4x4, horseriding, motorbiking, sailing adventures

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Well I've finally gotten round to thinking about updating my blog. The trouble is, I'm so knackered I'm pretty sure none of it will make sense. Not that I make too much sense most of the time, but i'll give it a go.

Hervey Bay was my place of departure to Fraser Island - The world's biggest sand island. I had booked with Koalas (as i've mentioned before) and surprise surprise, the hostel was a s**t hole. But seeing as I had one free night there I stuck it out. I had two nice Dutchies as roommates and we spent the evening watching Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. A good movie, but I preferred Snatch.
We had our meeting for our fraser trip the following day. Two Essex girls walked in and demanded to know if we were up for a proper wreck up, and I groaned internally that I would have to spend any ammount of time with them. But then the meeting organiser announced that one person wouldn't be able to do the trip as they had 1 too many for 1 vehicle, and I jumped at the chance of doing the trip with a different company. So moved to Palace Backpackers, a much nicer hostel with an oven (i baked a potato, wooop woop).

Had an early start the following day, meeting the people i was to spend the next few days with and watching the safety briefing for driving on Fraser Island. And how to deal with dingos. We then got in our cars, managed to figure out how much and what food we would need for the few days and i claimed the front seat to help navigate to the ferry and across on the island. We did a forest walk, and ended up missing one of the most beautiful lakes on the island (i apparently am not the most successful navigator (i blame the map!)) but it's ok because Lake Wabby is cursed, apparently, so i didn't really want to go there anyway, and thats the story i'm sticking to!
We found a place to camp and a few of us set up the camp whilst the others decided to go on a trip to see lake wabby. And then were drunk by 8pm as there isn't much to do when it gets dark!

Day two was spent driving up the East beach of Fraser. We went to Eli Creek which was really cool and nice to wade/swim/drift through. and then saw the wreck of the S.S. Maheno, where I met a friendly Ninja crab, before driving up to Indian Head where we were meant to be able to see loads of sealife from the point, but didnt. It was still beautiful though! Then we had to race down the coast again to get to our campsite, which we had foolishly decided to leave up in the same spot so we could hang out with the other two groups for our second night, but we just about made it before the tide came in. phew. "what's the plan guys?" "Drive Drive Drive!" Then we made a cuppa before settling down for the evening, cooking our meals and getting drunk really early again!

Day 3 was spent changing our tyres as the company managed to give us two deflating tyres, and then we headed to the beautiful lake mackenzie for chilling out sunbathy times before heading back to the mainland. I wasn't the navigator this time. The person who was co-pilot wasnt interested in looking at the map, and neither were the rest of the crew, which is why we went the wrong way three times. Nuff Said.

Left Hervey Bay the following day and headed to 1770. Its described in Lonely Planet as something like, "not much there, but pretty laid back place, nice to chill out in." a very accurate description. We went Scooterooing, which is basically re-modelled scooters which are made to look like Mini Chopper Motorcycles. I was removed from mine for being rediculously unbalanced, and put on a normal style fake motorcycle ( if that makes sense) I surprised myself by not falling off. Result! In the evening I cooked chicken Fajitas. YUM.

Next morning we left (Early!) to head to the Kroombit Cattle Station. This is one of the unique trips run by Oz Experience, and it is well worth it. I had a lot of fun, with a good group of people. I had also decided it was about time i did an activity, so went horse riding/goat rustleing. It was immense fun shouting Hey Up Up Up to the goats and riding around on a horse. We also played with lassoo's, tried goat rodeo'ing, rode a mechanical bull (at which i excelled, well not quite, but i didn't come off straight away!), had a limbo comp (i came second place to commando chris) and had a talent competition, which i won by poi'ing, but i think it was only because the pitied me for not winning the limbo!

Next morning, Early Start! The longest trip on the east coast, from kroombit to Airlie Beach, gateway to the Whitsundays. The journey was boring except the game of barefoot lawn bowles. That evening I met up with some of my original OzExp crew which was amazing, I loved seeing them all again, but the evening was cut short because the idiot bouncer wouldn't let me in because my id is either stolen or at the vietnemese embassy getting visas, even tho i produced P.C. Martin Wilson's business card, to get him to confirm i was telling the truth. Grrr. Oh well.

My Whitsundays sailing trip started the following afternoon, after a lot of hanging about at the marina, we departed to Molle Island. We then chilled on the island for the evening and had a few bevs. The next morning we departed reasonably early and sailed to Whitehaven beach where we sunbathed for a few hours before returning to Molle for more drinks.

This morning we left once again reasonably early to head out for our reef snorkeling experience. I think I was one of the only few who didn't cut their feet on the reef. Altho that might be because I didnt stay out long enough to get cut. I had problems with my mask not fitting my face properly. And inhaling alot of sea water through my nose. I hope i get it all figured out for when I'm diving!!

Sooo tired now. Think I could sleep for a week, but I bet I wake up early for no reason tomorrow. I get a lay in, but i'll probably just wake up. Hope not though.

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