Australia: part 1

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11/01/08 Days 1-53
We landed in Brisbane at around 7am, and the Customs search was really strict, they even checked all our shoes for contamination, Bretts trainers even got steralised (surprise). Two very long hours later we caught a train to the domestic terminal to get the connecting flight to Cairns.
We both said how much it felt like we had just landed back in England, the landscape look similar along with the grey sky, although it was warmer than home!
During the flight, we flew over the Barrier Reef which looked really so colourful, really amazing! From out of the plane window it was like a scene from the Flying Doctors!!!!!
We landed in Cairns at 1pm very very tired after missing a nights sleep and taking advantage of the free wines on our flight. We waited for our pick up to take us to the Hostel, which really impressed us with its a NICE dorm rooms, our room had 3 beds (but we have it to ourselves for now)
For every 3 nights you book, you get a 4th night free- BONUS! its a little more expensive to what we've been used to but we have been expecting it!
We have a big kitchen , swimming pool, TV room, big balcony, spa, hairdresses and shopping facilities, it has a real nice feel to it.
We went to the beach but to our disapointment there is'nt one in Central Cairns as such, due to the town being built on a big Esturay (where the river meets the sea), so the beach is more boggy marsh land. There are warning signs saying that crocodiles have been spotted in the marshland, but there is a lovely lagoon. The Lagoon is a big man made beach-like swimming area on the coast, theres lots of grass area and public BBQ's- we can't wait to give them a try!!
We walked around Cairns town centre, there are still a lot of the original buildings and only a couple of new Hotels that gives it a traditional feel.
We went to the Supermarket to get a few supplies, food is the same price, if not a little more expencive than England but with better food.
We had managed to fight our tiredness all day but we went to bed after tea.
Brett woke up the next morning really excited at 7am!!....(like he does everytime we arrive somewhere new) we had breakfast and then went back to sleep until 12 midday.
We headed to the lagoon to relax and sunbathe, the weather was really hot, it was 33c on the thermomiter in the park, the first time we have known the exact tempreture whilst being away.
We went for a walk along the Esplanade which is a 3km long promanade up the coast, there's a cycle/skateboard lane as well as a footpath, there are also fitness facilities and a childrens play area and a skate park. Everything is really well set up for families, which we think is really nice as you don't get that back home. All the facilities are free and there isn't any vandalism about.
There was a huge thunderstorm that night and it peed it down so we headed back to the Hostel and drunk some Grool (nasty wine.)
We had always planned to buy a car in Australia so this morning we got up early to start our mission.
We went to different notice boards and took the phone numbers for the cars and vans we liked the look of. We had a look at a few cars and vans and found one that we really liked, as it looked well maintained, its a black Mitsubishi Automatic Camper Van with a double bed in the back and it even has curtains, well kind of, there are actually towels that toffee teeth George used to mop the sweat from his head, mmmm nice! Its been converted to gas so it runs on gas and petrol (a big money saver as gas is half the price of petrol) It has just passed its MOT and has 6 months REGO on it, which is the same as tax & insurance, this saved us $300. We had a test drive and even towed another van with it- towed it like a dream! we've even managed to blag some camping equitment for free.
That night we bought some more Goone, (we didn't even know we had bought it until someone said) its so cheap at $13 for 4 litres, and when you have to pay $7 for a pint or just 1 glass of wine, then it doesn't taste too bad I suppose.
We met toffee teeth George (van man) again the next morning to register the van in Brett's name, but it took longer than we thought as we had to wait forever in a que at the Transport Office and they wanted 3 forms of ID from Brett but he only had 2, we managed to get another form of ID from the Imigration office (proof of Visa), then back to the Transport Office, but hopefully it's now sorted?
We headed for the Lagoon in the afternoon (what was left of it) for a spot of sunbathing, but it was abit cloudy by then.
The next few days just more relaxing in Cairns, in that time Emily has decided to go back home, which is a shame but she was getting a little homesick although she should be proud of herself she was away 5 months, which is a lot more than most people manage, lack of baths and the smell of my dreadlocks finally did it for her!!!!) In those 5 months we have had the most amazing time and seen some amazing things. We would'nt have change a thing, and I will miss her, until I go back home.
So its a few more months on my own. to be continued.......................
So here it goes, Bretts attempt of typing a blogg, I asure you, there will be a lot of spelling mistakes and proberly NO punctuatin and a lot briefer than before but ill give it ago.
The next 4 days Also spent in Cairns, no seriously i'm not that boring I just needed to wait for my cards to arrive from England and get my paper work through for my camper van. In those days i went out to the Great Barrier Reef for a day of diving, its something i've always wanted to do (like most people i suppose)
I had the best day and did 3 dives at 3 different reefs, it was quality saw everything imaginable, the coral was amazing and to top it of right at the end of the last dive we saw a turtle which was cool, it was'nt fazed by us at all, it was just interested in us, I suppose they have just got used to all the divers over the years.
I also had 2 good nights out did a pub crawl around the town, getting in at some ridiculous hour (dont think the other people in the room were too happy) and also had a pool party at the hostel with games and a bbq and some more goone but bought the red this time its nicer than the white, then on the last night had a game of poker at the hostel and won so ended up with $50- result. after people went to a club but i didnt fancy it as had to drive in the morning so feeling lucky i went to the casino with my roomie (Canadian Chris or CC for short).
I just took the $50 i won and nothing else, at least if i lost i wouldnt have a hangover to show for it, but like i said i was feeling lucky and came out with $520 playing cards, get in there my son!!!!!!!
The next morning up to Cape Tribulation for 3 days its a 3 hour drive north of Cairns and its also where the road ends before you have to travel by 4x4 up the rest of Australia and one of very few places on earth where the rainforest meets the sea.
I went up there with The flying dutchman or jamie for short he has a car aswell.
We checked in to a hostel/camp site as he wanted some air conditioning and i just wanted to sleep in the van, the main reason we went up there was to see a crocodile, so we spent 3 days looking for one but no such luck just got bit to death (nearly) and saw lots of big spiders, it also rained quite a lot whilst we were up ther it was still very humid but a nice refreshing change from the 39c we had been having in cairns a couple of days prior and in this part of the world at this time of the year there's no swimming in the sea im affraid- jelly fish they seem to spoil everything dont they.
On the drive back down stopped at a few places (some loverly views) and i came back to cairns to the hostel for a few nights i have meet some really nice people there and it's Austraila day on sat 26th so were having another big pool party so that should be fun. Austraila day was cool, a good party with some good food.
One day me and 3 others went on a day trip to Atherton Tablands. As well as me ther was Paddy(ireland), kiwi(New zealand) , and German Anne we went in my van so it was a bit of a squeeze. The Tablelands is a big farming region just in land from Cairnes but up on top of the hills, it has great waterfalls and swimming holes along the way and then when you get there, their is a couple of devine lakes with big picnik areas as well as great scenary along the way. We set of at 8 am and didnt return till 8pm sp it was a long day but a good one.

Next stop is Mission Beach to catch up with the Flying Dutchman he's working there doing a planting job or something so spend a couple of days there and move on.
Got to mission beach it took me about 3hrs.
But one thing is im, so glad ive got a van driving down the east coast is just brilliant, you've just got so much freadom. I saw great spot to have a break so just pulled over got a chair out and just relaxed, your on your own with a beautyiful view in the middle of no where and not a care in the world........Devine!!!!!!- you just dont get that oppertunity with the buses.
Mission beach is nice but weather is raining.
Decided to stay her for a few days longer now as the hostel offerd me a little job, just doing maintenence and gardening. I get free accomodation a home cooked meal and cash the longer i work, but it's nice to be a bit active for a change. The couple who run it are really nice and the bloke has helped me kit the van out a lot better than it was before, i now have a bed settee in which is just ace, you can just open the side door and pull up next to a beach and sit on you own settee, how cool is that?
Next stop- Townsville and Magnetic Island. 4 hours south.
Got in to Townsville around lunch time and got a boat straight away to Magnetic Island, was going to take the car over but they wanted a $150 so decided to leave it and just pay the $26 instead.
Spent my 2 days there just exploring the island, there is some devine walks to the little different coves and beaches. At night just drunk in the bar at the hostel it was quite busy and had a good laugh, met a funny funny guy- Lewy the scouser (what a laugh),going to catch up with him down the coast.
Also met 2 girls from Manchester and going to travel down to Airlie Beach with them as they have a van as well so will stay on the same campsite.

The only story i have from Magnetic Island is that the two nights i was there two people, one each night got bit by snakes, a Dannish girl and a Aussie guy on our hostel site, they both had to be air lifted to Townsville hospital, the Dannish girl was fine only a tree snake but the aussie guy got bit by a Death Adder the only poisiness snake on the island and dont no what happend to him?????? When i got back to Townsville i spent the afternoon looking around- quite a nice little town with a loverly habour front but nothing to exiting.
Next stop Airlie beach and the Witsunday Islands. 4 hours south (saw a couple of dead kangaroo's on the way down, got a couple of good snaps)
Its beautiful here a really nice town and a devine swimming lagoon lots to do and some devine ships to do the sailing to the Witsunday Islands which ill do in a few days or something.
Got there quite late and checked in to a campsit on the edge of town and just sat up with the ipod and our Goone.
The next day went to some devine waterfalls about 30ks out of town called Ceder falls, went swiming and jump off of rocks and stuff it was good, then more goone that night- think im getting imune to it, no headaces in the morning any more.
Spent the next 4-5 days staying in the town at a hostel, had a good laugh going out, its really good night life here, met up with lewy as well and he just made the night-what a laugh, will see him next in Sydney now, he lived there for a while so he's going to show me around. Also one of these days stoped tacking the malareia tablets after 5 months.
Also went the waterfalls again for the day took a picnic up there and some beers with a few others and jump off the top this time, the locals there say its about 12 meters, its really high though, some aussie guys were even diving off it but no way i was diving.
Then on my last day before going sailing, rain rain and more rain to go with the heavy wind as well.
Im really gutted actully as i am really looking forward to going sailing, it should still be good but better i imagin with the weather.
I have been hanging on for the flying dutch man to arrive and in all that time the weather has been sound, but we'll see hey.

Sailing the Witsunday Islands- 3 days.
Right where do i start, what an eventfull week i've had.
The night before we were due to sail the weather got worse, in the morning we found out that there had been a mini cyclone with the winds getting up to 120ks, this caused some trees to fall and boats in the bay to come crashing in to shore. We went for a look in the morning and there were boats of all differnt sizes just smashed up on the rocks and things. We also heard that all tours going out in the next coupl of days were cancelled as the boats already out there had to be rescued by air and even that one had sank, with people losing a lot of there belongings, passports etc.
We hung around till dinner time when they said we could go out, ours was the only boat going out that day, so we got our stuff together and set sail.
The 3 days were amazing, the boat was devine and the food was gorgeous. We sailed round the islands for the three days, went diving and snorkerling, saw some wild doldhins and turtels and went to some beautiful beaches. Then at night the crew were great they let us stay up, they had a spa on deck and all just had a good crack and a few late nights..........some of the sites in the morning on that rocky boat!!!!!!!!!! All in all the weather was sound a bit bumpy and a little bit of rain but had a great time.

Got back to shore and just slept till the next morning, i was knackerd. I was suppose to go out with all the boat for the night but didnt make it, just slept through.
When i got up in the morning everyone was going on about the weather again, saying the rain that had come down that night was unbelivable and that no one could get anywhere, but me and the flying dutchman had to get out of this place as we'd been here to long............. So we set off south.
Our aim was 1770 but we had to call in and see an australian family who Jamie worked for a couple of months ago. We managed to get there it was about an hour off the highway at a place called Cape Hillsbourgh. On the way down the Weather got even worse, We had to cross couple of creeks with water in them. Also saw on one of the creeks where the water had ripped all the tarmac off the road, a car had been taken about 100 metres down the river and had got stuck in the tree...... it was pretty bad.
When we got there, the family couldnt believe we HAD got there as the lady (Sandra) couldnt even get to work an hour before as the creeks were that high.....
Anyway we got stuck for 3 days, as just below where we turned off the highway in Mackey it was totally flooded, the roads were blocked north and south and there was no sign of it stoping either.
Spent the 3 days sleeping in the van, drinking beer on the farm with the man (Russel) and getting 3 home- cooked meals a day. It was happy days.
We went to meet some of the other locals one day..... OH MY GOD........ hillbillies or what!! haha, they were just like of the film Deliverence, they wore dungarees did'nt have any teeth and drove around in the oldest pick up trucks ever, they even started saying they were going to eat us and stuff, they were only joking but i sort of belived them. But enjoyed the 3 days with the wierdo's.
We set off south, we binned 1770 off as the weather was still raining and there would'nt be anything to do in the rain, we planned to get to a little town of Gladstone to spend the night.
Eight hours later we got ther just before dark which was good, the drive was'nt to bad as long as you missed the big pot holes in the road.
When we were driving for hours all the land scape was just underwater it was crazy just how much water there was, the river's we crossed were nearly up to the bridges.

Next stop Hervy Bay+Fraser Island- 4 hours south
Arrived here and no probs with the weather at all, its actually got a lot better and stopped raining.
Went out to the bar that night and then the next day just explored, but theres not that much to do here so an early night and off to Fraser Island tomorrow.
There are ten of us in our own 4x4 we have to get a boat over there and then we just explore the sand island an camp on the beach, so it should be a good laugh.

Fraser Island 3 days.
This was definately up there as one of the best things I have done in OZ. The three days were quality from start to finish and the weather was perfect, 3 days of sunshine. We had a full European car and we all got on sound. There were 4 English, 2 Dutch, 2 German, 1 Swiss and a Frenchy which is what I called her the entire trip..... think she got a little anoyed in the end, ha ha.
It was awesome driving around on the sand up in to the hills to the lakes.
Driving on the beach (which is 75miles long) doing 120ks with the music on was definatly one of the best things.
The camping was great and we saw quite a few Dingos. We went to Indian Head, which is the most Western part of Austrailla. Had another night in Hervy Bay before of to Noosa in the morning.
Noosa-2 hours south
Me and the flying dutchman travelled down to Noosa with the 2 english guys we meet on fraser island... Lea and Boz from Brighton.. Lea's been over here a bit, teaching diving and boz is just travelling like me and is mates with Lea's boyfriend so they met up.
Noosa was a lovely town with a really nice beach... loads of surfers there... its proberly the place where the Aussies go on their hols, some devine hotels, beach front appartments and nice resturants.....
Next stop Steve Irwin's Zoo-1 hour south
We had a idea that for the laugh that we would go dressed up as ridiculas as posible and we came up with a theme... because the sweeds we meet on fraser kept asking boz if he was finnish (which had become a long standing joke) We decided that boz was a finnish rockstar, I dressed up in all pink and i was his interpreter and his bodyguard, lea was his wife and jamie was a japenese photographer who was making a documentry on boz as he was so famous in Japan. The plan was that we would get in for free we called it ROCKSTAR CONCESSION...... so we got to the front desk i did all the talking whilst jamie kept taking snaps of boz whilst he was muttering something in made up Finnish.............you'll proberly all be surrprised to hear that it didnt work and we did'nt get in for free but we got conncession prices of $10 off each... what a result.... and we had a great laugh all day keeping up the act, even tried to get in the elephant encloseur with the act but no sucess. All in all a great day out at the zoo.
Next stop Brisbane- 1 hour south
So back where me and Em first started about 6 weeks ago (the bright lights of Brisvages that felt a little wierd)
We got there in the evening, abit of a rush really, which was a bit of a mistake as the hostels are right in the centre and most of the road network is all oneway.
The four of us tried about 5 hostels before we found one with any room and to put it bluntely its a dump, none of us liked it at first.
You can tell that most of the people who are there have been there months.
We have got used to it now though it quite homely and has a lot of character to it... its just like one big student house with loads of crap everywhere and everyone just does what they like... which is actually a nice change from all the stupid rules you get set in some of the hostels over here. Its called The Yellow Submarine. (We just walk around singing the song...come on you all know it)
The first two days in Brisbane felt a little weird, i havent been in a big city like this for a while, when driving in i was really excited but when i got her i just wanted to leave straight away, Its like Manchester back home, also the weather is raining and its really cold, in fact, so cold I had to have a duvet on the bed, which i havent had for 6 months.
Today I had to go shopping to get some warm clothes... and the jeans have come out aswell, they feel a little strange.
So its 3 or 4 days of just relaxing in the hostel and watching dvd's, if the weather doesnt pick up.
Im hanging around a bit because there's a festival on saturday 1st March at the racecourse which i have tickets for. The Chemical Brothers are headlining it and loads of other dj's and bands so it should be good fun, im really looking forward to it. The festival was quality, had a really good day but felt it in the morning as started on the beers at 12 midday. By the time we left Brisbane i had actully got used to it, but at the end of the day it's just a city. We had a few days at the man made beach by the river which is really nice and had a few nights out, also i loved the hostel by the end of the week. Yellow sub (what a place)
Next stop Surfers Paradise (Gold Coast)-1 hour south
Only a flying visit in Surfers as we needed to make some ground, we spent 2 days and 1 night there, im still with the guys from Brighton so we checked out the town on the first day and went out on the pub crawl in the evening. The next day i woke up really early as slept in the van and it gets really hot in there when the weather is nice...so i was down at the beach at 7 in the morning with my mcdonalds breakfast watching all the early morning surfers, which was nice. i always think the beach is the best in the morning. Surfers Paradise was really nice, very touristy with high rise buildings and all the desiginer shops but definatly worth a stopover.
So bye bye Queensland the borders coming up.

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Comments

[emily brett]

Hi yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Hi luv just thought id add a comment! Sounds CRAZY over the last few days! Hope Sandra got to work ok (haha)! You'd have been better with your diving gear swimming instead of driving!! Ha can you imagine me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyway have a fab time on Fraser Island and have a drink for me! Dont feed the Dingos!!!!!!!! Take care, (speak to you in min anyway) lots of love Em xxxxxxxxxxxxx