Christchurch to AUSTRALIA!

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I was up this morning (after only an hours and a half's sleep - seemed sensible at the time to go to bed at 1am - who knows why!) AT 2:30 am, got myself together and said my last goodbye's to my suragate family adn headed off to the airport. I pretty much sailed throuhg, although had to queue forever to pay to leave the country (but I don't want to go, why should I pay for the privelage?!! Oh well!). As we were boarding the plane though I saw the most amazing sunrise ever, was a pretty nice goodbye from such a pretty country.

I arrived in Brisbane at 7am (local time) and had to wait in the airport until 11:30am for my bus up to Herevy Bay where I was meeting Amy before we head off to Fraser Island for my birthday. The wait gave me a bit of time to update my journal (I'm sorry I've been having far too much fun to keep on top of it - deepest apologies!!). The bus to Herevy Bay turned out to be a mini bus which wa the most uncomfortable thing ever, not really what you want for a 4 hour drive, but the lack of sleep caught up with me and I managed to sleep for while of it! One skill I've aquired form this trip is to be able to sleep in more uncomfortable situations!! I just get it while I can!!

As we were driving through on the bus I had to keep pinching myself! I'm in Australia! I've dreamed about this for years, and what I was seeing on the way was just as I imagined!! Red sand and eucalyptus trees everywhere!!

I was met in Hervey bay by the owner of the hostel Amy and I were staying at - 'the friendly hostel'. She seemed really nice until I mentioned to her that we were planning to go to Fraser Island on the self drive 3 day trip. She then started to reel off all the worst companies (of course the one we'd booked with) and all the accidents she'd witnessed and how they all ripped you off from every which way! Most definitely not what I need to be hearing after such along day and so little sleep!

I arrived at the hostel to a lovely greeting from Amy! It's so good to be here, I can't believe we're actually in Australia!! Anyway, as soon as I put my bag down the owner started going again. I was glad to find Amy as outraged as me and determined to prove her wrong. We had a bout an hour or so to get freshened up, and have a wander before we were due to go the meeting for our trip. Unfortunately the bus to pick us up was late which wasn't the best start but we got there eventually! We couldn't believe it when we walked into the briefing room to be met by a room full of girls, bar 2 guys!! The thought of spending 3 days in a car full of all girls didn't really inspire me, but thankfully we got ourselves in the group with the 2 Irish guys, the other consisted of 3 Swedish girls and 4 other English girls. The guy dealing with everything didn't really fill us with confidence and seemed a bit dodgy, so we left not knowing what we'd let ourselves in for!! But we spent the rest of the evening getting oursleves ready and then having some tea before I passed out!!

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