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Published: April 9th 2008
Hello Possums!
Welcome to Australia!
Landed in Sydney on 25th March at about half 3 in the afternoon with a welcoming thunderstorm, not what I was expecting I'll be honest with you. Boy do they interogate you big style when you leave the airport, I'm sure they thought my passport was dodgey, took it away to check n all sorts. Had a quick fire round of 20 questions whilst they searched my bags. I was on fire though, I should hope so mind seeing as I'm not acyually dodgey, didn't once crack under pressure, look at me go. And to think I though they were just having a friendly chat!
Finally let me loose into Oz, hmmmm where do I go now...... was gonna catch the train but out of the corner of my eye I see a guy holding a sign for shuttle buses to Central Station, sorted. Walking with the guy to the bus when what should pop into my head but a tv programme called The Real Hustle, which I only happened to catch 2 minutes of before coming away, but what should it be about, only flaming airport shuttle bus cons. Uh-oh! The con
involved getting on cheap shuttle buses, putting your luggage in the back and then on arrival a fake hotel rep coaxes you inside the hotel saying your luggage will be brought in for you just as the darn bus pulls off around the corner never to be seen again. SO, you can imagine when the drover offers to put my bag in the back I politely decline whilst clinging onto it for dear life. Had the lump of a bag on my lap at first, he must have thought I was a right eejit, but there was only 2 of us in the end so I could put it on the floor. Turns out the driver was a nice chap that thankfully got me to YHA Railway Square hostel safe and sound.
My night consisted of the fine cuisine of beans on toast and doing my laundrey. When I asked for beans on toast they literally plonked 2 pieces of bread and a can of beans in front of me, right then, best find the kitchen I suppose, how tempted was I to eat it cold.
My 8 bed dorm was an old converted railway carriage right next
to the station, I could of jumped out the window and I'd be on the platform.....but I didn't. Was feeling pretty tired when I went to bed so was convinced the whole jet lag thing wouldn't affect me, oh how I was mistake, come half past 1 in the morning...."oh for Pete's sake!", didn't sleep again until 4am.
Had an early start in the morning to meet Ian over in Manly. Turns out even though the station was right next to the hostel, my room in fact, I still had trouble finding it, had to ask for directions and the reply was, "it's that big building right behind you", doh! Felt like a proper backpacker trotting along with my big bag and when I happened to catch my own reflection I realised I looked like a big old tortoise plodding along, I'm sure it's only because I'm so small that the bag looks that big and not because I brought too much stuff with me. Caught the ferry over to Manly, got to see the Harbour bridge and Sydney Opera House. Saw a big navy ship on the way over, they all take their hats of to wave, fabulous
stuff, felt just like the movies. Met Ian over the other side where he introduced me to our glorious estate hire car, which just so happened to be parked up a gert hill (I'm sure he did that on purpose just on the off chance I might roll back down it with my big bag). Had a tour of the Northern beaches and then we were on our way.
Four hours up the coast our first stop was Port Macquarie where I saw my first wild roos and kookaburras. Lush little town and beaches and it turns out I was gonna be living the high life for a week staying in nice motels, right on dude! Felt like a right little scrubber when I walked in in my beach gear though, hey ho, soon spruced meself up. Went for a quick dip in the sea that afternoon or should I say half a dip, didn't quite make it all the way in, these ozzie waves are quite strong ya know. Went to the Hogs Breath for tea, offputting name but lush food all the same.
Next day I went on the search for sarnies, found a nice cafe
where I was greeted with "hello possum", love it, completely made my day that did. Spent the day walking, swimming and catching some rays on the beaches and visited the Koala Hospital, they are so cute. Saw some pelicans and wild parrots today too, by jingo it's amazing.
Made our way to Nambucca Heads in the Friday, then onto Valla Beach, not a whole lota happenings around there so moved further up the coast to Hungary Head. Went for a surf...I tell a lie, Ian went for a surf, I stood in the shallows with a board for about half an hour before concluding I would indeed get pummelled if I went in there. I ventured ashore where I made friends with a random surfer's dog, which sat with me while I waited and watched a massive storm get closer and closer. We went for a walk up that same beach and as we alked back the storm was above us and worryingly our hair went static, seemed to me like a direct route for the lightning, we definately quickened our pace. Started to head inwards that day towards hicksville or woop woop otherwise known as the outback to
a place called Dorrigo. It was only a small town but the road was humongous, so wide, with only about one car every half an hour, but still I found myself running across. Played pokies that evening, some kind of fruit machine we think, swear there was no logic to it whatsoever, hey ho, it was addictive all the same. Conveniently the bar was right opposite out motel.
The next day we visited a rainforest in Dorrigo National Park. I had great joy in trying to imitate the lyer bird, or what I thought was the lyer bird and even more joy at seeing a brush turkey make Ian jump, ha ha, I didn't believe him at first that they were called turkeys, what - turkeys in the rainforest, but it turns out they really were, not very exotic I know. We visited Wollomombi waterfall before driving onto Armidale, Glen Innes, Tenterfield and Casino. Originally we were supposed to stop at Glen Innes but due to the realisation of how far into woop woop we were we decided to go onto Lismore to find civilisation again. It didn't help that I was adament we kept the country and western
radio station on all the way, which just added to the ambience of where we were. These places actually looked like they were saloon bars, half expecting to see tumbleweed, cowboys and their horses, I'm sure they were about somewhere. Ended up driving over 500km today. Stopped off on one stretch of road in woopwoop to appreciate the silence, heard "quadbikes" coming up the lane, freaked out coz we thought the hill billys were coming to get us so made a sharp exit, turns out it was just 2 motorbikes coming up the road. Had a good night out in Lismore where I returned to the motel via a shopping trolley!
We headed back to the coast the next day (Sunday). Went to the lookout point for Lennox Head, which was amazing, clear blue water, lovely jubbely. We went to Ballina beach for a surf, again the waves were a tad too strong for me, so much so that when I went for a swim the unfortunate event of a wave pulling my bikini bottoms down occurred, thankfully I didn't lose them all together!(I've just been informed there was a shark attack yesterday at Ballina!! In the words of
Ian,"It's all about the timing man!" Too right, but I'm heading towards the whole not going into shark territory at all....ever). Then we moved onto Byron Bay where we went to the not so well known so much nicer Broken Head beach. Tried my hand at surfing again, what a numpty I looked just standing there, I blame it on not having a wetsuit, so sat on the beach watching people scrape the sand for goodness knows what (Ian informs me it's worms) and some woman meditating in the setting sun, peace out dude!
On the Monday we went back to Broken Head and then into town to walk along the main Byron Bay, whoa what a contrast, looked like a bunch of sardines on the beach, couldn't see the sand for the people. We were completely bushwacked today, this travelling malarkey doesn't half take it out of you.
Next stop was the Gold Coast, firstly Tweed Heads and then Surfer's Paradise! Not sure about the paradise bit, in fact it's far from it, probably one of the most built up areas around. Didn't hang around for long, but long enough to have a traumatic episode in the
dunes. we stopped off on a stretch of road to see the beach, not sure how to get to it so ventured into the sand dunes. Much to my dismay the "path" got narrower and narrower, I was not a happy bunny, especially when I looked up to see hugh spiders all above me and tall grass either side of me brushing against my legs. Got the fear big styley and eventually had to be dragged through, which was a little on the harsh side I thought! We went straight on to Brisbane that afternoon where that evening we went on the hunt for some of Ian's old watering holes. Ended up going on a trek and a half all the way around the city when it turns we only needed to go to the next street or two along, hey ho, it was a nice walk all the same. We knew for next time.
The next day we took a trip to the Botanical Gardens and drove up Mount Coot-tha to see Brisbane in all it's glory. That evening Ian introduced me to a proper backpacker bar, so much so there was even a nice squirming cockroach on
the end of our table, we drank up quick sharp here which goes without saying really.
On the Thursday Ian left to go back to Sydney so I was now proper on me tod, oh dear! Walked for miles today down to Southbank Parks where I chilled on the Streets beach for a bit (yes they have a man-made beach in the city, bizarre, but a darn good idea, do you think I could persuade them to build one in Tiverton). Then took a stroll around the other botanical gardens.
So that was that, my first week in Australia from Sydney to Brisbane, and what a fabulous week it was!
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