has been very random, we got up early and headed to rainbow beach, so called beacuse the cliffs have a rainbow effect, got off the bus at 10ish booked into a hostel and went straight to the beach, the sun was shining v. hot and we went into the ocean - oh yes we could swim in the sea woop woop!! At around 11.30 though the clouds descended with no sign of lifting so we went back to the hostel checked out, got our money refunded and got on the next bus to Noosa Heads which is where we are now awaiting Australia STeve IRwin Zoo tomorrow morn!! Very decisive of us....

Well thank god for that,
I really have to write more often cuz i forget stuff otherwise.
Anyhoooo love to you all xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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