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Published: February 9th 2009
The Car
....suppose it's a jeep really...or a truck...don't know...but it was big.23/1/09 = The Stress before Fraser
Unbelievable weather last night. Absolutely threw it down with rain; enough that woke us all up...even Deb...Deb who didn't wake up to Earthquake in England! When woke up at 6am (yes 6am....hate this time of day now!), was still raining...really raining. Shouldn't have wished it, but was actually glad for rain. Fancied a bit of a chill out and rainy days always good days to go on internet without feeling guilty that am wasting day. Loaded up on breakfsat of cereal and toast again, then the day of work commenced:
1st = went on free internet at hostel from 7:30 until 9:00 - did some good blog catch up
2nd = packed up all things and checked out at 10am
3rd = went into town and used video internet shop again for 2 hours!
After all that hard work, you would think I would have caught up on blog a little, but still weeks behind...literally! Couldn't do anymore than that anyway because bus picking us up at 12:30 and would have had to be committed afterwards if done anymore time; eyes definitely changing shape to square! Glad when bus came on time at
12:30 and was only a 2hour journey to Hervey Bay. Didn't manage to sleep on bus again, not doing well with the old sleep at the moment. When got off bus, hostel shuttle bus was there to pick us up. Jumped in and he took us straight to backpacker hostel. Hervey Bay v.different to Rainbow. Much bigger place with lots of industrial estates, strange really. Hostel was wierd too, felt bit like a hotel.
Checked in with tour operator and she told us basic details about Fraser tour tomorrow and meeting time to sort out trip. Had 10mins before meeting and absolutely starving. Quickly got room key, threw sheets on bed and bags on floor, then ran downstairs and ate lunch = rest of chinese from last night. Warmed up in microwave and tasted just as good...may have changed my whole philosophy on re-using food! Wolfed down lovely chinese, then went into cinema room to have meeting about our tour. V.mixed group of us, including 3 French guys, a girl from Germany, 2 girls from Sweden, us 3 and 3 mystery people who hadn't arrived yet. Aussie tour operator told us all about trip to Fraser Island and what
we would be doing for next 3 days. Gave us rules and basic itinerary we could follow if wanted to, which was really good. Really excited now...that was until he told us about all tiger sharks in sea and dingos on island. Not going in sea anyway, so sharks avoided. Wasn't really scared about dingos until he told us about attacks and that was mostly kids who got attacked because they were small....o oh. Lots of downsides to being small, but possibility of being eaten by a dingo has never been one of them before...curse my 5ft2 height! Made mental note to walk on tiptoes whilst on island!
After an hour in meeting, were all a bit more prepared, excited and nervous. But what came next well and truly dampened evening! Had to do food shop for all of us, for all 3 days on island. Put in $20 each and then had to decide what wanted and how much of it to get. Not usually a totally passive person, but 10people all trying to organise something = disaster! Far too many Chiefs and not enough Indians. I sat straight back and silenced myself out of conversation. De-nominated myslef
The drive to Lake Mackenzie
Literally the roughest drive ever...bruises and everything. from shopping and let Deb and Hat take over with girl from Belgium, until realised needed to shop for dinner and Hat dragged me along. Walked to shops, but just got more and more intense with a battle between Chief Deb and Chief Belgium lady. Too much for me to handle...toddled off to get an ice-cream instead = much more chilled.
2 hours later, food bought, people stressed and characters in group established! Interesting really, from a psychology point of view. As if all not stressed enough, had to then spend another hour packing bag for Fraser Island. Couldn't think of anything would like to do less! Did a rush job in 20mins and then went to phone friend to cheer myself up. That was another disaster. First time I rang I got cut off, 2nd time dialled wrong number, had to get more money out for 3rd and 4th time, but for both of these calls got put through to a guy called Steve. Tried for last & 5th time and got cut off again. Poor Hat took pity on me thinking it was my phone card and gave me hers. Tried for v.v.last time = 6th time,
by which point Michelle had had to go out to take Soph to nursery! Disaster and a complete waste of money at 50cents a calls, not to mention all money gone on card! That just brought the typical ending to a nightmare day! Had beans on toast for dinner, spent bit of time on internet (third time today...wow!), then went to bed at 10. Was so tired and worn out, that fell straight to sleep.
24/1/09 = Beautiful Lake Mackenzie and the Shipwreck
Woke up at usual crack of dawn (6:30) and for first time in a while, really didn't want to get out of bed. Had such a good nights sleep and felt like could snooze forever. Had to get up though - Fraser Island today. Bumbled off to shower - terrible shower, but woke me up - then got changed, packed up and checked out. Got even more money out of bank (lots of withdrawals lately) and paid travel lady the rest of the rubbish fees that get tagged onto all these trips and end up costing around $100 extra a time! Then the tour operator came to meet us at 8 and we started
to check off all equipment for van. He showed us video about driving on island and got really excited. Excitement soon crushed when went outside to look at van; absolutely massive, 11 seater van, weighed down with equipment, food and drink for all group...not exactly like little MG Maggie.
Spilt into 2 groups and since more girls, 8 of us got in big jeep, while 3 French guys + Canadian + Belgium girl went in smaller jeep. Had to have a volunteer to drive first and everyone took a step back. Good job Jo stepped forward; bless her. Jo and Catherine = 2 Scottish girls arrived this morning, seemed really nice. Clambered into van...literally clambered! No ladder up to get in and had to practically raise leg above shoulder just so I could crawl into back. All sat in back, then Jo drove us off to ferry. She did a really good job and took to it straight away, which made me more excited to drive again. Got to ferry port with loads of other vans and had to wait a while for ferry to come in. All getting excited now. When ferry did comel, poor Jo had to
reverse monster truck onto ferry in the tighest space possible. Good job wasn't me, reversing & parking just don't go together in the same sentence for me, not without = crash on end. Again, she did really well.
All went onto top deck on ferry. Was a really hot day, but also really grey and cloudy, so all a bit disappointed. Things just don't look as beautiful in grey. Tried some shark spotting, but no luck, did however see hundreds of jellyfish = definitely no sea for me! Only took 30mins, then arrived at Fraser Island. All headed back down to jeep and Jo drove us off onto solid ground of island. Had to put van into 4 wheel drive, then started drive through forest. Was awesome. Ground was so uneven and were flying all over; can't count number of times bum came out of seat. Poor Jo. Were all seat jumping for around 30mins, until finally arrived at Lake Mackenzie. Got straight out of truck and walked, in the rain, to Lake Mackenzie. Still looked beautiful, sun or no sun. Water crystal clear and some amazing colours; wish sky wasn't so grey. Got stripped off ready for water
and ran into some people met in Sydney - small world. All our group got in water and played water volleyball. Good bonding session for us and group all really nice. Rained on and off, but was actually quite nice to be in such a beautiful lake in rain and still be warm. Wierd.
Had an hour at lake, which meant were already running late compared to itinerary, then had some lunch. Was a really good lunch actually of sandwiches, crisps and biscuits. Stuffed myself nicely. Time to swap drivers then and I volunteered straight away - v.excited. Truck so big that couldn't even see end of bonnet...could barely see over steering wheel! Spent 10mins adjusting seat (apparently I looked v.funny in driving seat) then got ready to go. Stalled straight away...oh oh, but then was fine...off we went. Felt really wierd to drive, not at all like a normal car; v.clunky and stiff. Loved the forest driving though. Spent another 30mins flying up and down dirt tracks with an innumerable number of bruises forming on bum! Loved it, but got even better when we got to beach. Had to put truck in special gear for beach driving, then
All of us in the Lake
Wow...what a mish mash of bodies off we went. Beach driving was amazing and felt really unreal at first. There we were, driving at 60kms an hr, down a never ending beach, right next to water. All we could see was ocean and sand and other jeeps driving up and down too. Amazing, never seen anything like it and don't think I'll ever get to drive anything like it again either. We were all a bit overwhelmed.
Drove along beach for a good 40mins, listening to music and soaking in view (can't believe I'm driving a monster truck down the beach!). Heading towards Maheno Shipwreck = a Scottish ship, shipwrecked in 1935 when hit by a cyclone. Parked up beside it and had a look around. I though it looked great. Setting of old rusty ship against white sand and beautiful blue/turquiose water looked amazing. Others not too impressed, but I thought looked great. After 10mins to look round it, got back in jeep and headed for campsite (still loving the beach driving). Found site quite easily and v.impressed when got there. Staying on an Aboriginal site and inside a hut for the night, so didn't have to set tents up = bonus. Aboriginal guy
A jumping shot
You've just got to do it. (Daniel) was really nice. He showed us around; noted the BBQ area and showers = excellent! Got settled in, then were all ready for a drink = where went wrong again for me! Why does alcohol always end so badly for me!?!...especially goon! Had a really good night, but ended up completely drunk, not just a little tipsy, but embarrassingly, swaying, can't stand up straight kind of drunk. Chatted loads to Scottish girls, had a lovely BBQ, chopped some wood (harder than it sounds and looks) and when Daniel came out to do some Aboriginal dancing for us, was really good. All sat round the campfire and he sang and danced for us = really good. Then painted our faces, toasted marshmellows, had heated political debates, lost camera, cried ridiculously at loss of camera (which found 10mins later, but still carried on crying), performed a french oral exam with French guy where just kept repeating 'comment ca va'....you can see the deterioration in the night here! Ended up in bed (thank you ladies) feeling completely oblivious to how drunk was and like could take on all dingos single handedly! Me and goon really just don't go together!
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Shaun
non-member comment
Really like the 'trying to concentrate' pic!